For Immediate Release

Athletes Selected to Represent Europe in Inaugural "Special Olympics Unity Cup" Presented by Coca-Cola

Athletes from Greece, Serbia & Slovenia are three of 16 Special Olympics Athletes Selected to Participate in Football Match To Be Played During 2010 FIFA World Cup™ South Africa

Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia, together with Coca-Cola, is proud to announce that three athletes from Europe have been selected to participate alongside football legends and other celebrities in the inaugural match of the “Special Olympics Unity Cup” presented by Coca-Cola, at the same stadium that just hours later will host a FIFA World Cup™ match.  Manolis Tampakakis, 17, from Greece, Dejan Radu, 20, from Serbia and Miran Brejc, 27, are three of just 16 Special Olympics athletes that will represent all 3.3 million Special Olympics athletes worldwide during the Unity Cup at Cape Town Stadium in South Africa, on 3 July, prior to a quarterfinal match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.   

Manolis, Dejan and Miran will take their global football skills to the Unity Cup as a leading example of the power of Special Olympics Unified Sports®, with the goal of the Unity Cup to support the mission of inclusion and acceptance for people with intellectual disabilities.  All 16 athletes will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be on the same playing field as not only other Special Olympics athletes from around the world, but also an incredible roster of football legends and celebrities including: South African President Jacob Zuma, former South African National Football Team captain Lucas Radebe, former captain of South Africa’s National Women’s Football Team Desiree Ellis, and Clarence Seedorf of A.C. Milan, among others.  

“We could not be more proud of our athletes as they will be able to take this opportunity playing in the Unity Cup to showcase the ability of Special Olympics athletes on a world stage,” said Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia Managing Director, Mary Davis.  “Thanks to our global partner, Coca-Cola, we can turn the world’s attention to football not only as a sport, but as a powerful agent of change that can unite people with and without intellectual disabilities.”

Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, The Coca-Cola Company has been an Official Global Partner.  Coca-Cola supports the movement through financial and in-kind support, marketing expertise and hands-on volunteer work in an effort to showcase the dignity and capacity of people with intellectual disabilities on a global stage. 

“We have a long and unique association with sport, especially football, and have witnessed over the decades how it can unite people,” said Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company and a member of the Special Olympics International Board of Directors.   “The Unity Cup is a testament to that power as we have brought together our partners at Special Olympics and FIFA to shine a spotlight on the important values of understanding, acceptance and inclusion that we all share.”  

The Special Olympics Unity Cup will be a 20-minute match held on the afternoon of 3 July, showcasing the skills of the Special Olympic athletes in an extension of the Unified Sports® program, which bring¬s Special Olympics athletes together with partners without intellectual disabilities on teams for friendly athletic competition.

Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia oversees national programmes in 58 countries across the region providing free year-round sports training and competitions to more than 500,000 people with intellectual disabilities.

The Coca-Cola Company is a FIFA Partner and has had a formal association with the governing body for world football since 1974 and has been an official sponsor of every FIFA World Cup since 1978.  Coca-Cola has had stadium advertising at every FIFA World Cup since 1950 and is a long-time supporter of football at all levels, from grassroots to the FIFA World Cup™.

For more information about the Unity Cup, please visit: www.specialolympics.org/unitycup.

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