African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 has announced plans to implement mandatory minimum participation quota in sports for people with disabilities from the 2028 Region 5 Youth Games.
AUSC Region 5 Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Mutoya, made the announcement in Maputo, Mozambique, during the final preparatory meeting ahead of the 2026 Region 5 Youth Games, which will take place in December.
Mutoya said AUSC Region 5 is committed to promoting disability sports and will ensure that each of its members’ countries are fully embracing inclusion in sports.
This comes as only three disability sports categories are available for competition in the Maputo games, and these are athletics for the visually impaired, wheelchair athletics and special Olympics athletics.
AUSC Region 5 Sports for People with Disabilities (SPWD) Committee Chairman, James Chiutsi, has lauded the regional body for striving to promote inclusion in sports.
Chiutsi, who is also president of Disability Sports Malawi (DSM) and Malawi Paralympic Committee (MPC), says the new direction by AUSC Region 5 will help address some of the challenges faced in advancing disability sports.
“We have noted that every time countries in the region have issues with the budget for Region 5 Youth Games and they want to trim their teams, disability sport has always been the culprits, Chiutai said.
Jessica Noske-Turner, a researcher and facilitator who plays a key role in the “Making Noise” campaign under the Para Sport Against Stigma project, says AUSC Region 5’s efforts to advance further the promotion of inclusion in sport would become a milestone once it comes to pass.
Noske-Turner says policies on promotion of sports for people with disabilities require overcoming numerous obstacles.
“We commend AUSC Region 5 for committing, and we will be following every detail as the process commences,” she said.
By Frank Kandu
