Special Olympics athletes, Celine and Ionut, were among guest speakers at a recent special event in the European Parliament to honour the amazing career of Special Olympics Global Ambassador Nadia Comăneci – and the power of inclusive sport.
On 17 March, Special Olympics Belgium athlete Celine Ramaekers and Special Olympics Romania athlete Ionut Păunescu, were among the honoured guests and speakers at a unique event hosted by Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament. The gathering honoured the dazzling sporting career of Special Olympics Global Ambassador, Nadia Comăneci, in particular the 50th anniversary of her iconic ‘Perfect 10’ score at the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976.
Nadia, who is a lifelong supporter of Special Olympics and has attended events locally, regionally and globally over many decades, gave a moving keynote address,passionately underlining the power of sport to truly change the world.
Celine Ramaekers of Special Olympics Belgium echoed these sentiments and emphasised the important role that Nadia has played in inspiring the next generation of athletes. She said, “Role models are very important in this journey. Nadia Comăneci is an incredible inspiration to so many people around the world. Her dedication, courage and achievements in gymnastics show us what is possible when you believe in yourself and work hard.”
Although Nadia is a world renowned athlete, she naturally holds a special place in the hearts of her fellow Romanians who watched her represent them in such spectacular fashion on the world stage throughout her career. For Ionut Păunescu, a gymnast with Special Olympics Romania, honouring Nadia was particularly significant, as he noted in his address.
He said, “Nadia has inspired generations of gymnasts around the world, including me. Thank you, Nadia, for supporting us. Your example reminds people that we belong and that our achievements matter.”
Incoming Special Olympics Europe Eurasia President, Sven Albrecht, reinforced the importance of supporters like Nadia and European institutions in driving the agenda of inclusive sports forward in Europe and across the world. He said, “We are grateful for Nadia’s longstanding leadership in the Special Olympics movement globally, just as we are grateful to European Union (EU) for its unwavering support for inclusion through sports over many years. Athletes across our region and beyond are already reaping the benefits of EU support for our World Summer games in Berlin in 2023 and our World Winter Games in Turin in 2025 – and we know that legacy will continue to be felt for many years to come."
Reflecting on the event Victor Negrescu, Vice-President of the European Parliament and a powerful advocate for Special Olympics, noted on his Instagram account, “To have Nadia here, together with the great champions who made Romania proud and the young people following in her footsteps, was more than a celebration. It was an inspiring moment and a real lesson in courage, hard work and dreams coming true. Nadia is a great champion and has become, today, a symbol of excellence who impresses us all with her modesty and humanity. All our guests from European institutions and from the world of sports have felt this.”
Among the other speakers at the event were Vice-President of the European Parliament Katarina Barley and European Commissioner for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu who both used the opportunity to draw attention to the powerful work of Special Olympics on driving forward inclusive sport.
