In July, the European Sports Games for transplants were held in Lisbon. For the first time in over a decade, Bulgaria was represented by 11 athletes with transplanted organs, a team manager, a doctor and companions, and our group numbered over 20 people. And they were all united under the motto: DONATION IS LIFE! Iren Dikova-Dimitrov, Natalia Maeva, Hristina Nikolova, Georgi Peev, Evgeni Georgiev, Ognyan Ganchev, Vladimir Katoshev, Angel Trendafilov, Simeon Tanchev, Dimitar Vasilev and Stefan Tambuev were our participants in Lisbon and won a total of 16 medals! Dimitar Vassilev spoke to FACTS.
- Mr. Vassilev, you recently participated in the European Transplant Sports Games, which were held in Lisbon. Bulgaria was represented by 11 competitors. What was the atmosphere like, what did you feel from the competition itself?
- Transplanted athletes participate in the games. Those who have donated organs can also participate. The atmosphere is special, it's hard for me to describe it because it has to be felt. Look, it's a celebration of life! When you stand there and are among those 500+ competitors from over 20 countries… So many people… It's a celebration of life. You're glad you're there. It was my first time and I am very grateful that it happened to me as an emotion. Judge for yourself.
A little over two years ago, I was terminally ill and on hemodialysis.
And now I stood there and waved the Bulgarian flag at these Transplant Games. All these people are winners because they have already been through something very difficult. They are there so that they can fight for their goals, but also the goal is to give publicity to the topic of donation and transplantation. To show that some people who have been transplanted are completely healthy and can play sports actively. This is also recommended.
- Where in such a competition is the line drawn between pure ambition for sporting achievements and showing that you are alive, that you can, that you want to win?
- The Games are a sporting event and it is normal for everyone to be energized and have that sporting zest to win. But this is not the most important thing for the victory. The most important thing is to enjoy this atmosphere, to meet people, to talk about what problems there are in your country, to take the positive from communication. To get a medal is a great thing. But the more important thing is to give an occasion to talk about the topic of donation.
- How do you get a medal?
- It's not easy. When you go up against each other - in my case I played badminton and table tennis - nobody wants to lose. You want victory, but the atmosphere is sportsmanlike.
If your opponent is much stronger than you, he will not crush you.
He will see that he can play better than you, but he will give you a chance to get involved in the game and adequately.
- You have talked about how and what is happening in different countries. Where are others, where are we when we talk about donation…
- It's hard for me to speak. When you see these things… A very large number of athletes are sent from countries such as Hungary and Belgium. We are talking about teams with more than 50-60 people. These 11 people we were, was the biggest team in the history of Bulgaria, which goes to such Games for transplants. It's great that we were able to do it with the help of the Badminton Federation. They won a project and that's how the funding was secured. But on the topic of donation… Things are tragic. We are in last place in the EU when we talk about donation.
At the end of July in Bulgaria we have only eight donor situations, which is very tragic and very absurd.
The waiting list is changing because it is growing. People can't wait for a transplant. The main idea of such Games is to talk about the topic. Yes, it is good to be able to win medals, but it is more important to have new information and when we come to Bulgaria to spread the topic of donation, to talk more. We are talking about donation, we can do that, but it is up to institutions and doctors to realize these donor situations. This year, unfortunately, things in Bulgaria - I say it with great pain, are worse than last year. Every single donor situation means HOPE to the people on the lists. When you see at a sporting event like this how many people are transplanted, it gives you a lot of HOPE. You see what they've been through because everyone has gone through their lot in life to be healthy now and even compete. People in our country, who are waiting on the lists, have no way to see this thing, and a large part of them do not even know that there are such Games. We are not at all good on the topic of donation, but it is important to talk. More donors means more chance for life.
Here are our medalists:
Georgi Peev (swimming) – four gold medals
Ognyan Ganchev (swimming and badminton) – two gold and three silver
Iren Dikova-Dimitrov (court tennis and table tennis) – two gold medals
Evgeni Georgiev (table tennis and badminton) - gold and silver medal
Natalia Maeva (badminton) – gold medal
Hristina Nikolova (badminton) - bronze medal
Simeon Tanchev (cycling, 5 km) – bronze medal
To this we must add the worthy performance of Vladimir Katoshev, Angel Trendafilov, Dimitar Vasilev and Stefan Tambuev, who did not win medals, but performed very strongly in very strong competition in their disciplines. For the atmosphere, for the emotions and successes…