Para shot putter Niko Kappel is to ensure closer interaction between Olympic and Paralympic athletes in athletics in the future.
As the German Athletics Association announced, the short Paralympic bronze medalist from Tokyo will take on the role of integration ambassador.
“We are pleased that we have won Niko Kappel for this important office. For us, inclusion is not just a word. We train together at many locations and experience athletics in all its diversity,” said DLV CEO Idriss Gonschinska.
He sees athletics as a “great door opener” for inclusion, added Kappel: “Here you learn to deal with each other at eye level in a playful way. Formal constraints are simply put aside.” Joint training is “possible without restrictions” and offers “added value” for everyone, explained the 26-year-old.