The Definitely Able Campaign Launch

Doha June 03 (QNA) - In a joint collaborative initiative, the first of its kind in Qatar, Sasol and the South African Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball team (WBSA), the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and the Qatar Paralympic Committee (QPC), have launched the Being Disabled means Definitely Able" campaign. The tour follows the wheelchair basketball team s qualifying for the 2012 Paralympics. Athletes from the QPC and the WBSA will be taking part in a series of events across Doha aimed at raising awareness throughout the community. The focus of the campaign is to illustrate that people living with disabilities are able to reach and fulfill their dreams. The national WBSA team has been part of Sasol s sponsorship portfolio for the past six years. Just one year into the sponsorship, the team became the African Champions at the Algiers All African Games. Less than a month after that, the team shone in Morocco where they qualified for the Beijing Olympics by beating the home team. The wheelchair basketball team and Qatar Paralympic athletes will kick off their tour of Qatar with a visit to the Shafallah Centre, Al-Noor Institute for the Blind and local schools. Students will be able to engage with the teams, get autographs and learn from the athletes. The South African team will demonstrate their skill and physical agility in the highly anticipated Chairs vs. Champs , friendly exhibition game at City Center on June 7th at 6:00pm near the ice skating ring. Here by official invitation, the South African Wheelchair basketball team will be welcomed at a formal gala event with the Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, General Secretary of the Qatar Paralympic Committee Dr. Hassan Al-Ansari, Dr.Saif Ali Al-Hajari and Sasol senior management.and other known dignitaries. Speaking on the occasion, Qatar Olympic Committee Secretary General H.E Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said: "We are proud to have partnered with Sasol for the "Definitely Able" Campaign and hope that through this campaign, we are successful in changing lives for the better. If you believe, as we do, that sport has the power to effect real change in people s lives; South African Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball team (WBSA) is a wonderful example of how that change can be achieved." Further, we highly believe we can build up a platform for future and fruitful cooperation between Qatar Paralympic Committee and the WBSA in this event and beyond. "The Definitely Able" campaign focuses on what one can accomplish regardless of his or her disability that everyone is able, definitely able to be what they want to be and do what they want to do. Through this campaign, we would like to create a very positive attitude amongst people from all walks of life", commented Marjo Louw, Country President, Sasol Qatar. "Qatar continues to build on its strong commitment to sports for all, both disabled and able bodied. The Qatar Paralympic Committee encourages both youths and adults to become active in sports, as it promotes health and fosters good relationships through sportsmanship. The support of the Qatar Government, along with the Qatar Olympic Committee, the Qatar Paralympic Committee and many school programs now offer such an opportunity," said Dr. Hassan Al Ansari, General Secretary of Qatar Paralympic Committee. "While it is challenging being a person living with disabilities, as an athlete, it s an even bigger challenge. In order to succeed, the team needs the same resources as able bodied athletes. We use the same transportation, travel to the same destinations and share many other similarities with our able-bodied peers. It is with the generous support of companies like Sasol, that we are able to achieve our goals of performing on the world s greatest sporting stages," said Marcus Retief, captain of the SA Wheelchair Basketball team. On behalf of Sasol s more than 33 000 employees across the world, we wish the men s national wheelchair basketball team the greatest success at the 2012 games.(QNA)