Welzheim celebrates its success: inclusive sports and games festival inspires everyone!

Welzheim celebrates its success: inclusive sports and games festival inspires everyone!

The sports and games festival in Welzheim, which was organized by the Turn- und Sportfreunde Welzheim, recently thrilled numerous participants. On October 18, 2025, the event was recognized as a “lighthouse event,” which underlines the high importance of inclusion in sport. The band Blatt-Gold from Cologne provided musical entertainment with their sports week title song and got the visitors in the mood for an exciting day. A group photo of the participants, who gathered in a colorful mix of people with and without disabilities, shows the inclusive nature of the event. The festival was reportedly a huge success, receiving a lot of positive feedback. This event is part of a larger trend that promotes inclusive sports offerings.

There are numerous events taking place in Germany that promote inclusive sport. According to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), the event calendar includes a variety of offers for people with and without disabilities. These range from recreational to competitive sports. Options such as e-kart slalom or the Special Olympics state games make it clear how diverse the possibilities are for getting involved in sports. In addition, international events such as the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games provide strong impetus for diversity and participation in sport.

Inclusion in sport: A social mandate

The importance of sport as an integrative medium has often been discussed in the past. Sporting together is not just a way to spend your free time; it helps to break down prejudices and strengthen acceptance between people with and without disabilities. According to Aktion Mensch, this not only promotes tolerance, but also helps to develop skills that can be transferred to other areas of life.

However, an analysis shows that the proportion of people with disabilities who actively participate in sports has decreased in recent years. Statistics show that 55% of people with disabilities no longer do any sport. A key reason for this is the lack of inclusive local sports offerings and the lack of accessibility to sports facilities. Many facilities are not barrier-free and the number of inclusive sports clubs is only 35% according to the DOSB sports development report 2018.

Future challenges

The challenges in the area of ​​inclusion are complex. In addition to the expansion of barrier-free sports facilities, which are often dilapidated or inadequate, the DOSB is calling for a comprehensive federal funding program for sports infrastructure. The need for renovation is estimated at around 31 billion euros, which underlines the urgency of the issue. The implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Germany signed in 2009, is a further step towards promoting inclusion in sport.

Efforts to promote inclusive sport are therefore not just a question of sport itself, but also a social mandate that should have a lasting impact on all areas of life. Events like the sports and games festival in Welzheim are an essential part of the change towards fairer and more inclusive sport.

You can find further insights into the inclusive sports landscape in Germany on the website of ZVW, DOSB and Human Action.