Blind swimmer's balcony fall
A blind swimmer was injured yesterday after accidentally falling from his dormitory's balcony at Supachalasai Stadium.
Phongsathorn Choochom was treated by a physician at the site for a broken arm. He has been admitted to Police General Hospital for further internal checks, an officer who works for Paralympics Committee of Thailand said.
The swimmer has trained and practised swimming since September 1 to compete in the Asean Para Games 2011 to be held in December in Indonesia.
The officer was told that Phongsathorn fell from the fourth floor of the dormitory while he and a friend who also has an eyesight problem were moving an object in his room.
He said the balcony fence was shorter than an adult's height from feet to waist. Phongsathorn walked backwards and fell from the balcony.
Disabled athletes stay in the same dormitories as other athletes without disabilities, but the facilities often do not suit them. The committee had requested past governments to provide them with special dormitories with suitable facilities but there was no progress so far, he added.
He called on the current government to provide more suitable dormitories for disabled athletes.
