EUROPEAN FOOTBALL WEEK, THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS AND MIDDLESBROUGH FC

Early day motion 1119, tabled 30 April 2003 by Ashok Kumar (Labour). Signed by 30 members.

That this House notes that since 1999 UEFA has supported a football development project set up by Special Olympics, the world's largest sports training and competition project for children and adults with mental handicaps; congratulates the 25,000 existing Special Olympics athletes in Europe/Eurasia involved in football; welcomes the current TV and media campaign featuring Rio Ferdinand and Barry Cairns Jr, which aims to give handicapped people at all levels the necessary self-esteem and confidence to play football; further welcomes Middlesbrough FC's active participation in the FA Soccability programme, providing coaching and training to special schools and disabled youths and adults in the Teesside area and giving them the opportunity to involve themselves in national fixtures against other community football projects; and calls on the Government, other football clubs, and local business organisations to follow Middlesbrough FC's example and support and promote such activities throughout the UK.

Signatures by party: Labour 21, Liberal Democrat 3, DUP 2, Labour/Co-operative 2, UUP 2.