The European Paralympic Committee has announced the two countries who have advanced to the next stage of the bidding process to host the 2025 European Para Youth Games (EPYG).
Portugal and Türkiye both submitted strong applications to stage the event, which is Europe's biggest gathering of up-and-coming Para athletes.
The last edition held in Pajulahti, Finland, in 2022, attracted 415 athletes from 28 countries competing in eight sports as well as around 600 coaches, team staff, classifiers, officials, volunteers and other personnel.
The bids for 2025 from the National Paralympic Committees of Portugal and Türkiye will now be reviewed by an expert group, known as the Invitation to Tender (ITT) Committee - who will assess the merits of each in detail.
The EPYG has been a valuable part of the European Paralympic Committee’s calendar since 2011. A new vision for the Games has placed an emphasis on education, clean sport, classification, athlete welfare and other areas in recognition of the potential for its impact to go beyond the field of play for young athletes and in response to the demands of the Para sport community.
In addition a revised bid process has seen the formalisation of timescales and documentation – including a manual, code of conduct and bid questionnaire - and the addition of an Observer Programme. This has been achieved in collaboration with Team TOC – the organisers of the European Para Championships – who are also the delivery partner for the EPYG.
European Paralympic Committee Executive Board Member, Geoff Newton OBE, said: “This is the most comprehensive and formal bid process for the EPYG ever undertaken, and reflects our big ambitions for the event. We are keen to build on the foundations laid by past editions, and introduce new elements which will add value for athletes, European Paralympic Committee Members, International and regional Federations and the whole Para sport community in Europe.
“The two bids we have on the table are strong and demonstrate the commitment both NPCs have to helping deliver this vision for the benefit of Para sport in the region overall."
Over the coming months, all aspects of both bids will be evaluated by the ITT Committee. This will include site visits and close liaison with both bid teams in areas such as proposed venues, transport and accommodation, financial support and other elements that make a successful multi-sport event. A report will submitted to the European Paralympic Committee Executive Board for a final decision and announcement of the successful host in June 2024.
Over the last three years, the European Paralympic Committee has been working with all partners and stakeholders to review and renew its event calendar to ensure it meets their evolving needs.
The EPYG is planned to take place every four years, with a formal process that enables hosts and potential hosts enough time to bid, plan and deliver a high-quality Games.
For more experienced athletes, the European Paralympic Committee partnered with founder European Para Championships management to support and provide patronage to the inaugural edition of the European Para Championships in 2023 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, which was a key qualifier for the Paris 2024 Paralympics for nine sports and provided a great platform for goalball. This relationship continues and Türkiye and Germany were recently announced as bid countries for 2027. Team TOC is the delivery partner of the European Para Championships.
A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed with Team TOC as the delivery partner for the EPYG, with the European Paralympic Committee responsible for finding a host and overseeing the organisation.