TURKEY: University Opens Doors to 500 Special Olympics Athletes

Special Olympics Turkey organized another in a series of events in cooperation with universities – this time in the northwestern city of Edirne.  On 23 May, 2009 Vice Presidents Prof. Dr. Beyhan Karamanlıoğlu and Prof. Dr. Kemal Kutlu of Trakya University, welcomed Special Olympics Turkey President Necmettin Aydin, several Special Olympics board members and Special Olympics National Director Melih Gurel before the agreement of cooperation was signed.

Following the signing, a Special Olympics Games was held for 500 athletes for two days.  Athletes competed in football, basketball, volleyball, aquatics and athletics.  Around 300 people attended the Games over the two days, including family members and student volunteers.

The Games started with a parade of nearly 800 people being led by a municipal band through the crowded city avenues – even shopkeepers along the route joined in.  Following lunch in one of the cities main squares, Opening Ceremonies was held in the Trakya Üniversity 75th Year Sports Complex.  Guests included Vice Mayor N. Kemal Döleneken, Vice President of the university Prof. Dr. Kemal Kutlu, university administrators and teachers, and Special Olympics representatives. An MATP demonstration was organized during Opening Ceremonies to bring awareness to the public about training and participation in Special Olympics for individuals with severe disabilities. 

That evening the university hosted a dinner for athletes and families in a picnic area by the river.

Special Smiles and Healthy Hearing screenings took place during the event: 138 athletes were screened in the Special Smiles and 132 athletes were screened in Healthy Hearing.

The Games were attended and covered by 14 members of the press.

Photo: Special Olympics athlete Murat Çetin, 24, was one of the 500 athletes to participate in the event.  Çetin competed in basketball but his real passion is folkdance. Çetin attends a school  run by the Tekirdağ Foundation for Protection and Raising Children with Intellectual Disabilities. (Photo courtesy of Special Olympics Turkey)