The Hon Rod Kemp was Minister for the Arts and Sport from Friday 23 November 2001 to Tuesday 30 January 2007. This site is available for archival purposes only.

Finalisation of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Sports Program for Elite Athletes with a Disability.

The Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, today announced the finalisation of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Sports Program for Elite Athletes with a Disability.

The Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games will include the largest ever, fully integrated program for Elite Athletes with a Disability. The Program will comprise twelve events across four sports – swimming, athletics, table tennis and power lifting with a total of twelve gold medals up for grabs. All twelve events will be integrated into the main Games competition schedule with medals counted as part of the main medal tally.

The Elite Athletes with a Disability Program will involve over 200 athletes, specialist officials and support staff. Elite Athletes with a Disability will compete in the same sessions as their able-bodied counterparts, giving spectators the opportunity to watch and support all athletes taking part in the Games.

The Australian Government is proudly providing $10 million to fully fund the Elite Athletes with a Disability Program as part of its $293.7 million package of support for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, including $112.9 million in direct financial assistance to the Victorian Government.

“ Australia has a long history of providing opportunities for people with a disability to participate in sporting competition and events, and to develop their skills to an elite level”, said Senator Kemp.

Elite athletes with a disability who are selected to represent Australia at the M2006 Games may receive financial assistance through the Australian Government’s Direct Athlete Support Scheme. The Scheme is directing $6.8 million to assist high performance athletes representing Australia at the M2006 Games by helping to meet living and training expenses.

“The Melbourne 2006 Elite Athletes with a Disability Program will reinforce Australia’s standing as a leading sporting nation and demonstrate how effectively events for people with disabilities can be integrated into sports programs for major international events”.

Victorian Games Minister Justin Madden said: “I would like to thank the Australian Government for their support of the Elite Athletes with a Disability program, as part of the biggest sporting and cultural event ever staged in Melbourne.”

President of the Commonwealth Games Federation Mike Fennell said the Elite Athletes with a Disability Program first debuted at the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games.

“The Elite Athlete with a Disability Program is unique to the Commonwealth Games, in that it is fully integrated into the Games program”, Mike Fennell said.

“We have expanded the EAD program since Manchester and we look forward to the Melbourne Games program with 12 events across four distinct sports”.

The EAD Program includes the following events:

* Swimming disability classifications are to be confirmed.

Over the next three years, a new Australian Sports Commission program called Sports Ability will build on the momentum and interest generated by the Melbourne 2006 Games, and the integration of events for athletes with disabilities into the main sporting program.

Some 18 500 young Australians with disabilities will have the opportunity to increase their participation in sport through Sports Ability, encouraging people with a disability to enjoy sports by providing equipment, resource material and training for five inclusive sport activities: Boccia, Goalball, Sitting Volleyball, Polybat and Table Cricket. All can be modified so that young people with disabilities and their able-bodied peers can participate together.

Over the next three years, Sports Ability will be delivered in 150 special educational settings and 20 Indigenous communities across Australia—primarily targeting young people who have complex and higher support needs.

Games CEO Mr John Harnden congratulated the Australian Government for supporting the Elite Athlete with a Disability program.

“These events will leave a lasting legacy from the Commonwealth Games to the wider Australian community”, Mr Harnden said.

20 October 2005
Media contact: Michael Christo, 03 9650 7274 or 0409 040 276.
For Melbourne 2006 Games related media contact: Simon Frost 0419 495 468