IBTA President Samir Mahir is in Vilnius this week for the IBTA World Blind Tennis Championship, which has brought together more than 100 athletes from 19 countries at SEB Arena.
During his visit, Mahir shared his impressions of the Championship and its venue, praised the work of Blind Sport Lithuania and its partners, and spoke about the significance of the event for the development of blind tennis internationally. He also discussed the sport’s progress towards becoming part of the Paralympic movement.
What are your first impressions of the World Blind Tennis Championship in Vilnius?
My impressions are very positive. This is the first World Blind Tennis Championship to be held in Vilnius, Lithuania, and I think the organising team has done a tremendous job.
Having the support of SEB Arena, the Lithuanian Tennis Union and the city creates a great environment for bringing together athletes from all over the world to represent blind tennis and compete for their countries.
SEB Arena itself is one of the best tennis facilities in Europe. Having the courts, restaurant and hotel all within the same environment makes a huge difference for people with disabilities, particularly those who are blind or have low vision. Once athletes have to leave the venue and move between different locations, accessibility can become a real challenge.
That is why I think this type of facility is perfect for major events in adaptive sport – whether it is blind tennis, wheelchair tennis, or sport for deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes.
How important is hosting an event like this for the development of blind tennis in Lithuania?
I think its importance goes beyond Lithuania. Of course, it is fantastic for the development of blind tennis here, but I also think this Championship is important for the sport globally.
It shows how far blind tennis has already developed. It also demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations such as Blind Sport Lithuania work together with the city and the Lithuanian Tennis Union. They have shown that it is possible to deliver a truly professional event for a sport that is still developing.
This week, SEB Arena and Blind Sport Lithuania have demonstrated that they can take a leading role within Europe and, at the same time, set an example of how a major international blind tennis event can be organised.
Do you believe blind tennis has a realistic chance of becoming part of the Paralympic movement and eventually the Paralympic Games?
I think we are already on the right track. At the moment, we meet approximately 75 per cent of the criteria required to move towards inclusion in the Paralympic Games.
We have also established formal agreements with World Tennis, formerly the International Tennis Federation, and with the international blind sports organisation. Blind tennis has now been officially recognised as a blind sport within that organisation, which is a very important step for us.
Next year, blind tennis will also be part of the World Games in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. All of these developments show that we are moving in the right direction. There is still work to be done, but the pathway is becoming much clearer.
