Photo by PicasaNina Jelenc-ECA
Special Olympics Europe Eurasia (SOEE) and the European Canoe Association (ECA) have signed an agreement in Bascov-Pitesti, Romania, on 6th July during the 2025 ECA Junior and Under 23 Canoe Sprint European Championships.
On this occasion 30 athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities (DD) from 6 countries competed in K1 and K2 kayaks at the Bascov course.
The ECA, which was established in 1993, supports its federations, organises high quality competitions and events to promote paddle sports, facilitates access to high performance competition, and develops paddle sports for all.
SOEE has been cooperating with the ECA in the recent years, including at the 2024 ECA Canoe Sprint, Paracanoe and SUP European Championships in Szeged, Hungary.
However, this formal agreement establishes a structured pathway forward that will see paddle sports reach more athletes with intellectual disabilities in our region than ever before. It is also a legacy of the global partnership signed between International Canoe Federation and Special Olympics International in 2022 in Berlin.
Reflecting on this important moment for both SOEE and the ECA, David Evangelista, SOEE President and Managing Director, said, “This landmark partnership agreement will empower both of our organisations to increase the reach of inclusive paddle sport across the region and ensure that even more athletes with intellectual disabilities have access to this growing, exhilarating sport.”
“We are excited to work with Paddle Europe, a leading voice in coaches’ education programmes for inclusive paddle sport, to adapt the wealth of resources for Special Olympics training and competitions—as part of a shared commitment to elevating the profile of inclusive paddle sport and inclusion through sport for all.”
Jean Zoungrana, ECA President, said, “After hosting the very first Special Olympics event in Szeged, Hungary, as a part of the 2024 ECA Canoe Sprint, Paracanoe and SUP European Championships, the signing of this agreement with Special Olympics Europe Eurasia marks a major new milestone in the ECA’s commitment to making European canoeing a truly inclusive sport. This initiative specifically aims to promote the inclusion of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The pooling of our efforts through this agreement will significantly contribute to achieving this goal.”
