Vojtech Kocurek - kocurek@emilova-vzdelavaci.cz

Health disability have in the Czech Republic over 1 000 000 persons. From our point of view, not enough attention is still being paid to this topic.
Many disabled children dream of doing sports and enjoy being able to move freely.
Sport is a joy, a passion as well as relaxation.
It strengthens bonds with our friends, allows us to forget everyday worries, it is an important part of our lives.
Therefore, we want to give children and youth with a disability the same opportunity as everybody else.
With this they can truly understand that true effort and determinations makes sense and will be supported.
Thanks to the European Games they will get the opportunity to play sports with their able-bodied athletes and together remove unnecessary prejudice and bashfulness.
European Games will allow young athletes with disabilities to show their best and gain much-needed and often lacking self-confidence.

So, what is Emil Open?

The Emil Open/European Youth Games for the Disabled is an international sports and a social gathering of young people with disabilities.
The expected number of international participants, the international concept and the sport and accompanying programme make it a unique event of a European format.

Who are the Games Emil Open for?

The event is aimed at youth, not yet playing sports or beginning amateur athletes with all kinds of health disabilities between the ages of 10-26.
We allow them to experience the atmosphere of real international competitions with all the the seriousness of such an event, while motivating them to become active in sport.

How the Games are run?

The sports part is under the expert guarantee of the Faculty of Sports Studies of MU and the competition takes place in seven sports: athletics, swimming, table tennis, boccia, bocce, archery and cycling + sports camps and demonstration sports. This year, for example, tossball, wheelchair basketball and parataekwondo.
Emil Open is for all beginning individuals from the target group regardless of whether they are registered in a sport club or not. They must, however, have some training experience in any kind of sport.
The competitions are held under modified International Rules and Regulations to fit such an event level and without classification classes.
This category allows youth with a disability that are sport beginners or do sport recreationally to meet with their potential role models in the "big sporting world" and feel the sports atmosphere.
Mixed includes specific events for collectives of both disabled and able-bodied athletes.
Mixed category represents the inclusive mission of the project. Staff are recommended and welcomed to participate in these events.

Official programme:

• press conference,
• opening ceremony,
• gala evening for partners at the invitation of the Mayor of Brno,
• Jan Kraus Charity Show,
• closing ceremony.

Every year, we try to offer a wide range of activities to give young people the opportunity to get to know the South Moravian region, the city of Brno, its history and at the same time spend time with their new friends. This social part is just as important as the sporting aspect of the Games, as it also develops young people.

We try not to financially burden the participants!

Currently, despite the massive increase in price levels, we still pay for accommodation, meals, do not charge an entry fee, provide transportation at the venue and provide a free accompanying program. We are always guided by the motto that we have to decide according to the weakest. We believe sport should be accessible to all and every child or young person with a disability has the right to experience such an event despite not being able to afford it themselves. Indeed, it can be the first step on the road to performance sport.

What is our mission?

Opportunity to challenge yourself in various sport events and to experience a sport event of a higher format.
For many participants, it will be their very first contact with their foreign mates and their first time competing in an international event.
Thanks to the intensive sport experience, the Games will contribute on a European scale not only to sport but also personal development of the individual athlete. Besides sport competitions, the Games mainly represent an opportunity to have friendly gatherings of young people with disabilities from different European countries.
To enable amateur disabled athletes to compete and get inspiration from other experienced athletes from eleven other European countries. By competing with one another the registered athletes become models for other athletes with disabilities. They also have a chance to be appreciated publicly for their performances.
Maximum support for the social inclusion of children and young with disabilities, through sport events designed for mixed groups of both disabled and able-bodied participants. Another important part is the involvement of volunteers from mainstream schools.
To give the public an insight about disabled sports with the aim of eliminating prejudice and barriers. There are over a million people with disabilities in the Czech Republic. This issue is not often positively perceived by public, although sport and complex rehabilitation significantly improve the mental and physical condition of a disabled individual in most cases of post-injury traumas.

Organiser

• Emilova sportovní, z.s. is an organisation established by the Emil Foundation (Nadační fond Emil) to support the development of physical and social activities of the public and people with disabilities, organizing sport events and opening sport clubs.
• The Emil Foundation is a non-profit organisation that assists physically disabled children and young adults in their sporting involvement primarily through direct financial aid. To date, over 8000 athletes and Teams have benefited from the work of the Emil Foundation.

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