The team from Tshilwavhusiku Razwimisani Special School emerged as the winners of the Special Olympics Unified Football Tournament, beating Northern Cape 1-0 in the final match at Dinokeng on Sunday.

Limpopo Province hosted this year’s games.

The provincial coordinator of the Special Olympics, Mr Samuel Maduwa, explained that the organisation focuses on athletes with intellectual disabilities. “Many of these athletes will never get such opportunities to compete,” he said. He added that many of the athletes had never left their hometowns, and this was the first time they had travelled to another province.

“The support from schools was amazing, as was the talent of the players, which is something that needs to be nurtured,” he said. “We realise that the tournament is growing, and we are willing to take more teams on board every year,” he added.

The coach of Tshilwavhusiku Razwimisani, Mr Michael Mulaudzi, urged the community not to push disabled people away. “We have many different kinds of sporting codes in our school, because we want to show disabled and challenged people that we love and accept them in our homes and community.”