Kick off Press Conference in TURKEY

A press conference to kick off the Special Olympics 7-a-side Unified Football Tournament was held on 3 September 2009 in Silivri, a district of Istanbul in Turkey.

The tournament, being held from 1-4 October 2009, will bring players with and without intellectual disabilities aged 16 to 25 together as members of 16 teams.  These teams represent 15 national programs in Europe and Eurasia. 

The press conference was well attended with 11 national and six local press representatives.  Conference speakers included Special Olympics Turkey Honorary President Dilek Sabanci, Silivri Sub Governor Mesut Demirkol, Silivri Mayor Özcan Işıklar and Special Olympics Turkey Board Chair Necmettin Aydın.  Special Olympics Turkey National Director Melih Gurel gave an extensive briefing about the tournament and Special Olympics Turkey in general.

The tournament will include a seafront Opening Ceremonies, a Torch Run and Healthy Athletes screenings. Silivri is a district of Istanbul located along the Sea of Marmara.

Photo (Left to right): Silivri Sub Governor Mesut Demirkol, Honorary President Dilek Sabanci, and  Silivri Mayor Özcan Işıklar Özcan Işıklar. (Photo courtesy of Special Olympics Turkey)