Tanzania is seeking to strengthen its para-sports system through improved institutional capacity, wider grassroots participation and better pathways for athletes with disabilities to compete internationally.
The Tanzania Paralympics Committee (TPC) says developing a competitive national team will require more than preparing athletes for international competitions, with investment also needed in talent identification, classification services, coaching and sustainable funding.
TPC Secretary General Ramadhan Namkomveka said this after returning from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Membership Gathering held in Berlin, Germany, from November 7 to 9.
He said the meeting, held under the theme Coming Together: A Call to Action, brought together more than 250 representatives from National Paralympic Committees, international sports federations, organisations for athletes with disabilities and regional bodies.
Tanzania was represented by TPC President Tuma Dandi and Mr Namkomveka.
He said the gathering provided an opportunity for Tanzania to engage with global developments in para-sports, strengthen international partnerships and identify approaches that could accelerate the sport's development locally.
“At the centre of the discussions was a common ambition: to make Para sport more inclusive, accessible, professionally managed and sustainable, while creating better opportunities for athletes with disabilities to participate and compete at all levels,” he said.
One of the key issues discussed was the development of the IPC Strategic Plan for 2027–2030, which will guide the international Paralympic Movement in the coming years.
Mr Namkomveka said member organisations were given an opportunity to contribute their experiences and recommendations, particularly on strengthening institutional capacity, expanding participation and improving athlete development systems.
For Tanzania, he said, the discussions highlighted the need to align national para-sports development with international standards while addressing local challenges.
“Building a competitive national Para sport system requires more than preparing athletes for major international competitions. It demands a coordinated approach involving talent identification, training, classification, qualified technical personnel, institutional development and sustainable investment,” he said.
Mr Namkomveka identified athlete classification as one of the critical areas requiring attention if more Tanzanian athletes are to access recognised international competitions.
Classification determines whether an athlete meets the eligibility requirements for a particular para-sport and assigns them to a competition category based on how their eligible impairment affects sporting performance.
He said Tanzania continued to face challenges in expanding access to classification services and developing adequate national technical expertise.
Without proper classification, athletes with disabilities who have sporting potential may struggle to participate in recognised international competitions.
He said the implementation of the 2025 IPC Classification Code presented an opportunity for Tanzania to strengthen its systems and ensure athletes receive appropriate, internationally recognised classification services.
“Strengthening classification capacity, building a reliable national athlete database and establishing stronger links with international classification structures are essential priorities,” he said.
Such measures, he added, would help the committee identify promising athletes, improve their readiness for international competitions and establish clearer pathways towards qualification for future Paralympic Games.
Beyond international competition, TPC is also seeking to strengthen the development of para-sports from grassroots level to high-performance competition.
Mr Namkomveka said expanding access to sport among children and young people with disabilities through schools, communities, sports associations and organised programmes would be essential to building a stronger national talent pool.
He said international success depended largely on the strength of grassroots participation and the systems established to identify and nurture promising athletes.
The committee also recognises the need to invest in coaches, technical officials, sports administrators and other professionals who support athletes throughout their careers.
TPC's approach, he said, was to connect grassroots participation with structured training, national competitions, talent identification and international performance.
“The objective is to create an environment in which athletes are not only introduced to sport but are also supported to develop their abilities and progress towards higher levels of competition,” he said.
For Tanzania, the challenge will be translating commitments made at international forums into practical improvements in local sports structures, particularly access to training, classification and sustained support for athletes with disabilities.