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A sports festival dedicated to inclusion

A sports festival dedicated to inclusion

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from: Kathryn Boehmer

Pure joy at the mega sporting event: In June, the Special Olympics World Games will be held in Germany for the first time. Olching will also be the host city for Olympic athletes from the Caribbean. © Special Olympics

For the first time, the Special Olympics World Games will be hosted in Germany. The municipality’s largest comprehensive project to date revolves around the sporting event for the mentally handicapped.

Olching – Olching also exists. There are expected to be 27 visitors from the Caribbean – who are looking forward to one thing in particular.

One might say: Olching is part of a huge German-wide consolidation project this year, as the only place in the region. People with and without disabilities should come together, and celebrate the joy of life and enthusiasm for sport together.

All of this is being done through the so-called “Host Town” program, which the city applied for last year. With great commitment from Manuela Bremer, chair of the Parents’ Group for Disabled Children (EbK), which also sends athletes to the Special Olympics, the contract was awarded. A total of 30 municipalities in Bavaria and 200 municipalities throughout Germany participate in it. In principle, they are host cities.

A large comprehensive sports festival

The idea behind it: athletes from all over the world come to Berlin four days before the start of the matches and mix with the people. In Olching there will be 27 athletes and their honorees from the Caribbean, more specifically from the small island of Saint Kitts and Nevis, which is chaired by King Charles. The delegation will arrive at Munich Airport on Monday, June 12th. “They have to acclimate here first,” Daniela Boinert of the city administration recently told city council members. However, much should be provided. Sightseeing, an official reception at the Kulturwerkstatt am Olchinger Mühlbach (KOM) and on Wednesday afternoon, 14 June, an all-around sports festival, for which the city managed to score particularly well in its application. It was mainly organized by Manuela Bremer.

(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our usual system FFB Newsletter.)

“Our goal is for as many citizens as possible to connect with mentally challenged athletes,” Bounert explained. Clubs, schools and, if possible, the whole city should be involved. In the best case, everything goes so well that the event can be held every two years. Olching also wants to take part in the torch relay organized by Munich.

First contact via video conference

The first contact with athletes from the Caribbean was via video conferencing, which Paunert conducted with the head of social services, Peter Solinger. “They were particularly interested in beer,” Bounert said at a city council meeting. In Olching there is the Gut Graßlfing brewery. “It looks like they also have a brewery.”

It is not yet known how old the participants from the exotic country are. However, they practice sports disciplines such as swimming, cycling and tennis. “It’s convenient, because you can do all of that with us,” Paunert explains. The Special Olympics World Games finally take place in Berlin on Thursday, June 15th. In addition to enthusiasm for the sport, inclusion is also the focus here (see box). It will be a huge sporting event. And there will probably also be a little Olchinger beer in the luggage, as a souvenir of the host city, so to speak.

Special Olympics World Games: Founded by JFK’s sister

Special Olympics: Behind it is a global inclusive movement. According to the site, it is about positive change in the lives of people with intellectual and multiple disabilities around the world. The flagship event every two years is the Special Olympics World Games, which this year take place from June 17-25 in Berlin. It is the largest comprehensive sporting event in the world. Thousands of athletes compete against each other in 26 disciplines. “These are games for the athletes, for the athletes,” says Marc Solomiere, Athlete Spokesperson and Special Olympics German Vice President.

And this is how it all began: in 1968, thousands of athletes from the USA and Canada entered the stadium in Chicago, Illinois, waving flags and banners. Those were the first games of this kind, the founder of which was Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of John F. and Robert Kennedy, who, in turn, had a sister with intellectual disabilities. Kennedy Shriver was furious that these children did not find a place in society.

She wanted to do something. This has now grown to be the largest sports movement for people with multiple and intellectual disabilities. Five million athletes from 174 countries, who have been officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), participate. Not to be confused with the Paralympics, which are attended by people with physical disabilities.

You can find more current news from the Fürstenfeldbruck district at Merkur.de/Fürstenfeldbruck.