L’Antonniere. The end of a great adventure for lack of finding a new president

Created in November 1982, theHandisport association Maule (Sarthe) lives its last days for lack of finding a new president. Pascal Gautier, after ten years of presidency does not wish to continue, he announced four years ago that he would end his mandate in 2022. He then wanted someone to take the place of vice-president to gradually train him and take his place , It was not the case. The general assembly of June 2022 bringing no progress at this level, he declares: “I continue until June 2023, either someone takes the place, or we declare the association dormant”.

8 sections in great danger

A Extraordinary general meeting was then convened for October 2023 “the time to let the holidays pass and to decide on the future of the sections”. These are eight in number (archery, scuba diving, balneotherapy, sailing, swimming, blowpipe, foot-chair and badminton) and currently have 55 licensees while there were 120 in the best years. . “The health situation has done a lot of harm, especially since we have subjects at risk”.

Three sections in cessation

If a few sections have found solutions for the future, three of them will stop (Swimming, Badminton and Foot-chair). The Sarbacane will continue at Handi-village just like the balneotherapy at the Arche, Sailing will be taken over by the Val de Sarthe nautical club (Gèmerie) which will create a handi-sailing section. Diving members will be dispatched to different clubs. Remains the Archery which wishes to remain in the gymnasium of theAntonniere while being affiliated with a valid club so that its twelve archers and five companions remain licensed to the federation. “We have contacted the SIVOM and are awaiting a response”.

This section is regularly represented in official competitions, including French Championships from where she brought back several titles and podiums, the last one dating from March 18, 2023 in Sainte Geneviève des Bois with the bronze medal of Xavier Keelt, hemiplegic archer who cocks with the mouth.

For its part, the Departmental Disabled Sports Committee, chaired by Gilles Lhommeau, is also looking for solutions “but these must be sustainable so as not to find themselves in this kind of situation in a year or two”.

Decline in volunteering

The issue of volunteering is once again highlighted and becomes a real problem. It is even tragic in this case because it deprives people with reduced mobility of a sporting activity which, for some, allows them to continue to exist even when they are weakened. Ith government Will he understand one day that volunteering must be officially recognized to avoid this erosion in numbers?

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