Let the Games begin - The Grand Opening Ceremony
CSIT WSG2025 Loutraki
The 8th CSIT World Sports Games in Loutraki opened on Wednesday evening with a fantastic opening ceremony featuring the entry of the ‘gladiators’ and performances by local folklore groups and dance formations to the sounds of Greek music. ‘Let the Games begin’ were the closing words of CSIT President Bruno Molea in his welcome speech, which was met with great applause from the participants. The Games began on Tuesday with tennis and swimming and will end on Saturday with the grand closing ceremony.
The entry of the 4,500 participants from 56 nations into the large stadium in Loutraki was more colourful than ever before and had Olympic dimensions. The athletes were welcomed into the stadium with local music and led to their seats in the stands to much applause from the packed stands. The largest delegations by far are Italy with 780 and Mexico with 630 registered athletes. The organising country, Greece, is represented by 250 people.
Bruno Molea encouraged the participants in his speech and wished them all the best for the competitions: „The World Sports Games are far more than a competition. They are a festival of friendship, an international festival uniting people coming from all over the world. Here, amateurs and workers, young and old, men and women, come together in the spirit of sport. These Games are not just about who wins or loses. They are about inclusion, respect, sustainability, and fair play. They promote tolerance, build bridges between cultures. Sport is, above all, a tool for peace and understanding.“
The 8th CSIT World Sports Games in Loutraki opened on Wednesday evening with a fantastic opening ceremony featuring the entry of the ‘gladiators’ and performances by local folklore groups and dance formations to the sounds of Greek music. ‘Let the Games begin’ were the closing words of CSIT President Bruno Molea in his welcome speech, which was met with great applause from the participants. The Games began on Tuesday with tennis and swimming and will end on Saturday with the grand closing ceremony.
The entry of the 4,500 participants from 56 nations into the large stadium in Loutraki was more colourful than ever before and had Olympic dimensions. The athletes were welcomed into the stadium with local music and led to their seats in the stands to much applause from the packed stands. The largest delegations by far are Italy with 780 and Mexico with 630 registered athletes. The organising country, Greece, is represented by 250 people.
Bruno Molea encouraged the participants in his speech and wished them all the best for the competitions: „The World Sports Games are far more than a competition. They are a festival of friendship, an international festival uniting people coming from all over the world. Here, amateurs and workers, young and old, men and women, come together in the spirit of sport. These Games are not just about who wins or loses. They are about inclusion, respect, sustainability, and fair play. They promote tolerance, build bridges between cultures. Sport is, above all, a tool for peace and understanding.“
4. june 2025 / WSG News
