Valuable interaction with para-athletes

As part of the Bundesliga’s globalisation efforts, VfB is supporting various sports and inclusion projects in different parts of the world, including in Kenya, Japan and Brazil. VfB brand ambassador Cacau (346 games for VfB, 23 senior caps for Germany), who grew up in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, set up his own foundation there called ‘Instituto Sementinha’, through which he utilises sport and culture to give children in need new prospects in life.

Tailored events are organised in Sao Paulo as part of the ongoing ‘Sports for Life’ project. The foundation recently hosted several activities on the topic of para-sports, in conjunction with VfB. The first event focused on integration and raising awareness of the issue through sport. A number of para-athletes were introduced, with whom the event participants were able to talk about the limitations and challenges they face in their private and sporting lives, as well as how to improve the integration of people with disabilities.

Among them was Paralympic boccia player Maciel Santos, who qualified for this year’s Paralympic Games in Paris and is considered a poster boy for his sport. He won gold at the 2012 Paralympics in London, bronze at the 2021 edition in Tokyo, and has been voted the best Paralympic boccia player five times. The Boccia World Championship will be held in Sao Paulo at the end of May.

The event was followed by a day of activities at the city’s sports centre, which was organised by the Parasport Association of the State of Sao Paulo. There, a number of pupils from the ‘Sports for Life’ and ‘Ceu das Artes’ social projects that are supported by VfB had the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of some of the adapted sports. Together with young para-athletes, they were given an insight into Paralympic disciplines such as basketball and boccia, as well as functional activities.