Wiener Inclusion Derby 2025: strong for special Olympics!

Wiener Inclusion Derby 2025: strong for special Olympics!

On Tuesday, the Allianz Stadion in Hütteldorf turned into an arena of coexistence. The 3. Wiener Inclusion Derby , organized by SK Rapid and FK Austria Vienna, set a strong sign of inclusion in sports. The event was all about the National Special Olympics Summer Games 2026, which will take place in Vienna in just one year.

The motto of the day, "together instead of each other", not only adorned the posters, but was reflected in every action. Prominent players and supporters such as Dagmar Schmidt from FK Austria and Steffen Hofmann from SK Rapid gave the honor and made it clear what it was about that day: the joy of playing and promoting the participation of all people, regardless of their skills or restrictions

a game for everyone

The special thing about the inclusion derby was the composition of the teams. Players: Inside from the Special Needs teams, women's and girls teams as well as special Olympics athlete: inside and football legends competed against each other. The football classic also attracted sizes such as Markus Suttner, Jürgen Patocka and Florian Sturm. The game found the game through Austria's top referee Sara Telek, who kept an eye on the fair play.

With a final score of 4: 2 for the team, you could think that the competition was the focus, but that was far from the case. This event was not an ordinary football game; It was about the exchange, the encounter and the feeling of community. It is important that such events not only emphasize sporting achievements, but also raise awareness of the importance of inclusion.

an important contribution to inclusion

The game's revenue speak for themselves: 2,500 euros each go to the special teams of the clubs and an additional 5,000 euros flow to Special Olympics Austria. These funds are crucial for the promotion of inclusive sports projects and confirm how necessary such events are. According to the “Football Freunde” initiative, the social participation of children and adolescents is also promoted with impairments, which makes it clear that the cooperation beyond the field line is also important in reality.

More and more studies are demonstrating the positive effects of sport on people with and without disabilities. Sports activities promote not only physical, but also psychological well -being and social interaction. Participation in such events can reduce prejudices and lead to more acceptance and tolerance in society, which is also clearly discussed in an article of the bpb

In this course of the course, it becomes clear that integration and inclusion in sport still offer a lot of space for improvements. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is based on equal participation in sports activities, which continues to be a challenge in many countries, also in Austria. But events such as the inclusion derby show that there are also positive developments.

The 3rd Viennese inclusion derby was more than just a game; It was a feast of community and hope for an inclusive future in sport. It is to be hoped that this event will be the start for many other inclusive events in Austria.