Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

11 athletes represent Bulgaria at the European Transplant Games in Lisbon

The event is taking place from 21 to 27 July in the Portuguese capital

13
Photo: Facebook - Bulgaria team transplant

The European Transplant Sport Championships will open in Lisbon on 21 July. Until 27 July, athletes from 28 countries will celebrate the victory of life over death, because one "yes" can save up to eight lives. There are a total of 15 disciplines in which transplanted athletes from all over Europe will show that they can have an active life. 


The Bulgarian participants, who will also promote organ donation and transplantation in Portugal and thus show that there are no unattainable dreams, are:

Irene Dikova-Dimitrov who competes in two disciplines - tennis and table tennis; Hristina Nikolova - badminton; Natalia Maeva - badminton and petanque; Angel Trendafilov - track-and-field athletics; Dimitar Vassilev - badminton and table tennis; Evgeni Georgiev - badminton and swimming; Ognyan Ganchev - badminton and swimming; Georgi Peev - swimming; Vladimir Katoshev - badminton, swimming and table tennis; Simeon Tanchev - cycling; and Stefan Tambuev - petanque.

The Bulgarian athletes are recipients of heart, lung, kidney, and one of them has both a heart and kidney transplant.


One of the contestants is a colleague of ours from the Bulgarian National Radio. This is Natalia Maeva, head of the News, Education, Culture editorial department at the Hristo Botev culture channel of the BNRHer message is that the event in Lisbon will be "a celebration of the winners of the most important battle, the one for our own lives". That is why everyone will proudly carry "a piece that means an awful lot to each of us". 

The participation of the Bulgarian team is realized with the support of Bulgaria's Ministry of Youth and Sports, under the project of the Bulgarian Badminton Federation, and also through sponsors and personal funds.

A doctor, team manager, rehabilitator, representative of the media and companions who are sympathetic to the cause of donation and transplantation will travel with the Bulgarian team.

On Saturday, the Executive Director of the Executive Agency "Medical Supervision" Ivanka Dineva and the President of the Bulgarian Badminton Federation Dr. Volodya Zlatev will send the Bulgarian athletes to Sofia Airport.


The history of the European Games for heart and lung transplant patients dates back to 1989, when the Dutch National Association of Heart Transplant Patients organised a friendly competition involving a small number of countries. The European Sports Championships for transplant and dialysis patients were first held in Athens back in 2000.


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Stiliana Nikolova

Stiliana Nikolova has qualified for all four apparatus finals at the Pharaohs Cup 2024

The current European champion Stiliana Nikolova has qualified for all four apparatus finals at the Pharaohs Cup 2024 international rhythmic gymnastics tournament in Cairo. She performed excellently in all four routines, receiving the highest..

published on 6/30/24 9:43 AM

Celebrating 30 years since the football summer when God was Bulgarian

The date is November 17, 1993. It is the last minute of the match between Bulgaria and France at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, which should determine the team participating in the World Cup in the USA next year. The score is 1:1 (where France..

published on 6/30/24 9:05 AM

Levski FC commemorates the 53rd anniversary of the death of legendary footballers Gundi and Kotkov

The 53rd anniversary of the tragic death of the legendary Levski and national team players Georgi Asparuhov "Gundi" and Nikola Kotkov will be honored today by the coaching staff, employees, veterans and supporters of the football club.  Before..

published on 6/30/24 7:15 AM