11 athletes represent Bulgaria at the European Transplant Games in Lisbon

The event is taking place from 21 to 27 July in the Portuguese capital

published on 7/19/24 1:25 PM

Photo: Facebook - Bulgaria team transplant

The European Transplant Sport Championships will open in Lisbon on 21 July. Until 27 July, athletes from 28 countries will celebrate the victory of life over death, because one "yes" can save up to eight lives. There are a total of 15 disciplines in which transplanted athletes from all over Europe will show that they can have an active life.

The Bulgarian participants, who will also promote organ donation and transplantation in Portugal and thus show that there are no unattainable dreams, are:

Irene Dikova-Dimitrov who competes in two disciplines - tennis and table tennis; Hristina Nikolova - badminton; Natalia Maeva - badminton and petanque; Angel Trendafilov - track-and-field athletics; Dimitar Vassilev - badminton and table tennis; Evgeni Georgiev - badminton and swimming; Ognyan Ganchev - badminton and swimming; Georgi Peev - swimming; Vladimir Katoshev - badminton, swimming and table tennis; Simeon Tanchev - cycling; and Stefan Tambuev - petanque.

The Bulgarian athletes are recipients of heart, lung, kidney, and one of them has both a heart and kidney transplant.

One of the contestants is a colleague of ours from the Bulgarian National Radio. This is Natalia Maeva, head of the News, Education, Culture editorial department at the Hristo Botev culture channel of the BNR. Her message is that the event in Lisbon will be "a celebration of the winners of the most important battle, the one for our own lives". That is why everyone will proudly carry "a piece that means an awful lot to each of us".

The participation of the Bulgarian team is realized with the support of Bulgaria's Ministry of Youth and Sports, under the project of the Bulgarian Badminton Federation, and also through sponsors and personal funds.

A doctor, team manager, rehabilitator, representative of the media and companions who are sympathetic to the cause of donation and transplantation will travel with the Bulgarian team.

On Saturday, the Executive Director of the Executive Agency "Medical Supervision" Ivanka Dineva and the President of the Bulgarian Badminton Federation Dr. Volodya Zlatev will send the Bulgarian athletes to Sofia Airport.

The history of the European Games for heart and lung transplant patients dates back to 1989, when the Dutch National Association of Heart Transplant Patients organised a friendly competition involving a small number of countries. The European Sports Championships for transplant and dialysis patients were first held in Athens back in 2000.

You can learn more about all the Bulgarian athletes in Lisbon in the photo gallery below.