The drive to bridge financial barriers faced by many disabled people to gain equal access to sport must continue at full speed, according to England Blind Football international Rainbow Mbuangi.
The latest Annual Disability and Activity Survey published by national charity Activity Alliance showed nearly 40 per cent of disabled people felt the cost-of-living crisis had impacted how active they are.
Around 2,000 disabled and non-disabled adults aged over 16 took part in the survey, which found disabled people were more likely to say they wanted to be more active – with 64 per cent feeling the Government should focus on making activities affordable.
Mbuangi was part of the England squad which finished third at the 2022 IBSA Blind Football European Championships.
The 20-year-old is aiming to be selected for the International Blind Sports Federation World Games, which will be held in Birmingham during August and could lead to qualification for the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.
After becoming blind from the age of eight when he developed a detached retina in his left eye and then gradually lost the sight in the other, Mbuangi has had to tackle many barriers, both physical and financial, to achieve his goals.
Mbuangi – who is set to play for the Royal National College for the Blind team in the FA Disability Cup Blind final against Brighton at St George’s Park on June 24 – hopes future generations will not face the same issues he did trying to keep active.
“I think 100 per cent they (survey results) are to be expected, only because of the kind of perception of disability sports that people have,” Mbuangi told the PA news agency.
“In the last couple of years, it has got a lot better, but we just need to keep on building from that, trying to make those stats go down and it is key to get that awareness out and show how we can improve things.
“There is so much within disability sports where you have to kind of provide for yourself, then on top of that you have got things like not being able to get there, so it is really hard.
“If you wanted to go and buy a football to train on your own, you can get one for around £10, but for someone who is blind who needs a decent football, you are talking about £40 or £50, so it is definitely a big aspect financially.
“Then you have travel, we can’t drive, so you have got things around that. With me being blind, I can’t just go out on an everyday run on my own or go on a 50-mile bike ride, so there is the physical aspect as well.”
Mbuangi feels having the full backing of organisations like the Football Association can only have a positive impact on disability sport.
“More budget is getting put into it now, with more technology, more help and support,” said Mbuangi, who is studying Physical Education at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston.
“England’s cerebral palsy squad has just came back from the Euros and they finished second.
“It is just so important to see, but we are pushing on because we are getting that support.
“At the beginning of the year, the FA had a camp in Tenerife where players from all the Para-sports went out there.
“That is really key as well because we all got to know each other and kind of understand each other’s abilities and how we play.
“But also it is that they (FA) kind of want to focus on us, give us that support and what we need to help us to reach the heights of gold medals.”
