SPONSORS - ONCE

When the legendary Baron Pierre de Coubertin revived the Olympic Games and stated, “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part”, he could never have imagined that with the passing of time disabled people would take up sport and, as a result, become part of the Olympic movement.

For many years now the National Organisation of the Spanish Blind (ONCE) has recognised the value of sport in general. One of ONCE’s objectives is to encourage the blind and partially sighted to take up sport, and the results of this can be seen in the outstanding performances of blind Spanish athletes in many international competitions. Spanish teams are currently among the strongest in the world in many sports and events.

However, this success for the ONCE is a result of systematic work and the ONCE’s mission as a provider of social services since it was founded in December 1938. Since then, the ONCE has never wavered in its endeavour and its presence in the fields of education, culture, rehabilitation and vocational training is evidence of its work in social services.

But what about sport? What’s the ONCE’s role?The answer is a major one. ONCE is firmly committed to sport. Apart from its intrinsic values, sport is undoubtedly an extraordinary rehabilitation therapy. ONCE is aware of these two benefits and has offered its wholehearted support to the sports for the blind movement internationally. In addition, ONCE has demonstrated its solidarity through the ONCE Foundation, which works tirelessly to promote sport for other disability groups.

(National Organisation of the Spanish Blind)