VIRTUS: World Intellectual Impairment Sport

I want to help athletes with an intellectual impairment make a non-visible disability, visible, by showcasing their character, courage, excellence, and integrity. 

Across the world, there are between 156-250 million people who live with a disability that is not visible. Source: WHO Report on Disability 2011. 

Intellectual disability (ID) knows no boundaries. It cuts across the lines of racial, ethnic, educational, social, and economic backgrounds, and it can occur in any family. 

There is a solution - SPORTS. 

With the elevate prize, I can better advocate for people with ID, so they are not left behind, they are part of the solution to challenge perceptions and change attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, resulting in an inclusive world for people with an intellectual impairment.

With Elevate funding and support, I can amplify my collaborators, networks, experiences to raise the game. More importantly, together change the world to be Inclusive of people with a non-visible disability. In my view - that's a truer meaning to disability inclusion. 

By providing options and opportunities to actively engage in sport - LIVES ARE CHANGED - and the world becomes more aware, tolerant, accepting, and INCLUSIVE. What was InVisible is Visible.

In 2015, I crossed paths with sporting events for people with an intellectual impairment. Needless to say, I was blown away by the courage and prowess of the athletes who are representing their nations, on a global elite sports stage, made possible by the only International Federation of Sport for people with an intellectual disability.

When I reflected on my career experiences and skills, and the diverse network of colleagues across industries including aviation, retail, property development, international events, and government, I felt a calling to pivot onto the path of inclusion and sport for humanity, using my skillset to do good.

Virtus: World Intellectual Impairment Sport for 35 years has been on a mission to drive the development of elite sport worldwide for athletes with an intellectual impairment. But, like our athletes, Virtus has been invisible, mainly making a visible global impact every four years during the Global Games, which qualifies some ID athletes to compete at Paralympics in Athletics, Swimming, and Table Tennis only. 

It's our time, to balance the scales and see millions of people have opportunities and access to sport, advocate for more inclusion of athletes and sports, and change the world for athletes with ID.

Globally, 2-3% of the world's population has an intellectual disability. Of the 328 million US citizens, that's 6.5 million to 10 million people with ID in the US alone. As a community, we've only reached 500,000 athletes globally. 

Through elevate, we want to scale to reach closer to those 2-3% of people with ID who may not even realize they have opportunities to live a life beyond their disability.

We will amplify the success of the Virtus sports program - a summer schedule and a winter sports schedule, targeting under-developed and developing nations, and support their stakeholder conversations with relevant governments and sports organizations about ID inclusion from grassroots levels to competitive sport.

We want to grow from 88 member nations to 100 nations, by the end of year 1 of the elevate program, 130 by year 2, and by 2032 grow Virtus National Membership in every nation that has a National Paralympic Committee, marking our Decade of Action in line with our commitment to the UN SDGs and the Paralympic movement.

Sports infrastructure already exists, millions of local community-based clubs already exist. The philosophy needs to change. Changing attitudes and behaviors so people can see the possibilities for themselves.

I am looking to disrupt the traditional view of 'disability' and make visible the non-visible disability of intellectual impairment.

The innovation is to drive cause-related engagement that sees inclusion in sport, as not just as tick box exercise, rather a meaningful and purposeful agenda through global enterprises such as UNESCO and IPC, co-led by Virtus.

It is frustrating to see the potential and not have the means to impact the change. I see and hear athlete stories of struggle, discrimination, and adversity and they inspire hope and a future for people with ID to have opportunities for meaningful lives through the power of sports.

I want to elevate the possibilities. Challenge perceptions and behaviors starting within the organization's community and then amplify a renewed strength in our vision across the world. 

Now is the time to be bold. To say clearly, we are visible and we need funding because connecting people with ID to sport yields social, health, and economic benefits for all.

We need more sports and more athletes with an intellectual impairment to share their stories and become the heroes for the 2-3% of the world's population who have an intellectual disability.

Sport for Humanity is our solution. A solution that has sustainable and long-term economic, health, and social benefits. A solution that can make positive contributions to achieving many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Leave no one behind is the central, transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It represents the unequivocal commitment of all UN Member States to eradicate poverty in all its forms, end discrimination, and exclusion, and reduce the inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind and undermine the potential of individuals and of humanity as a whole.

Virtus has made significant impact and laid solid foundations, but our greatest challenges and our greatest opportunities lay ahead of us and we need help.

Virtus athletes have overcome the many challenges in their lives to find a place in society where they are valued. Sport provides this place.

The power of sport changes lives for the better. Athletes share with genuine passion, how sport helps them to showcase their ability, not disability. Sport provides them with a long-term, meaningful and sustainable connection to community, friendship, and well-being.

The elevate prize will assist us to make sure that NO ONE IS LEFT BEHIND.