During the Macau Special Olympics’ (MSO) annual table tennis competition entitled “GEGxMSO Table Tennis Game”, Hetzer Siu Yu Hong, chief executive officer of Macau Special Olympics, told The Macau Post Daily that holding the one-day competition in a public area could bring more attention to the capabilities and athletic abilities of the intellectually disabled and promote “inclusion” in civil society.
Siu made the remarks after the competition at Broadway Macau. The event has been held in cooperation with resort operator Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) for 11 consecutive years, with this edition being the first to be played at the complex.
Siu said he hoped that the competition would enable local citizens and tourists to see MSO’s cause, as well as to allow people to see that those with intellectual disabilities can have the capability to partake in sports, adding that this could be a “pattern” towards achieving inclusion. Siu also said he hoped that more could be done to “prove” that those with intellectual disabilities can take part in sports competitions and that they can be “elite athletes”.
When asked about the feedback that he received about the event, Siu said that it was “a very good reaction”, noting that there were a number of people who showed a keen interest in what happened at the competition. He noted that it allowed MSO the opportunity to introduce what they are doing as well as their cause, adding that it also enabled people to know that people with intellectual disabilities “have the right to play sports”.
MSO members and Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) volunteers pose with their awards during yesterday’s “GEGxMSO Table Tennis Game”.
