Increasingly Inclusive Sport

Between each sentence he utters, Vicente takes his time. To measure his words and invite reflection. One remark falls with a special aplomb for its forcefulness and simplicity: "I like football, watching it and playing it, and I do it with wheelchair futsal, sharing this passion with others. It doesn't matter what it's like, with this (he points to the wheelchair), well, no problem, with this". As a corollary, he asks: "It is about moving forward as a society, and the more things become normal, the better the world will be".

Vicente Sancho is one of the people who form part of UPV In, the inclusive programme with which the Universitat Politècnica de València wants to promote adapted sport for people with functional diversity. The other part is represented by society in general since UPV In pursues to involve everyone, regardless of their "abilities".

The new programme is part of UPV's SIRVE Strategic Plan for 2023 - 2027 and aims to facilitate inclusive sport for society in general. "Indoor wheelchair football (A-ball) can be played by anyone, regardless of whether they have a disability. What's more, those who try it tend to like it a lot," says Vicente.

Sports disciplines

In addition to A-ball, UPV In offers seven other wheelchair sports: cycling, rugby, pilota valenciana, tennis, paddle tennis, football, wheelchair basketball, and basketball for people with intellectual disabilities.

Erica Gonzalez has been practising adapted cycling for two years. She dreams of participating in the Paralympic Games, "hopefully in Paris (2024), but if I don't qualify for these, I'll try for the next ones," she says. In her opinion, initiatives such as UPV In are "necessary" to raise awareness of the possibilities for everyone to practise inclusive sports according to their preferences. "I've been saying a lot lately that we can all do anything. The only thing is to see which option best suits you".

Luxury ambassadors

The eight UPV disciplines have their ambassadors. In most cases, former professional athletes and top-level coaches, such as Marina Ferragut. She defended the Ros Casares or Perfumerías Avenida shirts, among others, and the Spanish one on 253 occasions. "For me, representing this group of brave people who defend the values of sport in this way makes me extremely proud," she says.

In addition to Ferragut (wheelchair basketball and basketball for intellectual disabilities), UPV In has the support as personal ambassadors of Pablo Andújar (tennis), Ángel Casero (cycling), Roberto Belope (A-ball), Soro III (pilota), Carlos Morell (paddle tennis) and Esteban Santamaría (rugby).

Extending the practice of sport

The UPV has 58,000 m2 of facilities fully adapted for people with functional diversity. The Sports Department promotes and facilitates sports practice at all levels by managing a wide range of facilities and activities. With the UPV In project, the UPV is going one step further, extending its objective beyond the university community and opening its doors to society in general, with a focus on the group of people with functional diversity.

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