One Team Week, a celebration of the important work that Turkish Airlines Euroleague clubs are doing to year-round to marginalized groups in communities all across the continent, will take place at all of the competition’s games between Wednesday and Friday in 10 different countries across the continent.
The special activities include each and every Euroleague player putting One Team in place of his own name on the back of his jersey to show solidarity with the efforts being made daily by the clubs to bring Euroleague Basketball’s corporate social responsibility programme to vulnerable members of their communities.
All 24 Euroleague clubs – plus 10 more in the Eurocup – have organized hands-on local One Team programmes again this season to aid in the integration of at-risk groups like substance abuse and spinal injury victims, among many, many others.
One Team Week will also highlight Euroleague Basketball’s long-standing collaboration with Special Olympics during its own current promotion of European Basketball Week, of which this year’s 12th edition is aimed at getting younger athletes involved in the sport through mini-basketball programs.
Euroleague players will stand side-by-side with Special Olympics athletes before every game this week to show that players with and without intellectual disabilities can be great teammates both on the court and in the community.
The collaboration with Special Olympics athletes will feature an exchange of gifts and photos with Euroleague players, while each game’s head coaches will use One Team clipboards, among other court-area branding, to bring attention to Special Olympics and One Team.
“The efforts shared by One Team and Special Olympics to uplift people who need our help, and in particular the intellectually disabled men, women, boys and girls in our communities, is an important part of our mission and that of the clubs as they work hand-in-hand with their communities through their One Team programmes all year long,” Roser Queraltó, Euroleague Basketball’s Chief Business Development Officer, said.
“I am delighted that the giants of the European basketball community, Euroleague Basketball, and its One Team programme are throwing their full weight behind the Special Olympics European Basketball Week again this year,” Mary Davis, Acting CEO of Special Olympics International, said. “Basketball Week is possible through the generosity and support of the One Team programme and we are grateful for your dedication in supporting the work of Special Olympics and your deep passion for our athletes. 2015 marks the 12th year of European Basketball Week and this year our focus is on getting more young people involved in the game through mini-basketball. We will also continue to focus on bringing together players with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team playing Unified, leading to a more inclusive and respectful world for everyone. Thank you to Euroleague and One Team for sharing our vision.”
