No resting on laurels

Michael Barredo has probably done much more in promoting sports for the differently abled than anyone would’ve imagined from a handicapped man who lost his eyesight in a car accident in 1979. And he is well-recognized for his achievements. In 1989, he received the Apolinario Mabini Award as an outstanding businessman and in 1993, was cited with a TOYM (The Outstanding Young Men) Award for humanitarian service and community development.

Before the accident, Barredo was an all-around varsity athlete at La Salle, excelling in football as a goalkeeper, volleyball, basketball, track and field and even chess. He didn’t let the trauma of going blind douse his lust for life. Barredo stayed active in sports and in 1997, organized the Philippine Sports Association of the Differently Abled (Philspada). He eventually became a PSC Commissioner and in 2005, began his term as the International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) World President. Barredo is also the founding member of the governing board of the Asean Para Sports Federation and founding board member and vice president of the Asian Paralympic Council, now the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC).

A lesser man would’ve lost the will to live after the accident that happened at about 2 a.m. in front of the Rizal Coliseum on Vito Cruz. Barredo was 24 at the time, athletic and a successful car salesman at the peak of his life. His wife Barbara was pregnant with their second child. Barredo was behind the wheel when he overtook from the right, driving his car into a parked vehicle which was cloaked in darkness. His head banged against the windshield of his car which was a total wreck. He was a bloody mess. Barredo’s right eye was damaged beyond repair and was removed. He underwent at least 10 operations, here and abroad, to save the vision in his left eye but it was futile.

Barredo could’ve wallowed in self-pity and sulked. He could’ve retreated into a shell and given up on life. He could’ve lost faith in God. But he put his life in the Lord’s hands, picked himself up from the depths of despair and dedicated himself to others – to his wife, their two sons and the differently abled. Despite his handicap, Barredo set up his own trucking business, worked as an executive of a car dealership and formed his own non-life insurance company. He started a crusade for the differently abled and toured the world to learn how to alleviate their plight.

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Today, Barredo and his wife leave for Athens to attend the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) General Assembly. He will be honored with the Paralympic Order, the highest tribute for anyone involved with the paralympic movement during the Gala Awards Night on Saturday. Three others will receive the Paralympic Order, namely, Bob Balk, Duncan Campbell and Jonquil Solt.

Balk is a six-time Paralympian who won six medals between 1994 and 2006 at the Summer and Winter Games. In 2004, he was elected to the IPC Athletes Council and five years later, became the group’s Chairman. During his four years as Chairman, he oversaw the first Paralympic Reunion event in London, the first Athlete Leadership Summit, the launch of the International Paralympians Association and ensured that there would be an athlete representative on all IPC standing committees.

Campbell is known as the father of wheelchair rugby which he invented in 1976. A former Canadian national player, he remains active today as a recruiter, motivator, teacher and tactician in British Columbia. He serves as a mentor to players like Garett Hickling and Ian Chan and has introduced wheelchair rugby to countless people as a recreation therapist in Vancouver.

Solt has been associated with impaired people in equestrian since 1965 and organized the first international dressage competition for differently abled riders. She was the founding Vice-Chair of the IPC Equestrian Committee in 1991 and four years later, took over as Chair. During her administration, she laid out the basics of the sport’s infrastructure and developed equestrian into a viable paralympic sport. Equestrian made its paralympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games and in 2001, initiated the sport’s integration into the international federation.

While Barredo said it’s a distinct honor to receive the Paralympic Order, he’s not flying to Athens just to accept the award. Far from resting on his laurels, Barredo is running as a candidate for “member at large” of the IPC governing board with the elections set on the last day of the general assembly. He was nominated for the position by IBSA. Barredo’s fight for equality isn’t nearly over.

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“It’s not going to be easy to get a slot in the board as there are many candidates from developed countries but I’m hoping that the voting delegates will consider my background and experience,” said Barredo. “If given the opportunity, one major objective that I hope to pursue is to work on and formulate a strategic initiative for governments all over the world to support their respective National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) in recognizing national athletes with a disability, their coaches and trainers in equal standing with those who are able-bodied through the passage of laws and or issuance of decrees or state orders in keeping with the provisions of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 30 ‘that all persons with disabilities have the inherent right to full participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport.’”

In this regard, Barredo has been at the forefront of pushing for the passage of a bill amending RA 9064 to provide for cash incentives and benefits to differently abled athletes, their coaches and trainers. “We’ve been pushing for the amendment since the 12th Congress and again, fell short in the 15th Congress, passed through the Appropriations Committee on second reading and now re-filed,” he said. “If passed in both houses, the amendment will get us over the hump and finally get our disabled athletes, coaches and trainers the recognition they deserve.”

Barredo said his crusade is in the Olympic spirit of “Sport For All” with the goal of genuine inclusion of sports for differently abled athletes at the heart of policy-making in every region.

“If there is one over-riding passion in my life, it is advocacy for people with disabilities,” he said. “This deep conviction has driven me to establish the only political party representing people with disabilities in the Philippines. Now more than ever, we must act as agents of change persuading political and sporting leaders around the world to truly embrace the concept of ‘Sport For All.’”