As part of the video series “In Conversation”, Intercross Editor Niki Clark speaks with Jess Markt, ICRC’s Sport and Inclusion Advisor.

Injured following a spinal cord accident at age 19, Markt teamed up with the ICRC in 2011 to bring one of America’s best loved-sports, basketball, to wheelchair-bound men and women in Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, South Sudan and elsewhere.

In the process, these players, whose once primary identity was ‘disabled’, now see themselves as ‘athletes’ first.

In this interview, Markt talks about his position, the role sport plays in helping the disabled recover both physically and emotionally and how sport is bringing joy to countries like Afghanistan after decades of conflict.

INTERCROSS: In Conversation With Sports and Inclusion Advisor for the ICRC Jess Markt from Intercross on Vimeo.