SA multi-disability lawn bowls team out of nationals after state’s disability sports body folds

South Australia’s multi-disability lawn bowls team should be vying for gold at the national championships. Instead the talented squad is in limbo, after being forced to withdraw from the tournament as the state’s disability sports body folded.

SA multi-disability lawn bowls team members Jim Fawcett, Mike Emberton and Barry Charity have been forced to withdraw from the nationals. Picture: Mark Brake

• Help comes too late for Disability Recreation & Sports SA

Amputee Barry Charity reckons he would have spent the past 17 years feeling sorry for himself without lawn bowls, while Mike Emberton says he would never have walked again.

But instead of vying for gold at this week’s multi-disability national championships, the talented duo had been left in limbo pondering its future in the sport.

Charity and Emberton were part of the six-strong SA team due to travel to Mackay, Queensland, to battle for the interstate aggregate title it won in 2017.

Barry Charity (right), with SA multi-disability lawn bowls team members Jim Fawcett and Mike Emberton, have been left in limbo due to funding cuts. Picture: Mark Brake

It withdrew just a month ago after learning its participation in the tournament would not be partially-funded by Disability Recreation and Sports SA as the state body was set to fold.

“It’s devastating,” said Charity, who had his lower left leg amputated in 2002 due to osteomyelitis setting in after he crushed his ankle in a workplace accident.

“SA has always come home with medals, but it’s a very costly thing to go to these championships unless you’re getting help from somewhere.

“If I didn’t have bowls back when I first had my leg off, I probably would have spent all my time sitting on a couch just feeling sorry for myself.

“It’s been a godsend for me to get through the mental side of it and it’s put a new lease on life for me.

“But now it’s cut short again because I don’t know how the hell we’re ever going to go to another nationals.”

The SA squad, known as the Wombats, had competed across the country for the past 25 years, backed by DRSSA covering about half of its travel and accommodation expenses.

But this week’s liquidation of the organisation due to a lack of government funding and sponsorship revenue, meant players would need to fork out $2800 each to attend the nationals.

Australian international Chris Flavel has been unable to represent SA at the national multi-disability bowls championships. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Emberton, who was temporarily left in a wheelchair after sustaining a serious spinal injury when he fell off a roof in 2011, said players were unable to meet the costs at short notice.

It meant state bowlers such as world champions Liam Buckley and Chris Flavel would miss an opportunity to press their case for Commonwealth Games selection.

“We’re one of the strongest teams in the country and the sense of pride that you feel holding a South Australian flag dressed in state colours is unbelievable,” Emberton, 55, said.

“But not being able to represent your state is very, very disappointing.

“It’s incredible what bowls has done for me and the rest of the state team.

“If it wasn’t for bowls, I’d still be sitting in the wheelchair.

“But because of the exercise I get, now I’m able to walk like a normal person.”

DRSSA’s closure had left the future of its 300 members and programs for 25 sports in doubt.

Charity, 64, called on Bowls SA and all levels of government to provide financial support to ensure the Clearview-based Wombats would return to competition.

“It’s a pretty sad situation,” said the ex-Australian player, whose teammates included wheelchair-bound athletes and those with muscular dystrophy.

“I’m not just talking lawns bowls, I’m talking (wheelchair) rugby and basketball and everything else.

“It throws a massive spanner in the works now because you won’t get the best bowlers going to represent the state, it’ll be the people that can afford it.

“It’s a real kick in the guts for our state.”