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Special Olympics European Basketball Week events will take place 26 November – 4 December throughout the region. [Photos courtesy Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia] |
The second Special Olympics European Basketball Week starts 26 November and ends 4 December 2005 across the Europe/Eurasia region. Special Olympics is organizing basketball activities that are expected to involve 10,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities in 30 countries.
<< Please see Schedule of Events below for detailed information on planned activities >>
Basketball Week is the flagship event of the FIBA Europe-Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia partnership that was established in May 2004 with the signing of an agreement of cooperation to develop basketball for players with intellectual disabilities. The benefits of the partnership are already evident, with the number of Special Olympics players in Europe/Eurasia increasing from approximately 13,000 to 20,000 players.
"We are delighted that national basketball federations and professional clubs came out in force during the first Special Olympics European Basketball Week," said Michael Smith, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia Managing Director. "Courts sizzled across the region as players with intellectual disabilities had a chance to play basketball. We hope the basketball world will continue to support our players so that many more people can enjoy this great sport and show that through sports, people with intellectual disabilities can be included more in society," he added.
"FIBA Europe is happy to support the Special Olympics European Basketball Week because it represents an opportunity for FIBA Europe to fulfill its mandate to promote basketball, in all its forms, throughout the region," said Nar Zanolin, Secretary General, FIBA Europe. "We want more people with intellectual disabilities of all ages and abilities to have a chance to experience the thrill of a sport that is enjoyed by us all," he added.
For more information on the first Special Olympics European Basketball Week and its events, contact Miroslaw Krogulec, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia Sports and Program Coordinator, at mkrosoee@it.pl.
2005 Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia Basketball Week Schedule |
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Special Olympics Program |
Date |
No. of athletes |
Basketball Week Event |
|
Austria |
19 Nov. 19; 29-30 Nov. |
150 |
(19 Nov.) Promotional game with Special Olympics Unified Sports team vs. All-Star basketball team before league match in Forerback. (20-30 Nov.) Unified games and workshops. |
|
Azerbaijan |
28 Nov. - 2 Dec. |
100 |
Eight teams to compete in tournament at Sports Academy and the Olympic Complex of National Olympic Committee in Baku. Event supported by ministries, sports academy and national basketball federation. Excellent media coverage expected. |
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Belarus
|
26 Nov. - 4 Dec. |
200 |
Seven regional basketball tournaments. |
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Bosnia Herzegovina
|
27 Nov. |
200 |
20 teams compete in national basketball tournament in Maglaj. Special Olympics coaches to meet professors from Faculty of Sport. |
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Georgia |
20 Nov. |
180 |
Tournament with special schools and International School at theTbilisi Sport Academy. Event supported by the Georgian Basketball Federation as well as Murman Khurdize, international referee and member of parliament; and former professional player Nikoloz Derugin. |
|
Germany |
27 Nov. - 3 Dec. |
120 |
Regional tournaments in Neuendettelsau/Baveria (3 Dec.) and Hagen (27 Nov.). |
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Great Britain |
8 Dec.; 26 Dec. |
100 |
(8 Dec.) Approximately 40 schools and 50 young people with intellectual disabilities will participate in four skills training sessions and tournaments in the London region. (26 Dec.) Special Olympics Brighton and Hove will host a regional basketball tournament at Sussex University with nine new Special Olympics groups from London and South East region. NBA Hall of Fame's John Amaechi becomes a sports ambassador for the Program. |
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Greece
|
26 Nov. - 1 Dec. |
160 |
National basketball tournament in Patras. |
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Hungary |
26 Nov. - 4 Dec. |
200 |
1) National tournament for 20 teams in Pecs. Clinics and exhibition games with the MIZO Pecs basketball women's club. 2) Special Olympics will be part of the All-Star Basketball Celebration in Budapest (18 Dec.). Media will focus on inclusion. |
|
Ireland |
24 Nov. - 4 Dec. |
600 |
(26 Nov.) Skills-based workshop and skills competition for female athletes; 15 years and under 3v3 blitz at Dublin City University with representatives from Basketball Ireland and Irish Sports Council attending. Throughout the week activities in all 5 regions including skills workshops, challenge matches, development days, etc. Over 100 volunteers will be utilized. |
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Italy |
27 Nov. - 11 Dec.
|
100 |
(27 Nov. - 4 Dec.) Demonstration games during half time at professional matches in Legnano, Lombardia, Biella and Piemonte. (11 Dec.) All-Star Game in Rome and Lazio. |
|
Kazakhstan |
26 Nov. - 4 Dec. |
500 |
(30 Nov. - 3 Dec.) National basketball tournament with 20 women and men's teams from 14 regions, supported by the Basketball Federation of Kazakhstan. (26 Nov. - 4 Dec.) Three local basketball tournaments. |
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Latvia |
26 Nov. - 3 Dec. |
400 |
Local basketball tournaments across the country |
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Lithuania |
24 Nov. - 4 Dec. |
400 |
1) Regional 3-on-3 half court tournaments for 250 players in six cities; Final 5-on-5 tournament (1 Dec.) at the Sabonis Basketball School for 150 athletes. Famous players and representatives of basketball clubs and national leagues to attend. (3 Dec.) Special Olympics athletes invited to watch a national league game. |
|
Luxembourg |
26 Nov.; 3 Dec. |
30 |
26 Nov.) National championship game with Special Olympics Luxembourg and Mamer teams. Unified team continues its tradition of playing official games at the championship. (3 Dec.) National basketball federation and Special Olympics players and coaches take part on clinics as part of the worldwide "Day of People with Disabilities." Ministers and personalities take part in an exhibition games against a Special Olympics Unified team in Walferdange before the local women's and men's championship games. H.R.H. the Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa will be present as well as the minister of sports, Jeannot Krecké. |
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Macedonia |
26 Nov. |
200 |
National Tournament in Negotino for 20 teams and 10 Unified teams, 2 celebrity games; Special Olympics invited to national division games. |
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Moldova |
2-4 Dec. |
110 |
Tournaments in regional associations until 1 Dec.; Finals in Chsinau (2-4 Dec.). |
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Netherlands |
26 Nov. - 2 Dec. |
100 |
Special Olympics tournament for 10-12 teams in Den Bosc for young players 12-25 years old. |
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Poland |
24 Nov. - 4 Dec. |
478 |
1) Seven regional basketball tournaments for 350 players with support from the local basketball associations. 2) (3-4 Dec.) National basketball tournament for 128 players in Bydgoszcz. 3) Special Olympics athletes to introduce players before first league of women's basketball game. |
|
Romania |
24 Nov. - 4 Dec. |
172 |
1) Training seminar for Special Olympics coaches and university coaches at the Romanian Basketball Association Coaches School ; 2) Clinics with Natational Academy for Physical Education in Bucharest; 3) Four regional tournaments with 3 teams each; 4) National tournament with 4 teams and 2 Unified demonstration games. |
|
Russia |
24 Nov. - 4 Dec. |
1,000 |
1) Master classes with professional players with Special Olympics athletes, exhibition games; invitations to watch Men and Women's Superleague Championship. 2) Basketball skill contests, 3-on-3 half-court competitions 3) Regional tournaments. |
|
Serbia and Montenegro |
24 Nov.-4 Dec. |
350 |
Six regional basketball tournaments; includes training session for local professional clubs. Special Olympics presentations prior to start of professional games. At the beginning of games, professional players will walk onto the court with Special Olympics flags as a part of overall promotion of Special Olympics basketball week in Serbia and Montenegro. |
|
Slovenia |
28 Nov. - 2 Dec. |
150 |
National basketball tournament; training at Peter Vilfan's camp (former professional player); visit to Goodyear basketball league game. |
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Sweden |
2-3 Dec.
|
100 |
National tournament in Ockelbo and Bollnäs with 8 teams from Ockelbo, Bollnäs, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Umeå. Training with coach and players from Premier League club Ockelbo; invited to Premier League game Ockelbo vs. Södertälje; participation in awards ceremony Swedish television channel channel SvT24 to cover. |
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Switzerland |
27 Dec. |
100 |
Special Olympics national championship in Lugano celebrates 10th anniversary of the local team which was included in the official basketball club of Lugano and named the Lugano Tigers in 2005. Media highlights include introduction of the Lugano Tigers and presentation of new club uniforms identical to the local professional team. |
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Turkey |
|
380 |
Special Olympics presentation during the Federation Cup Basketball Championship in Burdur; regional Basketball games in 7 regions with 200 participants. |
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Turkmenistan |
26 Nov. - 2 Dec. |
120 |
Tournaments in four provinces as part of SO Get Into It project. Sports seminars for basketball coaches. |
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Ukraine |
24 Nov. - 4 Dec.
|
900 |
1) Special Olympics shows, demonstration games, clinics before or at half-time of Ukrainian Super League in 5 cities: Kiev (26 Nov. and 3 Dec.), Odessa (2 Dec.), Mykolayev (3 Dec.), Dnipropetrovsk (3 Dec.), Lviv (2 Dec.). 2) 10 local tournaments. 3) Regional basketball coordinators seminar . All events supported by Ukrainian Basketball Federation, basketball legend Oleksandr Volkov and the Kiev Lions Club. |
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Uzbekistan |
15-16 Dec. |
784 |
Basketball tournament in 12 regions. Final in Tashkent to include Unified Sports teams. |
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