Dear Friends,
Every real sports performance is great in the sense that its main purpose is not to beat “others” but oneself.The same goes for all sportspeople - both the able bodied and those with physical limitations. Every person with a disability must also fight a personal battle against their own limits and barriers that are hard for others to imagine. Today, we can all empathize to some extent with their situation in the face of the constraints the current Covid-19 pandemic has brought upon us. Yet still only partially.
I am glad that our Moravian metropolis will once again witness this great meeting. This event brings young people together, regardless of whether they have a disability or not. This is what makes sport amazing – it connects people and overcomes personal obstacles and boundaries. The Emil Open European Youth Games for the Disabled, which have brought together thousands of young athletes from many countries in the old continent, are proof of this. Many long-term friendships have resulted from these meetings in Brno.
I would like to thank the organizers of this event – one that is extraordinary throughout the whole of Europe – fortheir commitment and dedication in arranging the games. Likewise, I thank the volunteers, without whom none of this would be possible.
And the rest of you – pleaseaccept our invitation to visit Brno. I look forward to meeting you at the Emil Open venues and elsewhere.
