The Special Olympics flame is burning

Nearly 1,600 athletes with intellectual disabilities will compete in 16 disciplines in Zug up to Sunday – accompanied by a large supporting programme.
 

The National Summer Games (NSG) began officially on Thursday evening with the opening ceremony in the OYM Hall in Zug. Athletes from throughout Switzerland and several guest nations entered to applause from the spectators.

Among the defining moments of the evening were the discussions with Zug Federal Councillor (Bundesrat) Martin Pfister, who was interviewed by NSG Ambassador Fabienne Villiger, and with four-time Olympic ski jumping champion Simon Ammann. He is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (Stiftungsratspräsident) of Special Olympics Switzerland, the largest organisation for athletes with intellectual and multiple disabilities.

Afterwards, the flag was raised and the Special Olympic Flame lit. The Games were officially opened by Zug Cantonal Council President (Kantonsratspräsidenten) Stefan Moos. The evening concluded with a concert by Marc Sway.

The National Summer Games in Zug
There was a jubilant atmosphere among the athletes.
Organisation Committee President Eliane Müller (right) with presenters Christa Rigozzi and Nik Hartmann.
The Minister of Sport Martin Pfister was in his element.
The Special Olympic Fire is carried outside the hall
And to close the event, Marc Sway rocked the stage                   Photos: Manuela Jans-Koch
 

More than 2,000 participants and coaches
Starting on Friday, the focus shifts to the sports programme, in which nearly 1,600 athletes will compete in 16 sports in Zug, Baar, and Holzhäusern: swimming, athletics, soccer, tennis, golf, equestrian, judo, basketball, bocce, bowling, pétanque, table tennis, handball, artistic gymnastics, cycling, and sailing. They are accompanied by around 600 coaches. Admission to the competitions and the supporting programme is free.

For the people of Zug, the National Summer Games are a home game. Around 50 athletes from the canton are participating – in the sports of equestrian sports, athletics, golf, pétanque, swimming, football, and tennis. Numerous participants from Central Switzerland, including Lucerne, Obwalden, and Schwyz, are also taking part.

Beyond the competitions, the National Summer Games offer a wide range of activities until Sunday. Food stalls and various events can be found in the Olympic Village on the Arenaplatz by the OYM Hall.

The closing ceremony begins at 3 pm on Sunday. The Olympic Flame will then be extinguished – but the message of the Games will remain: Sport unites.
 

Note:
Further information about the Summer Games, in English, can be found on:
www.zug2026.ch/en.