United Through Sports send their sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Chutinant Bhirombhakdi, President of the Paralympic Committee of Thailand and supporter of UTS since the inception.
Chutinant Bhirombhakdi supported and believed in placing youth at the centre, giving them opportunities through sport. The Paralympic Committee of Thailand and the visionary president Mr. Chutinant participated in the 2018 Sportaccord convention and the UTS Bangkok Youth Festival in which over 100 organisations and federations participated with youth of all abilities. In 2019 having joined the first series of the UTS multi-sport event, the “Bangkok Urban Youth Tournament,” youth from marginalised communities from the north Thailand, participated and experienced sports including Taekwondo, Chess, Badminton, Muaythai, Sepaktakraw and Futsol. Chutinant was happy to speak to the youth, watch them enjoy sport and encourage a balanced and healthy lifestyle.
In 2020 once again, Chutinant joined the flagship United Through Sports World Youth Festival, which went virtual during the global Covid-19 pandemic. Delivering a powerful speech, Chutinant stated:
“We must ensure that sports programs are developed for all abilities. […] I believe that through sport, important values such as inclusion, equality, and non-discrimination, we can make tomorrow’s future brighter by building a healthier society: both minds and bodies. […] It is our responsibility to promote a sustainable future for our world.”
UTS president Stephan Fox stated:“We lost a true leader who believed strongly that sport has the power to change lives. He stood for non-discrimination, equality, the Paralympic movement, and a true martial arts brother.”
We would like to celebrate and honour the exceptional life of Chutinant Bhirombhakdi.Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones in these difficult times.
Image Source: @thenationthailand