“Seeing an event like this shows that my daughter exists.” The person who says this is teacher Lucia Barros, 43, mother of Marina, 8, and Letícia, 4. She is referring to the eldest, who has Down syndrome, and the first edition of Interclubes Inclusivo, an event that brings together the clubs Pinheiros, Paulistano, Monte Virgínia, Sírio, Paineiras, Hebraica and São Paulo Futebol Clube this Saturday (18) and Sunday (19), in São Paulo.
The debut, at Esporte Clube Pinheiros, was attended by around 50 children, young people and adults with disabilities who were members of these clubs. They were going to go to the pool to swim, but, as it rained, the schedule was reversed and the public went to a gym, where they practiced running, walking, throwing balls and jumping. With the change, swimming was for tomorrow.
“I’m seeing my son as the protagonist, it’s very exciting,” says Isabella Fiorentino, who was there with Lorenzo, 14, a young man with cerebral palsy, and her other triplets, Bernardo and Nicholas. “Normally, children and teenagers with disabilities are treated like café au lait in sports, and I understand that, but it’s something that has always bothered me. Today, it’s different. The focus is on him.”
Interclubes Inclusivo was born as an initiative that will continue. The next editions should be in other clubs, and the objective is to attract more and more people. “The event is an opportunity for PwDs to go from a place where they often don’t have time, to a place where they are the main thing”, says Cristiana De Angelis Fiuza Lima, director of social development at Club Athlético Paulistano.
But Cristiana was there not only to lead diversity and inclusion initiatives at her club. She is also the mother of Pedro, 12, who participated in the activity and came away with a medal on Saturday. He has Bohring-Opitz syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects the development of parts of the body. “Actions like Interclubes Inclusivo improve the self-esteem not only of those with disabilities, but of everyone. Today I am better because of my son.”
The event arose in conversations between members of the different clubs and comes as an unprecedented initiative for people with disabilities — and, as Cristiana said, also for those who don’t have them. “I didn’t imagine we would be able to organize something like this”, says Marina Resende, director of accessibility and inclusion at Pinheiros. “Now, let’s prepare the next ones.”
