Български
NEWS
Sport without barriers: Bulgaria at iSportFest 2026
21.10.2026
On October 21st, 2026, Bulgarian sports development association (BSDA) took off to Spain together with six Bulgarian athletes with intellectual disabilities who will take part in the international sports festival Fiesta del Deporte: iSportFest 2026. The event will take place from 23 to 25 October in Murcia and Cartagena, Spain, bringing together participants from different European countries around the shared vision of sport without barriers and equal opportunities for all.
The Bulgarian athletes are Angel Boyadzhiev, Dimitar Tenchev, Monika Ivanova, Nikola Tagarev, Nina Al Rifai and Hrabar Natov. They will be accompanied by Stefka Dzhobova and Ivelina Kirilova, internationally recognised experts in Adapted Physical Activity and Sport (APAS) and lecturers at the National Sports Academy “Vasil Levski”; Hristo Panchev, their coach and Joanna Dochevska, the project manager representing BSDA.
The festival is part of a European initiative co-funded by the European Union and coordinated by the University of Murcia. The programme includes more than 70 sports, recreational and educational activities, including water, beach and urban sports, practical workshops and interactive activities accessible to people with different abilities and levels of experience.
Participation in the festival offers the Bulgarian athletes not only sporting experiences but also opportunities to build new friendships, engage in international exchanges and develop personally. Meeting participants from other countries, taking part in joint sporting activities and overcoming new challenges create opportunities to build confidence, independence and social skills. Such international initiatives are particularly important for people with intellectual disabilities, as they provide opportunities for meaningful participation in community life and for experiences beyond familiar surroundings.
Organisations from 13 European countries are taking part in the initiative, sharing the common goal of promoting inclusion through sport. BSDA will represent Bulgaria and contribute its expertise in organising inclusive sporting activities and working with people with intellectual disabilities.
The upcoming days in Spain are going to be filled with sport, new encounters and shared emotions. However, the most important message of this international adventure remains clear: sport belongs to everyone, and opportunities to participate should never depend on a person's individual abilities.
Fiesta del Deporte: iSportFest 2026 (101245372) is co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
The festival is part of a European initiative co-funded by the European Union and coordinated by the University of Murcia. The programme includes more than 70 sports, recreational and educational activities, including water, beach and urban sports, practical workshops and interactive activities accessible to people with different abilities and levels of experience.
Participation in the festival offers the Bulgarian athletes not only sporting experiences but also opportunities to build new friendships, engage in international exchanges and develop personally. Meeting participants from other countries, taking part in joint sporting activities and overcoming new challenges create opportunities to build confidence, independence and social skills. Such international initiatives are particularly important for people with intellectual disabilities, as they provide opportunities for meaningful participation in community life and for experiences beyond familiar surroundings.
Organisations from 13 European countries are taking part in the initiative, sharing the common goal of promoting inclusion through sport. BSDA will represent Bulgaria and contribute its expertise in organising inclusive sporting activities and working with people with intellectual disabilities.
The upcoming days in Spain are going to be filled with sport, new encounters and shared emotions. However, the most important message of this international adventure remains clear: sport belongs to everyone, and opportunities to participate should never depend on a person's individual abilities.
Fiesta del Deporte: iSportFest 2026 (101245372) is co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
