Athletes

By Ardul Butsiri

I have not met my biological family for more than a decade. I was born into a family of 10 children, and my parents were drug addicts. They were incarcerated when I was a child, and the family was separated. While a few of my siblings were adopted, I was sent, at the age of four, to an orphanage because of my intellectual disability.

I have been attending the Lopboru Special School, a government boarding school for children with intellectual disabilities. When I was in Primary school, I was placed in foster care for about five years, but was eventually returned to the orphanage. Growing without a family has been terribly lonely, and difficult to come to terms with. I cannot help but blame and resent my parents for their deeds.

I am naturally introverted, and tend to keep to myself. For many years, I felt alone and struggled to make friends, both in the orphanage and at school. Even now, at the age of 18, I am very quiet and lack the confidence to speak up.

About a year ago, I got to know a social worker at the orphanage who took me under her wing. When I’m with her, I feel safe and cared for. I get along well with her nephew, who is around my age. I now stay with them during the school holidays.

For the first time in years, I feel a sense of belonging. I feel that I have finally found a real family – a parent and sibling who genuinely care for me.

Through my school, I was also introduced to sports. I train in table-tennis, bocce, soccer, and athletics. Over the past few years, I have represented Thailand in several regional Special Olympics competitions.

I am looking forward to stepping on the world stage for the very first time at the upcoming 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi, to represent Thailand in the 7-a-side Unified Football event. This means that athletes with and without intellectual disabilities will be playing together on the same sporting field.

I understand that the orphanage has been in touch with my biological parents to inform them of my selection for the World Games, but I have refused to meet up with them as memories of my difficult childhood still torment me. It will take me some time before I can come to terms with my past, to forgive, forget, and move forward.

For now, I am concentrating on training hard for the World Games with my team-mates. My coach has commented that he has noticed a positive change in me – that I have become more confident, sociable and cheerful.

Being selected for the World Games has given me a confidence boost, and helped me believe that I am indeed good enough. Discovering my love of sports has given me focus and purpose, and I am now determined to work hard to achieve success and take home a medal for my country.