The 2^nd Mediterranean Beach Games kicked off with a spectacular Opening Ceremony in Patras, Greece on 25 August 2019.

The Games were declared opened by Greek Deputy Minister of Sport Lefteris Avgenakis, in the presence of the International Committee Mediterranean Games (ICMG) President Amar Addadi, ICMG Secretary General Iakovos Filippoussis and HSH Prince Albert of Monaco among others.

The EOC was also in attendance represented by President Janez Kocijančič and Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, along with Executive Committee Members Spyros Capralos and Zlatko Matesa.

Athletes from 26 Mediterranean countries paraded during the ceremony sending messages of peace, friendship and fair play. Water and sand – the icons of the Mediterranean Beach Games – were the key elements of the Ceremony. Over 35 artists among singers, musicians, dancers, acrobats were on stage along with the volunteers.

“Greece welcomes us again in a big multisport event and brings us back to the origins of Olympism,” Addadi said in his welcome address. “Patras is close to the city of Olympia, the birthplace of the Ancient Olympic Games, and to Athens, which had already hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1991 and the Olympic Games in 2004.”

“Due to the economic crisis that has affected Greece, the country has not been able to organise major sports events for over 10 years. And now we are happy that the Mediterranean Games can help the motherland of Olympism to regain the place it deserves in the international sports scene,” also added.

The Mediterranean Games, with nearly 70 years of history, have been modernised with the Beach Games, which expresses the aquatic element of the Mediterranean Sea. The first official Mediterranean Beach Games were held in Pescara, Italy in 2015.

During the General Assembly, Mario Pescante was awarded Honorary Member, while the Order of Merit was conferred to President of the ICMG Cooperation and Development Commission President Tullio Paratore (Italy) and the ICMG Medical and Anti-doping Commission Dr Zakia Bartagi (Tunisia).

Accompanied by 1000 volunteers, over 700 athletes from 26 countries will compete from 25 to 31 August in 11 sports: aquathlon, beach handball, beach soccer, beach volleyball, beach tennis, beach wrestling, canoe ocean racing, fin swimming, open water swimming, rowing beach sprint and water skiing.