KUALA LUMPUR: For Daniel Lee, making sport inclusive means more than allowing people with disabilities to turn up at an event. It means giving them a genuine opportunity to participate.
As project director of Sports for All Fest 2026 and director of 360 All Ability, Lee hopes the festival will challenge assumptions about who can take part in sport and encourage organisers to make activities more accessible to people with disabilities.
Sports for All Fest 2026, scheduled tomorrow, is organised by the Malaysian Olympism in Action Society and 360 All Ability in partnership with Avenue K. It will be held at the mall’s Main Atrium, Level G, from 10am to 10pm.
Born with osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, Lee has experienced first-hand the barriers that can prevent people with disabilities from taking part in sport.
Despite these challenges, he has taken up wheelchair fencing and hopes to compete at next year’s Asean Para Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Lee said people with disabilities were sometimes excluded from sporting activities because of safety concerns, even when they wanted to participate.
“People with disabilities don’t necessarily expect an organiser to be perfect. What matters is that the organisers genuinely care and make an effort to include them,” he said.
For Lee, a willingness to adapt is key to meaningful participation at Sports for All Fest.
The organisers have been working with four sports partners to prepare for participants with different access needs. Lee acknowledged the challenge, particularly when organisers did not know in advance who would attend.
Even organisations experienced in working with people with disabilities might not know how to adapt every activity to accommodate individual needs.
“For instance, if you are involved in blind football, you may not know how to accommodate someone who is deaf,” he said.
“Rather than trying to be perfect, the aim is to encourage sports partners to remain flexible and find solutions when challenges arise.
“This will be a learning experience for organisers and partners, helping us better understand the practical considerations involved in making sport accessible.”
Lee said people with disabilities were often overlooked in discussions about sport and healthy living, which tended to focus on able-bodied participants.
Staging the festival in a shopping mall is intended to make inclusive sport more visible to the public.
“Avenue K is perfect as it would allow the public who might not ordinarily attend sporting events to see people of different backgrounds and abilities participating together.
“When we don’t see people from different backgrounds, people of all ages and people with disabilities playing together, we don’t think about inclusion,” he said.
Lee said Avenue K had supported accessibility efforts, noting that 360 All Ability had partnered with the mall for the past four years.
“The mall has been receptive to feedback on improving the environment for people with disabilities,” he said.
He hoped the festival would encourage more people to see sport as a way to build connections and lead healthier lives, while giving participants the confidence to try something new.
“Sometimes, all we need is a spark. An event like Sports for All Fest could be that spark for someone with a disability.”
Meanwhile, Avenue K marketing assistant manager Mabel Huang welcomed the opportunity to support the event.
“We’re happy to support an event that brings people of all abilities together and promotes inclusivity. We hope to welcome more events like this at Avenue K, creating more opportunities for everyone to connect and participate,” she said.
Image: Avenue K
