Athens, Greece - 30 June 2023 - Yesterday, on behalf of the organizing committee of Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011, a crowd was welcomed at the volleyball sports venue as Mr. Theofanis Tsiokris, 2nd Executive, Vice President of the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) and Mr. Brady Lum, President of Special Olympics, came together to sign a third international sports proclamation at these 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games.
On-hand at the signing were some distinctive guests from the volleyball community including Olympic champions Mr. Tom Hoff, of the United States, and Mr. Vladimir Vanja Grbić, of Serbia, Ms. Adriana Behar, of Brazil, and also Mr. Aldis Berzins (USA) – Gold medalist from the 1984 Olympics who now works as a Sports Director for Special Olympics International.
“The FIVB, with our 221 members, is proud to be here,” Mr. Tsiokris continued, “It is our duty and honor to sign this proclamation… These athletes are all champions and winners. We wish them the best success because you deserve it!”
Lum mentioned how energetic the volleyball venue was and said he was proud to be a part of the signing as Special Olympics has 135,000 volleyball athletes across 105 Special Olympics programs globally.
Grbić welcomed Special Olympics to the international volleyball ‘family’ and told the crowd what Special Olympics personally means to him and told the Special Olympics athletes in the room that “your passion and dedication to the sport is just incredible.”
This marked the third international sports proclamation signing for Special Olympics at these World Games. Earlier in the week on Tuesday Lum was also present at a signing with the International Softball Federation (ISF) and their President Mr. Don Porter. At a press conference this week Porter had called attention to the need for the international sports community to rally together behind Special Olympics. “There really ought to be a movement with all the international sports federations. Let's try to find a way to help Special Olympics. It’s one of the best kept secrets in the world.” In the proclamation with the ISF, it states: “ISF hereby proclaims unanimous support and affinity for Special Olympics and all of the athletes whose extraordinary courage represent the true spirit of sportsmanship.”
The other global proclamation signed in Athens this week was with Mr. Kevin Dornberger, President of the World Tenpin Bowling Association(WTBA), with whom Special Olympics signed an official proclamation on June 26th. Mr. Dornberger has pledged to include Special Olympics as permanent fixture in the World Tenpin Association World Championships and has invited Special Olympics to speak directly to the member organizations of the WTBA at their upcoming Congress in September.
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