International Mixed Ability Sports, IMAS Spain and the organisers of IMART 2025 are thrilled to announce that the European Commission, through the Erasmus+ Sport programme, will support a week of Mixed Ability activities to coincide with the 4th International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament in Pamplona – Spain.
The ‘Mixed Ability Games 2025’ (MAGIC) will be hosted by the iconic capital of Navarre, between the 22nd and 27th of June 2025, highlighting and raising awareness of the opportunities created by Mixed Ability sports to celebrate inclusion and break down barriers.
The Mixed Ability Games 2025 will feature the 4th IMART, an international rowing regatta, a basketball championship, a floor curl tournament and exhibition activities in kinball and golf amongst the other sports. The week will also see a ‘fringe’ programme of educational workshops, clinics and presentations, culminating in an international conference.
The Erasmus+ Sport programme supports events aimed at promoting social inclusion and equal opportunities for individuals and groups who are still marginalised and underrepresented, whilst tackling inequalities and increasing physical activity levels. Over the years, Mixed Ability sports have repeatedly shown their success in developing sustainable participation in sport, enabling people with lived experience of disability and other barriers to take the lead in positively transforming their own communities.
The IMART tournament will see 24 Mixed Ability men’s and 8 women’s teams from across the world playing at the UPNA facilities, with players and spectators numbers expected to run into the thousands.
Mixed Ability, championed by IMAS, began in rugby and has now become a social movement in grassroots sports creating societal change by encouraging disabled and non-disabled people to be part of the same teams or activities in grassroots community clubs, providing mainstream opportunities that do not identify, grade, separate or segregate participants.
Martino Corazza, IMAS Director said: “The backing from Europe is once again a fantastic news and a huge opportunity! After the great success of the Mixed Ability Week 22 in Cork, the continued support of the Commission certifies the appreciation for the Mixed Ability offer and its innovative and groundbreaking message. The co-financing will enable us to maximise the role and voices of our champions – ensuring effective learning sharing and replications across the world”.
Carla da Silva Castro, President of IMAS Spain added: “For IMAS Spain, leading such a pioneering project in Europe, is an exciting occasion for growth and expansion. We are confident that MAGIC will help promote equal participation of all citizens in grassroots sport and foster wider awareness towards Mixed Ability. We are also sure that we will be positively impacting the quality of life of disabled and non-disabled people alike. For us, this represents our commitment towards building a fairer society, where justice and inclusion are a tangible reality. Finally, we would like to thank all the organisations that have supported our bid and are now become affiliated partners to the projects, such as World Rugby, INICO at the University of Salamanca, Baskonia, The Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, CEMEA Veneto and Occitaine, and many more. They will all play a pivotal role, and we look forward to working with them!”.
The long-week event has the support of the Government of Navarre and the City of Pamplona and has attracted the support of major partners such as Flutter Entertainment and Smurfit Westrock. A wide range of partnership and sponsorship opportunities are still available, for more information: contact@mixedabilitysports.org
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