Participants of Visa Olympic Triathlon Raised 26,500 KM for Special Olympics in Bosnia and Herzegovina

(Patria) - At the Visa Olympic Triathlon, during July, citizens of Sarajevo and Banja Luka had the opportunity to try their hand at three different sports - basketball, hockey, and archery. A large number of sports enthusiasts responded to the call to participate in the triathlon where each competition round was "worth" 100 KM, and the total amount raised goes to charity.

I am quite sure that the recently concluded Olympics in Paris have activated us and strengthened our common team spirit. Inspired by this event, citizens of Sarajevo and Banja Luka responded in large numbers to our call to be part of the Visa Olympic Triathlon. I want to thank everyone who participated and made their sporting contribution to raise this fantastic amount of 26,500 KM, which Visa will direct to the Special Olympics, which has been working for years to enable better integration of persons with special needs into society through sports and sports activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, said Ana Drašković, Vice President and General Manager of Visa for Southeast Europe.

The Executive Director of Special Olympics BiH, Prof. Dr. Kada Delić Selimović, expressed great gratitude to Visa for recognizing their activities and providing exceptional support.

„As the only accredited sports organization in BiH that implements sports, educational, inclusive, family, and health programs for persons with developmental disabilities, we greatly appreciate the donation, which represents the largest sponsorship amount we have received since our founding in 1997. The slogan of Special Olympics BiH, "Inclusion is not talked about - inclusion is lived", has truly come to life through the support you have provided us.

On behalf of the athletes, parents, and all members of Special Olympics BiH, we sincerely thank Visa as a socially responsible company that has recognized our work and provided us with support. We promise to justify your trust and continue working towards achieving our goals“, said Selimović.

Special Olympics BiH was founded in 1997 on the initiative of the International Special Olympics. Since then, state-level competitions have been held annually in athletics, bocce, swimming, table tennis, football, basketball, volleyball, alpine skiing, and cross-country skiing. The largest sports event held under the auspices of Special Olympics was the "Southeast European Friendship Games", which took place in four cities: Sarajevo, Tuzla, Mostar, and Banja Luka. To date, over 80 associations have been included in the competitions, such as Special Sports Clubs, Institutes, day centers, primary and secondary schools working with persons with developmental disabilities. At their previous appearances at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, athletes of SOBiH have won over 100 medals of various distinctions.

Visa has been a dedicated partner of the Olympic Movement since 1986. As a proud global sponsor of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Visa is the exclusive payment technology partner until 2032. After the conclusion of the Olympic Games, the French capital will also host the Paralympic Games, which begin on August 28 and last until September 8. Visa, as part of Team Visa, supports 147 Olympic and Paralympic athletes and sets a benchmark for diversity and inclusion, with equal representation of Olympic and Paralympic athletes and an equal split between men and women.