APSF: ESTABLISHED IN THE YEAR 2000
ASEAN PARA SPORTS FEDERATION (APSF) is the governing body of the Paralympic Movement in South East Asia.
Founded in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia in 2000 and was helmed by Dato Zainal Abu Zarin as president since 2001, and now headed by Major General Osoth Bhavilai, APSF is committed to enabling athletes with a disability in the region to achieve sporting excellence.
BIRTH OF APSF
It was in May 2000, during the 10th Paralympiad Malaysian Games in Kuala Lumpur, that leaders from disabled sports organisations in ASEAN gathered and initiated the formation of a legal body for disabled sports for the region.
In the true spirit of ASEAN Solidarity, the formation of a Disabled Sports Federation at ASEAN level was unanimously agreed and formally endorsed. Hence, the birth, As ASEAN moves forward, paralympic movement must also align to the philosophy of “ASEAN Moving Together”.
APSF shall be experiencing rapid changes too. APSF wish is to see that all the 25 Para sports be empowered to meet and overcome the challenges in the coming decades.
APSF need to synergize its strength and resources, ensure that paralympic sports in the region grow and develop in a constructive and systematic manner. therefore, Para sports leaders need to be dynamic, able to adapt to initiate changes in sports development, sports, science or technical development to ensure the steady growth of para sports”
ASEAN Para Games
APSF Board of Executive Committee of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) has agreed and decided to have the organization BOG meeting followed by the hosting of a biennial Games named as the ASEAN Para Games.
APSF strives to become a catalyst in the new millennium, with the aim of enhancing ASEAN solidarity and brotherhood amongst its members and the paralympic fraternity in the Southeast Asian region. APSF’s focus is to pursue equal opportunities in sports and in life for persons with a disability in the region, and position itself to be a dynamic organisation in facing the challenges of the 21st Century.
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