The European Youth Games for the Disabled Emil Open is an international sports and social event for young people with disabilities. It has been taking place since 2011 and is a unique event of European importance thanks to the high number of participants, the variety of sports on offer, and the rich accompanying program.
"This year we have grown again - a total of 983 participants from 14 European countries have registered, which is a historical record. The new V4 Emil Team Games project, thanks to which we are bringing team sports to the Emil Open for the first time," said Pavel Zbožínek, President of the Emil Open Organizing Committee. Four countries, four sports, four types of disabilities - that is how the project supported by the Visegrad Fund can be briefly described. Participants of the Emil Open and the general public will be able to try wheelchair basketball, futsal for the blind, deaf volleyball, and ID field hockey.
Individual sports will traditionally include athletics, swimming, table tennis, archery, cycling, tossball, bocce (a pétanque-style game for athletes with mental and combined disabilities), and boccia (a version for athletes with physical disabilities).
Each year, the Games are supported by a group of ambassadors from among successful athletes, such as Paralympic champion Arnošt Petráček, world vice-champion in track cycling Tomáš Bábek, participant in three Olympic swimming competitions Hana Netrefová, or actor and presenter Jan Adámek. Thanks to the support of Basket Brno, Ethan Chargois from Oklahoma also became an ambassador.
"Sports will take place in the Sports Area of the VUT under Palacký Hill, in the hall and gym of the Faculty of Sports Studies of MU. Due to the great interest of athletes, for the third year we have to divide the swimming competitions into two pools - Za Lužánky and Kraví Hora. Of course, the public is welcome everywhere so that they can cheer and at the same time convince themselves that it is possible to experience the joy of movement to the fullest despite disabilities," explained Pavel Zbožínek.
An accompanying program is also open to the public, the center of which will be Liberty Square. There will be a stage and a sports ground where demonstrations of sports adapted for the disabled will take place. "In the afternoon of 25 June, there will be an opening ceremony with the participation of all athletes and their accompaniment, a benefit show from Eye to Eye with Jan Kraus, and a concert by the blind singer Rachel Skleničková, who will also be one of the guests at the aforementioned benefit show," added Pavel Zbožínek.
In the new Teplárny Brno sport arena, sports will also take place on the square on Thursdays and Fridays. In addition to sports demonstrations, there will also be dance and music performances, mainly involving Brno partner organizations.
As the organizers stress, a big thank you to all partners without whose support this exceptional event could not have taken place. Among the most important are the City of Brno and the South Moravian Region. Thanks are also due to the general partner of the 14th European Handicapped Youth Games Emil Open, which is again the municipal company Teplárny Brno, a.s. "In Teplárny Brno we provide heat and energy that powers our city every day. However, the Emil Open also allows us to be part of the most precious energy full of hope, courage, perseverance, and the ability to overcome our own limits. These moments warm the heart and inspire us all. We are proud to be the general partner of this extraordinary European event again this year," says Jiří Herman, Chairman of the Board of Teplárny Brno, a.s
Media contact:
Pavel Zbožínek
President of Emil Open
602 720 518
zbozinek@emil-family.cz
https://summer.emilopen.cz/
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About the organizer
Emil's Sports is an association founded by the Emil Foundation to support young disabled athletes. It provides support in the form of direct financial assistance, creating sporting opportunities and organizing sporting events.
