The event for athletes with transplanted organs takes place every two years. In 2025 it will be the turn of the Saxon state capital Dresden.
Lauterbach was impressed by the performances. The athletes won 12 gold, 15 silver and 16 bronze medals in Australia. “Their examples show impressively: organ donation not only saves lives. Organ donation also gives courage to live. As ambassadors for transplant sports, they have represented Germany excellently in Australia“, said Lauterbach. There was also recognition and much praise from the political representatives Frank Ullrich (SPD, Chairman of the Sports Committee in the Bundestag), Dr. Herbert Wollmann (SPD, member of the Health Committee), Tina Winklmann (Bündnis 90/Grüne, member of the Sports Committee) and Stephan Meyer (CSU, member of the Sports Committee).
More than 1,500 participants from around 45 nations competed for medal places at the World Transplant Games in Perth last April. Team Germany consisted of 29 participants (27 transplant recipients and 2 living donors). The event included disciplines like athletics, swimming, cycling, triathlon, tennis, table tennis, bowling, petanque, darts, basketball and football.
The countdown for WTG 2025 is running. In around 22 months, from August 17 to 24, 2025, the world’s largest event for organ recipients and donors will take place in the state capital Dresden. What’s special: Dresden will be the first German venue for the WTG in its 40-year history. More than 2,500 athletes from 50 nations are expected. During the competition week, world champions in 17 disciplines will be crowned. At the Board of Trustees of the World Transplant Games Federation, the state capital, together with the TransDia Sport Deutschland association, prevailed against Leuven, Belgium, in the final of the contract award last year.
Photos: Bundesgesundheitsministerium
