Special Olympics football

On Tuesday, on a small pitch behind the European Parliament in Brussels, UEFA and Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia hosted the third annual tournament for Special Olympics athletes, members of the European Parliament and the European Commission. One of Belgium's top international referees, Johan Verbist, travelled to the capital to keep order on the pitch.

Football's power
The yearly tournament demonstrates the power of football to bring different people together, irrespective of their nationality, ability or sex. Each team is mixed: young athletes play alongside politicians and their research assistants, while the sports unit of the European Commission also contributes some players of its own.

Social inclusion
Michel Deurinck of Special Olympics said: "Our tournament with the EU institutions celebrates how sports improve our understanding of the gifts and abilities of people with intellectual disabilities, and promote social inclusion more broadly." As in previous years, Chris Heaton-Harris MEP put together the squad of European politicians, and also managed to play in just about every position on the pitch. "Football is at its very best in games like these," he commented. "This is what the sport is really about: teamwork, fair play and having some fun."

Gratitude
Jonathan Hill, head of UEFA's Brussels office, said after making his debut: "The tournament has become a fixture in the European Parliament calendar, and we are grateful to the MEPs and European Commission staff that leave their offices to play for an afternoon. We all spend a lot of time talking about the politics of football - it is good that we go out and kick a ball once in a while."

World Games
This year's event offered the opportunity to celebrate the Special Olympics World Games, which are taking place next month in Shanghai.