a. Inas PO BOX 4972 Sheffield S25 9EQ England

t. +44 845 600 9890 e. [email protected] w. www.inas.org

Monday, 22 September 2014

PRESS RELEASE

Inas launches Collaboration Programme to mark one year until opening ceremony of 2015 Inas Global Games

September 20th 2014 marks a significant moment for Inas, the International Federation for sport for para-athletes with an intellectual disability, and FEDEDI, the Federación Ecuatoriana de Deportes para Personas con Discapacidad Intelectual, being that it marks exactly 1 year until the opening ceremony of the 2015 Inas Global Games.

The Games take place every four years and provide elite competition in 8 sports. More than 1,000 athletes representing 40 nations are expected to attend the 4th edition of the event which takes place in Guayaquil, in 2015.

The budget for the event is close to $4m - a large part of which will come from sponsorship - and to mark the occasion, Inas and hosts FEDEDI, are launching a drive to find the additional support needed.

President of the Organising Committee Juan Carlos Araujo explained "With one year to go, we are pleased to invite organisations around the world to be involved in this incredible event - as sponsors, as suppliers and as supporters. We believe this is a unique and exciting opportunity for companies to get behind para-sport stars of the future".

Inas is the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual disability within the Paralympic movement and is a recognised member of the International Paralympic Committee

Inas is a not for profit organisation registered as a charity in the UK (1144903) a. Inas PO BOX 4972 Sheffield S25 9EQ England

t. +44 845 600 9890 e. [email protected] w. www.inas.org

Kate Rogers, Inas Fundraising Manager added "Inas is an international organisation supporting more than 120,000 athletes with an intellectual disability to play sport around the World. The Global Games represents a fantastic opportunity to support young athletes as they prepare for the Games, with qualification to Rio 2016, just a year later providing that added incentive".

Stephen Morris, aged 26 from Cardiff, Great Britain competed in the 2011 Inas Global Games and London 2012 Paralympic Games in the T20 1500m “My first Global Games were very special to me. I made the 800m final and came 6th. The UK Sports Association - Inas member organisation in the UK - helped to get me into the Global Games. Gerwyn from Disability Sports Wales has been a great help for me over the last one and a half years too. The Global Games helped me get to know the athletes before the Paralympics in 2012. It was a great practice to get me ready for the Paralympics and I’m now hoping to get to Rio 2016! I am really looking forward to the 2015 Global Games. I am hoping to get to the finals and to get into the top 3!”

The event kicks off on 20th September 2015 with a spectacular opening ceremony in the Alberto Spencer stadium with capacity for 42.000 people in Guayaquil and concludes 7 days later.

FEDEDI have also confirmed that each sport will be endorsed by a

Inas is the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual disability within the Paralympic movement and is a recognised member of the International Paralympic Committee

Inas is a not for profit organisation registered as a charity in the UK (1144903) a. Inas PO BOX 4972 Sheffield S25 9EQ England

t. +44 845 600 9890 e. [email protected] w. www.inas.org former Ecuadorian champion. In September, Geovanny Coello was announced as the patron for Table . Coello was a gold medallist in the 2009

For further details of the Partnership Programme please contact [email protected]

ENDS

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Notes to the editor:

Photos attached: 2015 Inas Global Games logo, Stephen Morris (GB athlete), Geovanny Coello (Ecuadorian player)

Inas is the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual disability within the Paralympic movement and is the recognised member of the International Paralympic Committee.

It is a global organisation that manages the eligibility process for intellectual disability sport, hosts an extensive programme of world and regional championship competitions and, through its members and partner organisations, promotes inclusion in sport around the world.

Inas’ vision is that athletes with an intellectual disability across the World have the opportunity to achieve excellence in sport and high-level competition.

Inas is a not-for-profit organisation registered in the UK (1144903).

Inas is the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual disability within the Paralympic movement and is a recognised member of the International Paralympic Committee

Inas is a not for profit organisation registered as a charity in the UK (1144903) a. Inas PO BOX 4972 Sheffield S25 9EQ England

t. +44 845 600 9890 e. [email protected] w. www.inas.org

The Inas Global Games take place every 4 years and are a Paralympic-style event for elite athletes in 9 sports.

For more information regarding this press release please contact Inas.

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Inas is the International Federation for sport for athletes with an intellectual disability within the Paralympic movement and is a recognised member of the International Paralympic Committee

Inas is a not for profit organisation registered as a charity in the UK (1144903)