Contact: Miroslaw Krogulec
Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia
+48 22 823 93 31
mkrosoee@it.pl
Ninth Special Olympics European Football Week Focuses on Inclusion and Coach Recruitment
Aim is to bring players with and without intellectual disabilities together on and off the playing field
(Dublin, Ireland, 10 April, 2009) – The ninth annual Special Olympics European Football Week will be held 25 April-3 May 2009. An estimated 50,000 players with intellectual disabilities are expected to participate in football events in 45 countries throughout Europe/Eurasia.
This year the focus will be on bringing young people with and without intellectual disabilities together to build awareness and tolerance on and off the playing field mainly through Unified Football. Unified Football puts players with and without disabilities on the same teams for training and competition. Activities will include football tournaments on local, regional and national levels, clinics, seminars, press conferences and promotional events. Football associations and professional clubs are expected to support the community-based initiatives. In addition to Unified Football, there will be an emphasis on volunteer coach recruitment and training.
"The Special Olympics European Football Week has become one of the largest promotions for our movement. By dedicating the week to Unified Football we will introduce the theme of inclusion of young people in communities to a broader audience across Europe," said Mary Davis, Managing Director, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia. "Football is an effective means to instill the values of acceptance, dignity, skill and inclusion to communities all over the Europe, especially with the continued support of the European football governing body UEFA."
The Football Week is one of the highlights of the Special Olympics football development project in Europe with a long term commitment from UEFA lasting nine years.