Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club Foundation and Special Olympics Israel are delighted to announce that Maccabi Tel Aviv FC has become Israel’s first Team Ambassador for the global Special Olympics Movement.
By partnering with Special Olympics, Maccabi Tel Aviv FC joins leading football clubs world wide including Ajax Amsterdam, Inter Milan, Tottenham and Celtic as a Team Ambassador along with many other clubs world wide. By becoming a Team Ambassador, just as the first Israel Special Olympics Games are about to take place, Maccabi Tel Aviv FC is making the proud and bold statement attesting to the importance of raising awareness about the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities by promoting inclusion, generating greater public awareness and acceptance for people with intellectual disabilities. Through the cooperation, Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation and Special Olympics will give these athletes the opportunity through sports to realize their potential, develop physically, mentally and socially.
Josh Halickman, Head of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club Foundation praised the collaboration: “Special Olympics programs help those with intellectual challenges and aligns itself perfectly with one of the Foundation’s main goals-the promotion of social action activities. It is a great honor for us to raise public awareness about this most important issue and ensure that this segment of the population has the opportunity to play football and be recognized for their special abilities and talents.
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Gal Alberman, Ambassador for Maccabi Tel Aviv FC, said: “As an Ambassador for Special Olympics, I along with my teammates want to help ensure that more and more athletes across the country with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to change their lives through the joy of football. By doing this they will hearten us all with their courage and determination.”
Daniel Benaim, Chairman of Special Olympics Israel, said: “Partnering with the leading football club in Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv is of great importance and a natural connection with the sports community in Israel in order to help fulfill the dreams of athletes with intellectual disabilities. The cooperation will continue to help raise the awareness of sports fans across Israel with the hope that through this relationship more athletes will join the organization’s activities, especially in the realm of football. Thank you and congratulations for your desire and willingness to join forces together.”
Between September 25-27, Special Olympics Israel will be holding its first ever national games. Over 1,200 athletes will participate in 11 sports including, bowling, kayaking, horse riding and football. The majority of the activities will take place at the Wingate Institute and prior to the start of the games a Torch Relay (between September 18-25) will visit nine cities across the country from Beer Sheva in the south all the way to Beit Shean in the north. Thousands of supporters and fans will take part in the Torch Relay.
