I would like to welcome all the athletes and the staff of the teams who are here for this INAS-FID Europe 2010 Open Swimming Championships in Loano.
I must thank the organisers Sportabilia for their hard work in preparing and presenting this Championship.  I must also thank the Italian Federation for People Intellectual and Relational Disabled , the Comitato Italiano Paralimpico, Liguria Region, Provincia of Savona and Loano City.
INAS-FID relies on its members such as Sportabilia in Italy to promote competition for our athletes.  To present our athletes in high level competition is extremely import to the future of sport for people with intellectual disability.  Now that our athletes have been recognised by the International Paralympic Committee and will be participating in the 2012 Paralympics in London, we need to give them every opportunity for quality competitions.
With all the expert support that is being offered I am sure we will all enjoy an excellent competition.  I look forward to see our swimmers compete and I also look forward to meeting many old friends and making some new friends with the teams.

My best wishes to you all for a successful and enjoyable competition.

Dr. Geoff Smedley
President Inas-Fid Europe