We wish to express our gratitude to all those who have helped us with the successful preparations of our Participation in the Paralympic Games project.

First and foremost we would like to thank all those who have assisted us during the preparations: the national disabled organisations and their clubs, sport organisations and sport facilities where our competitors trained, the Olympic Committee of Slovenia, the official equipment providers to the national team, the Foundation for the Financing of Disabled and Humanitarian Organisations, the Ministry of Education and Sport, the sponsors and donors, especially Austria's Lauda Air, Prešernova Družba, Zavarovalna Družba, AC Avto Triglav and Laško Health Spa. Special thanks go to the coaches, the athletes' families and the organisations in which the athletes and their guides to Sydney are employed.

And finally, most sincere thanks to journalists and the media for having given more of their attention to the Paralympic Games and disabled athletes than ever before.

We also need to thank the Campbelltown city council, the Sydney and Triglav Slovenian clubs, and the Slovenian Honorary Consul General in Sydney, who will all make our stay in Australia even more enjoyable.

We consider all of this as recognition of the quality of our programmes and of our disabled athletes' efforts. In Sydney, the athletes will try hard to give everybody a special thank you by achieving good results and high placings.

It will, however, be the greatest reward to us if our activities and your attention to the disabled athletes encourage at least a few more disabled people to start participating in sport which can be make a significant contribution to people’s quality of life.

Mag. Branko Mihorko

Chef de Mission on XI.Paralympic Games

Ernest Jazbinšek, dipl.sociolog

President of Sports Federation for the Disabled of Slovenia