Tallaght to play its part in European transplant games

TALLAGHT Community School will be just one of the Dublin venues that will host the 11th European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships, Dublin 2020.

The members of the European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Federation gathered at the Irish Kidney Association’s Renal Support Centre at Beaumont Hospital recently for the launch which followed an inspection tour of sporting venues around Dublin.

Next year’s 2020 Championships will see transplant and dialysis athletes from over 25 nations, ranging in age from 18 to over 80 years old, descend on Dublin to celebrate life through sport. The Championships offer participants an opportunity to honour their donors and play their part in looking after their own health.

At the launch, Giuseppe Canu, the Chairman of the organising committee for the previous Games held in Cagliari, Italy handed over the athletics baton to Colin White, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the ETDSC 2020.

Mr White is also Secretary of the European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Federation and National Projects Manager of the Irish Kidney Association (IKA).

At the launch Roddy Guiney, Chairman of the Federation of Irish Sport, said: “We are delighted that the 2020 European Transplant & Dialysis Sports Championships are coming to Dublin.

“Sport has a major role to play in making for a more inclusive society and events such as this highlight just how inclusive sport can be.

“While the event is obviously of major interest to all transplant recipients and people on dialysis, I believe its impact will go far beyond that, demonstrating the power and importance of sport for everyone. It will also be another platform for us to showcase our sports facilities and our ability to deliver first class international events.”

Colin White, LOC chairman, added: “We are so excited to be bringing the Championships back to Dublin which will involve over 500 participants.

“Since we last hosted in 2010, I have worked closely with each subsequent local organising committee.

“In the nine years that have followed over 2,000 people have undergone lifesaving transplants in Ireland. However, the number of people on dialysis has grown by 20 per cent. The Games are important to show the public what can be achieved when people say yes to organ donation.

“To add to our already inspiring Irish team, we hope that the games being held on home soil will attract lots of enthusiastic newcomers.”