About the Games
The World Transplant Games are a wonderful celebration of life, providing 'living proof' that organ and tissue donation works and allows recipients to return to a productive and fulfilling life.
In 2006 Games’ host and registered charity Transplant Australia won the right to host the 17th World Transplant Games in a competitive bid to the World Transplant Games Federation.
17th World Transplant Games
Gold Coast, Queensland
August 22-30, 2009
- Attracting up to 2,000 participants from approximately 50 countries
- Featuring a total of 14 sports including athletics, swimming, table tennis, badminton, lawn bowls, cycling and volleyball
- Offering a village-like atmosphere with family-style apartments close to the Games hub, beach and shops
- Showcasing the best Gold Coast sporting venues including the internationally renowned Royal Pines Golf Course – home of the ANZ Ladies Masters.
- Introducing the excitement of beach volleyball at Kurrawa Surf Lifesaving Club, Broadbeach
Background
The World Transplant Games have been in existence for more than 25 years. The first Transplant Olympics were held in Portsmouth in 1978 - an international event with teams from France, Germany, Greece and the United States competing.
Since these early beginnings with some 99 competitors, the Games have grown and now attract up to 3000 competitors from up to 70 countries. The International Summer Games are held every two years and in the intervening years, the Winter Games are held.
Past six World Transplant Games:
2007 Bangkok, Thailand
2005 London, Canada
2003 Nancy, France
2001 Kobe, Japan
1999 Budapest, Hungary
1997 Sydney, Australia
All World Transplant Games participants have received a life-saving organ transplant and are on a regime of immunosuppressant medication. World Transplant Games participants demonstrate the level of health and vitality that can be achieved after transplantation.
The Games embrace all ages, from four years of age to 85 years young, and all are welcome to participate provided they have received a life-saving organ transplant at least one year before the Games take place. Participants must be medically fit to take part, with no significant complications from their transplant surgery.
The Games include everything from 10-pin bowling and tennis to volleyball and a mini-marathon. There’s athletics, swimming, table tennis, badminton, squash, golf, lawn bowls, and cycling, to name a few. The standard of these Games are high and many records are held.
There are up to 70 member countries of the World Transplant Games Federation, most of whom have their own National Transplant Sports organisations. In addition there are now Regional Games, including the European, Middle East, Asia Games, with South American and African Games planned for the future.
The World Transplant Games are the single biggest organ donation & transplantation awareness event in the world and the ideal way of showing the world what a difference organ donation can make.
To be eligible to attend the World Transplant Games, the World Transplant Games Federation accepts athletes with the following transplants: - kidney, liver, heart, lung (single or double), bone marrow or pancreas.
For eligibility, please contact your country representative, click here
More information can be accessed from http://www.wtgf.org/