site.btaBIG Basketball Inclusive Games Take Place in Sofia

Caretaker Sports Minister Georgi Glushkov opened an international wheelchair basketball tournament. The Big Basketball Inclusive Games (BIG), which takes place in Sofia from September 7-11, brings together the best wheelchair basketball teams and athletes from Europe.

"I applaud the organisers of the tournament, whose aim is to encourage the personal growth of athletes with special needs, to support coaches and to motivate more people to get actively involved in supporting wheelchair basketball," Minister Glushkov noted and said that the event is proof that with desire, will, courage and confidence reaching dreams is possible.

The official opening ceremony in the capital was also attended by Carmen Tocala - Vice President of FIBA Europe and President of the Romanian Basketball Federation, Peter Tucek - Secretary of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation, as well as the ambassadors of the countries participating in the tournament.

The organizer and host of the event is the Bulgarian basketball club for people with disabilities Levski, and the competition takes place in Triaditsa Hall. The games are on September 9 and 10 and the final match will determine the champions of the tournament between the teams of Bulgaria, Serbia, Cyprus, Greece, Croatia, Turkiye, Romania and Poland.

The event will also include an international coaching seminar with participants from more than 10 European countries, as well as a round table for educators, psychologists, social workers, rehabilitators and sports managers to identify strengths and personal development.

The Sports Ministry supports the development of wheelchair basketball in Bulgaria through the Bulgarian Basketball Federation, as well as through the "Sports Development Programme for People with Disabilities", which was launched in 2016.

Nearly BGN 150,000 have been allocated to the Federation in 2024 for the "Sports Development Programme for People with Disabilities" and nearly BGN 34,000 for "Leisure Time Sports for People with Disabilities".