[Photo: Supplied]

Fiji through the Fiji Paralympics Committee is the first country in the Pacific Islands to be an accredited member of Virtus.

Virtus, is the founding member of International Paralympics Committee and it was established in 1986.

It is recognized globally as the International Organization for Disability Sports with the responsibility for the management of eligibility and classification for athletes with Intellectual impairment.

Through the Fiji Sports Commission, Fiji conduct a workshop in April 2022 for psychologists in Fiji to be trained to assess athletes with ID.

Eight athletes were brought in as a practical exercise for the psychologists to learn how to assess and eventually Olympics Fiji’s six athletes are now fully accredited under Virtus.

These athletes now can qualify to represent Fiji at the Paralympics Games.

These six athletes with intellectual impairment from Fiji were part of the inaugural Oceania Asia Virtus Games in Brisbane earlier this month.

This was the first time that a combined Oceania and Asia Virtus games was staged and also the first time that Fiji athletes were present.

With 27 countries taking part with their elite athletes, Fiji with our developing athletes was able to receive 1 silver and 2 bronze medals.

Head of Virtus Team Fiji Robin Fayal says this as a great achievement for Fiji’s ID athletes setting a new pathway for all other ID athletes in Fiji.

He says having this first-hand experience he is confident that by the 2032 Paralympics Games in Brisbane, Fiji will be able to win medals.