The Olympics -- including Special Olympics -- are a sacred event in Greece and won't be touched by the country's social problems and debts, said Greek consul general Dimitris Azemopoulos, as 106 Canadian Special Olympics athletes prepared last night to depart for the cradle for the Olympic Games.
"As of (Thursday and Friday) there's a new government, a shuffle, and with the help of the international community, we'll get over it," said Azemopoulos, at a Canadian sendoff rally where federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty boosted Special Olympics funding by $800,000 to help send the Canadian team to Athens. He was accompanied by Bal Gossal, the newly appointed Minister of State for Sport.
The Special Olympics Summer World Games take place June 25-July 4. The Games will see some 7,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities from an estimated 185 nations compete in 22 sports. The Games will use about 3,000 technical officials and 25,000 volunteers.
Canada will take part in seven sports: athletics, aquatics, bowling, powerlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer and softball.
Greece's Prime Minister George Papandreou on Friday installed a new finance minister as part of the cabinet shuffle designed to assuage widespread rioting and anger over tough new austerity measures.
Special Olympics Canada has not actually been given an official heads up that that Special Olympics will be untouched and secure amid the civic disobedience, "but if we thought there was a problem, we wouldn't let anyone go," said Michael Howlett, the newly elected SOC president.
"As far as we know, the Games are a go. We haven't heard any different," said Gossal.
"The nature of the Greek people, the nature of the Olympics -- especially these Special Olympics -- mean they'll be embraced. The Olympics is a symbol," Azemopoulos said.
Communications giant Telus last night donated 135 phones to allow the athletes to call friends and family at home. The company also is contributing $50 to Special Olympics Canada for every supporter who activates or renews a Telus wireless device until April 2012.
Athletes -- 85 of them first-timers at the international games -- marched up to the sendoff in downtown Toronto, wearing bright red tee-shirts bearing the new guiding philosophy of Special Olympics Canada: Dream, Commit, Achieve, Celebrate. It's a tweak on the old social program philosophy of Brave in the Attempt.
This team Canada gathered in sport-specific camps and engaged in sessions for fitness testing, nutrition, mental training for sport, strength, conditioning and team building.
The Canadian team has "a unique blend of sport science and training regimens," said Deborah Bright, outgoing president and CEO of Special Olympics Canada. "It's the model for Special Olympics programs around the globe."
"Special Olympics is about a world of opportunity and the power of community... enriching the lives of the intellectually disabled." said Howlett. "You look around the room and you see that sport can change lives for the better and create lasting and meaningful change."
The team, which represents all 10 provinces plus the Northwest Territories, will have 40 volunteer coaches and mission staff. There are 24 veterans on the team including seven-time Special Olympics soccer players Marc Theriault of Delta, B.C., and Ryan Courtemanche of Kelowna, B.C.