The National Sports Academy marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities with an “Open Dialogue on Inclusive Sport”

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities – 3 December – the National Sports Academy “Vasil Levski” initiated a discussion entitled “Open Dialogue on Inclusive Sport: Together Towards a Society Open to All”.

The event brought together academic experts and representatives of institutions, federations, and sports clubs to discuss pressing issues, share useful experience, and propose ideas and solutions for more effective support for people with specific needs.

The National Sports Academy has a long-standing, traditional, and consistent role in the development of adapted physical activity and inclusive sport in Bulgaria, noted Assoc. Prof. Stefka Dzhobova from the “Adapted Physical Activity and Sport” unit, at whose initiative the forum was organized. “For more than twenty years, the Academy has been training specialists who work with children, young people, and adults with diverse needs and abilities. Today, many of them are leading experts, coaches, teachers, and program managers who change people’s lives through movement, sport, and inclusion,” emphasized Assoc. Prof. Dzhobova, who also moderated the discussion.

In his address to the participants, the Rector of the NSA, Prof. Krasimir Petkov, reaffirmed the commitment of the academic leadership to continue developing these activities sustainably. “We always provide our sports facilities for events of this nature. Of course, we all continue to owe a debt to these people, and therefore the Sports Academy is open to partnerships and initiatives in support of inclusive sport and the introduction of new practices in the training of athletes with special needs,” stated Prof. Petkov.

The representative of Sofia Municipality in the discussion – Desislava Temelkova, Director of the Sports and Youth Activities Directorate – commented on important projects and initiatives of the capital city. “We are constantly trying to build further – next year the budget for outdoor sports facilities has been increased, and fitness equipment for people with disabilities will be installed alongside them. I hope this will gradually happen in all districts of Sofia. Our city needs a dedicated facility for practicing inclusive sport, and work is being done in this direction. For 2026, five million BGN have been allocated in the new budget of Sofia Municipality for the development and support of inclusive sport,” announced Desislava Temelkova.

The representative of the Sofia-City Regional Department of Education, Ilonka Dzhaleva, outlined the framework for inclusion in physical education classes in accordance with the regulatory framework of the Ministry of Education and Science.

Among the participants were lecturers from the Sports Academy with expertise in adapted and unified sports: Prof. Stefan Stoykov, Assoc. Prof. Velichka Aleksandrova, Assoc. Prof. Mariana Borukova, Chief Assist. Prof. Ivelina Kirilova, as well as representatives of institutions and non-governmental organizations: Iliya Lalov – Chairman of the Bulgarian Paralympic Federation; Pavel Savov – Chairman of the Bulgarian Association for Recreation, Integration and Sport; Emil Neshev – Sports Club “SOP Sambo for Development”, and others.

The forum was held in two thematic panels and an open discussion entitled “Challenges and Solutions”, during which opportunities for the development of adapted physical activity, inclusive sport, national policies, effective practices, and on-the-ground challenges were discussed. Participants defined priorities for a sustainable system in the field of sport for people with disabilities. The main problem areas were also outlined: financing, sports infrastructure, human resources, attracting athletes, and working with parents. Unfortunately, environmental accessibility continues to be an obstacle, representatives of sports clubs shared. All participants united around the idea of submitting a proposal for the need for sports activities to become part of the assessment of social needs. A desire was expressed for the open dialogue framework to become a regular event, with the topic proposed for the next forum being “Sport for People with Disabilities as a Measure for Health Prevention”.

Gratitude was expressed to the National Sports Academy for the high level of training of specialists in adapted physical activity and sport for people with disabilities. The Academy continuously updates and develops its curricula, including a bachelor’s program in Adapted Physical Activity, as well as two master’s programs – “Adapted Physical Activity and Sport” and “Adapted Sport and Inclusive Education”. The NSA provides its sports facilities for the implementation of educational and methodological practical training in adapted sports, including swimming, basketball, and field hockey, thus ensuring a real practical learning environment. Through its sports and research infrastructure, the Academy provides opportunities for the preparation and functional testing of Bulgarian Paralympic and Special Olympics athletes, and also hosts numerous joint sports events that contribute to the development of inclusive sport and the expansion of the communities around it.