17-year-old Gilmour Borg will give a voice to athletes of all abilities in his new role
Valletta, Malta 14 December 2017 – A Special Olympics athlete, chosen to become an ambassador with the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA), has signed the organisation’s official pledge at an event in Valletta, Malta. The appointment of 17-year-old Special Olympics Malta athlete Gilmour Borg as a ‘SIGA Champion’ marks one of the first times an athlete with intellectual disabilities has been engaged in such a high profile ambassadorial capacity outside of the Special Olympics movement.
As part of the role, Borg from St. Paul’s Bay, Malta has committed to supporting SIGA’s vision and global mission of promoting and preserving the integrity of sport, as well as raising awareness about the role that athletes with intellectual disability can play in promoting a positive sports industry centered on inclusion and acceptance.
Borg will participate at official SIGA events across Europe in 2018 as part of the SIGA Champion role. SIGA has also committed to appointing more Special Olympics athletes to the Champion role in the coming months in a further show of support and cooperation between the two organisations.
The official signing of the SIGA Pledge took place at the Auberge de Castille in Valletta, Malta, which houses the offices of the Prime Minister of Malta, Mr Joseph Muscat. The event was attended by President of Special Olympics Malta, Mrs Michelle Muscat, Malta’s Parliamentary Secretary for Youths, Sports and Voluntary Organisation, Dr Clifton Grima, SIGA coordinator Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, and Maureen Clarke of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia.
Describing the appointment of an athlete from Special Olympics Malta as a SIGA Champion as an “honour”, Mrs Muscat said Mr Borg was representing some five million Special Olympics around the world and showcasing the talents of all athletes with intellectual disabilities.
“Special Olympics Malta is honoured to have Gilmour Borg serve as one of SIGA’s first Champions. Gilmour’s message and example embody the transformative power that sport has to create positive change in the world today. As the first SIGA Champion, Gilmour has been given the important role of representing some five million athletes around the world. We are all tremendously proud of Gilmour and the important work he has done to date. Special Olympics Malta looks forward to working with SIGA in promoting the voices of athletes with intellectual disabilities.”
Malta’s Parliamentary Secretary for Youths, Sports and Voluntary Organisation, Dr Clifton Grima also congratulated Mr Borg on his new appointment, stating that he is an example not just for Maltese youths but for all the country. “An important message to pass on is that sport helps you improve your strengths and skills. It provides stamina and a positive feel-good factor that helps in everyday life. SIGA’s support will give Gilmour the opportunity to develop independent living free from discrimination. Through them, Special Olympic athletes will be able to voice their stories.”
Borg was first announced to the role an official ceremony at the second edition of the SIGA Sport Integrity Forum in Lisbon, Portugal in July. Since then the teenager has been busy promoting both Special Olympics and SIGA as part of his new role as a TV presenter with Maltese station One TV. The programme sees Mr Borg interview and profile athletes of all different abilities and promoting the need for sports for all citizens, in particular, the marginalised.
Speaking about his role as a SIGA Champion, Mr Borg explained that sport, and in particular Special Olympics, has played an important role in his life. “Before joining Special Olympics I was bullied at school, other students looked at me differently, and I was angry and used to take all of my anger out at home. Then I joined Special Olympics Malta and started to feel accepted.
“An important message for me to pass on is that sport helps you improve your strengths and skills. It gives a positive behaviour that helps you feel proud and want to achieve more. As a SIGA Champion I want to give a voice to all athletes, no matter the differences and this helps to promote inclusion and build a life and world that is free from discriminations.”
Commenting on the appointment, David Evangelista, President & Managing Director of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, said: “Special Olympics is honoured to have Gilmour Borg serve as one of SIGA’s first Champions. Special Olympics looks forward to its continued collaboration with SIGA in elevating the voice of athletes with intellectual disabilities as part of a shared commitment to see sport be at the service of all who seek its strong benefits.”
SIGA coordinator Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros commented: “We are delighted to welcome Special Olympics athlete Gilmour Borg to sign the SIGA Champions pledge. Gilmour is a SIGA Champion- one of the first. He is a crucial part of SIGA’s drive to inspire youth and encourage more athletes to support our mission. It is important to have athletes on board as part of a collective drive for good governance and to help safeguard integrity in sport. Athletes are sport’s main appeal to fans, so it is vital for SIGA to demonstrate that they are at the heart of everything that we do, and that there is a cohesive effort to restore fans’ trust in what they are watching. Special Olympics plays an outstanding role and, on behalf of SIGA, I want to thank them for being at the forefront of our cause.”
Check out the interviews on Sports Panorama Malta, 00:27:30, here: https://www.tvm.com.mt/mt/programmes/sports-panorama-2/ondemand/20407440/
ENDS
About Special Olympics
Special Olympics is a global movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports, every day around the world. We empower people with intellectual disabilities to become included and valued members of their communities, which leads to a more respectful and inclusive society for all. Using sports as the catalyst and programming around health and education, Special Olympics is fighting inactivity, injustice and intolerance. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 5.7 million athletes and Unified partners in 172 countries. With the support of more than 1 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers 32 Olympic-type sports and over 108,000 games and competitions throughout the year. Special Olympics is supported by individuals, foundations and partners, including the Christmas Records Trust, the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics, The Coca-Cola Company, The Walt Disney Company and ESPN, Microsoft, Lions Clubs International, Bank of America, Essilor Vision Foundation, the Golisano Foundation, Finish Line, and Safilo Group. Click here for a full list of partners. Engage with us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and our blog on Medium.
About SIGA
SIGA is an independent and neutral coalition of more than 80 international multi-industry supporters. It is the only organisation to bring together sport, governments, academia, international organisations, sponsors, business, rights holders, NGOs and professional services companies, from every region in the world, around a common cause of fostering greater integrity throughout sport.
SIGA’s members and supporters include, amongst others, Mastercard, Deloitte, the European Professional Football Leagues, Dow Jones, PwC, the World Bank, the International Centre for Sport Security, the Basel Institute on Good Governance, the Commonwealth Games Federation, the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees, Special Olympics, the Spanish Football League, the Portuguese Olympic Committee, esports, World Taekwondo, the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, World Snooker and European Aquatics.
For further information please contact:
Fiona Hynes, Special Olympics Europe Eurasia – [email protected]
00 353 87 1342820