Last update - 03/07/07

The 11th European Heart & Lung Transplant Games
(21st - 26th June 2006)

Naples - Italy

Competitors, friends, families and donors from all parts of the European Union should have gathered together in Naples, Italy  for the Opening Ceremony of the 11th European Transplant Games on Wednesday 21st June 2006.   

That is what should have happened, but it didn't thanks to the inefficiency of the Italian organisers.   Using the word organisers is somewhat of an overstatement in this case.

With the exception of the Polish and GB teams everyone was housed in downtown Naples at the Royal Continental Hotel.   For reasons only known to the (dis)organising committee we were staying 20km north at the Holiday Inn, which is at least an hour's bus ride away.   

Our hotel was beautiful and set in it's own grounds by the sea on a golf course and could not be faulted.   That it was so far from the hub of the Games Village and therefore more like an isolation camp and we were denied any up to date factual information about event changes and minor details (ha ha) seemed of no consequence to Italian 'the suits' down the road.

For the first two days we were shipped like cattle to and from the city centre in old army buses with no air conditioning and drivers who seemed somewhat unfamiliar with the road layout of Naples.   This was, to say the least, not ideal.

On the night of the opening ceremony there were not enough seats in the solitary military bus, which meant our Team Manager and others from the GB team as well as the complete Polish contingent missing most of the ceremony, did not augur well for the rest of the week.   They were left standing waiting for the next bus which did not arrive for another two hours.

I could go on and on and on about the never ending farce but I think by now you have probably realised that the whole thing was a shambles.   So I will leave it at that, except to say I, and others, are patiently waiting for a refund for expenses incurred on top of the initial cost of the trip.   Incidentally the beautiful island of Capri was closed on the day of our cruise.   That should read, according to those who took our money months in advance, "Capri was closed for the day".   Do they take us for fools?   Simply put - yes.

All competitors at the European Heart & Lung Transplant Games
have received  The Gift of Life of a heart, lung or heart & lung transplant.  

The European Games, in my opinion, are easily the best in the transplant sporting calendar.   The competition may not be as fierce as say the World or British Games, but many of the medal winners compete at the 'highest' level too.      Nevertheless, each and every competitor has the right to take part and in doing so help raise the awareness of the importance of the donor card programme and show what a difference can be made.

Despite all of the many problems The Games were still a wonderful occasion.    Meeting up with friends and rivals from all parts of Europe was just as big a thrill and pleasure as always.   I feel that the GB Team became a stronger and more closely knit group than we previously were and we all had a good laugh in the evenings at the day's events (or non events).  

I must compliment the GB Team Manager, David Walker and his lovely wife Ann for their patience and good humour on what must have been a tortuous week for both.   I think I speak on behalf of the whole team when saying, they went that extra mile for all of us and it is very much appreciated.   Thank you both.

Believe it or not,  "I was just happy to be there".

There were 49 competitors and about 40 supporters in the GB Squad.
 Our medal tally was as follows:

Gold 76 / 28 Silver / 13 Bronze

Those from the Freeman hospital totalled:

Gold 22 / Silver 20 / Bronze 9

My performance was a personal best at any Games:

   Gold 2 / Silver 3