Disabled athletes in a championship in Greece performed in the same venue where the Olympic Games will be staged, writes Abeer Anwar Special Olympics Egypt, together with seven other SO programmes, represented the Middle East and North Africa region in the Education through Sports festival held from 14-21 May in Rhodes, Greece. The festival, organised by SO Hellas of Greece, involved more than 1,300 disabled athletes from 48 countries. Forty-one male, female and mixed basketball teams from 20 countries and 25 regions in Greece also competed along with cycling and aquatics, as well as educational and cultural activities. Considering mentally handicapped athletes an important part of the society, SO Greece decided to organise the festival to give athletes the chance to compete in the same venue where the 2004 Olympics will take place in August. "Our athletes have equal billing with able-bodied athletes who will compete in the Olympics," Joanna Despotopoulou, head of the festival's organising committee, said. "Although Special Olympics activities and competitions are not part of the Olympics they are always present in our thoughts and plans." Despotopoulou added that the festival coincides with the European Year of Education and that the SO movement is one of the best to help mentally handicapped athletes around the world to learn through practicing sports. Special Olympics Egypt was one of the biggest delegations at the festival, entering with 16 boys and girls who competed in basketball and aquatics and collected 13 medals. Egypt's girls in basketball beat Syria in the final to win the gold medal. In aquatics Egypt collected four gold medals, four silver and four bronze. The Egyptian athletes were chosen from NGOs and schools under the patronage of Mrs Suzanne Mubarak, honorary chairwoman of SO Egypt. "It was an excellent opportunity for our athletes to get in contact with athletes from around the world," Magda Moussa, SO Egypt president, said. "Greek hospitality and warmth was the best part." Besides Egypt, seven other SO programmes from Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Iraq represented the MENA region at the festival. The eight MENA programmes took 41 medals. "It is not the medals that I care about but it is a reflection that we are moving in the right track," Ayman Abdel-Wahab, SO MENA managing director, said. "The participation of Iraq in such a world festival gives us the hope that the Special Olympics movement can be felt even in regions where there is war." The MENA region, added Abdel-Wahab, has executed 50 per cent of its five-year plan which ends by 2005. "Our region is one of the best due to the number of athletes we have attracted -- 55,000. We are targeting 110,000 by the end of 2005." On the sidelines, a declaration was signed between the International Olympic Academy (IOA) and Special Olympics. The declaration states that the IOA, which actively promotes the ideals of Olympism, pledges its support to Special Olympics athletes. It was signed by Nikos Filaretos, president of IOA, and organising chief Despotopoulou. Michael Smith, managing director of SO Europe/Eurasia, represented Special Olympics during the signing ceremony. "This declaration reaffirms the inclusion of Special Olympics athletes in the Olympic movement," Smith said. "Like the IOA, Special Olympics promotes the values associated with human development, reconciliation, solidarity and peace which embody the Olympic spirit."
