The Special Olympics World Games started with an emotionally touching celebration. In front of 50,000 visitors in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier declared the games for the mentally handicapped and those with multiple disabilities open after the three-hour celebration.
Around 7,000 athletes from 176 nations will compete in 26 sports until June 25th. The World Games are the largest multisport event in Germany since the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
Before Steinmeier opened the games in the presence of Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and international political guests, eight runners of the torch relay had lit the “Flame of Hope”, the flame of the Special Olympics.
Beforehand, the delegations had marched into the interior of the Olympic Stadium in a nearly two-hour parade to the continuous applause of the spectators. Various show interludes caused goosebumps among the spectators, including Dirk Nowitzki.
The basketball star is a supporter of the World Games and visited the German basketball team in the exhibition halls in the morning. The former NBA professional was very impressed by the performance of the disabled.