GLSA Fair Play Awards at the World Lifesaving Champs 2022

 

GLSA Fair Play Awards at the 

World Lifesaving Champs 2022

 

Riccione, Italy 26/09/2022. The Greek Lifesaving Sports Association presented Fair Play Awards to athletes and officials from India, Bangladesh, Belgium, Germany.

Using the words of Dr. Harald Vervaecke (Secretary General, International Life Saving Federation), Graham Ford ΑΜ (President, International Life Saving Federation) and Dott. Giorgio Quintavalle (President, Mediterranean Lifesaving Confederation), “lifesaving is the greatest sport of the world”.

The true spirit of lifesaving sport is to educate everyone (participants, teams, athletes) to respect all human beings, protect ourselves or save a fellow man in distress. To achieve that, certain fair play rules apply. One of them is to respect the success of another competitor and not have a false pride. Indeed, during the World Lifesaving Championships the Greek delegation became a witness and a beneficiary of this fair play principle.

Before the Championships, Pantelis Avramidis and Stathis Avramidis were unable to participate as athletes, due to various “circumstances” in their homeland. The Leuvense Reddingsclub (Belgium) approved their membership application and allowed them to enjoy the championships, making all the arrangements for their participation. 

During the 50m Manikin Carry on Men 45-49, the German lifesaver, Uwe Wallasch, finished faster than his opponent Stathis Avramidis. After the race, the winner congratulated the loser and they developed a friendship.

 

During the World Rescue Cup and the World Lifesaving Masters Championships, the representatives of some organizations, were fully supportive and congratulated the winning of Pantelis Avramidis.

 

The above examples represent the true spirit of fair play in lifesaving sport. The Greek Lifesaving Sports Association, was founded in the homeland that gave birth to the Olympic Games. By constitution, it honors examples of fair play. Because of that, the GLSA President Dr. Stathis Avramidis, presented Fair Play Awards during the victory ceremony to the following: Surf Lifesaving Bangladesh (Bangladesh), Leuvense Reddingsclub (Belgium), Uwe Wallasch (Germany), Water World (India), Indian Lifesaving and Lifesaving Sports Federation (India). The honorees were pleased. Photos: GLSA.