Amid great excitement and an impressive turnout, the European Championship officially kicked off yesterday with a vibrant opening ceremony. All participating nations proudly gathered to present their athletes—both women’s and men’s teams—including Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, and of course the host country, Belgium. Due to the weather conditions, the ceremony took place in the Padel Arena of Garrincha in Diegem, which provided a warm and energetic setting for this memorable start.
The event opened with a heartfelt welcome speech by the president of the organizing committee, Lieven Kind. He was followed by an inspiring address from Jan Van den Braembussche, president of the Belgium Deafsport Committee (BDC), who emphasized unity, passion, and fair play.
Attendees were then treated to a delightful surprise: an engaging Visual Vernacular (VV) performance by Marsipulami, presented by comedian Patrick Lemaire. The performance brought smiles, laughter, and genuine emotion to everyone present, perfectly reflecting the spirit of the event.
The floor was then given to the two main sponsors—Keytrade Bank and Lotto—whose valuable financial support made this European Championship possible. Both expressed their admiration for the warmth, enthusiasm, and determination shown by all the athletes, setting a positive tone for the competition ahead.
With such an inspiring opening behind us, the stage is now set. Let the competition begin!
You can find all the information on the European Championships website: see the link below.
You can find all the information on the European Championships website: see the link below.
