Dear genuine and honest sports loving Championships Guests!
Posted by Admin | Filed under News
On behalf of the Finnish Veteran Athletics Association I have the great pleasure and the honour to wish You all a warm welcome to the XVIIIth World Masters Championships here in Lahti 2009. We consider it of primary importance that the Championships will be organised in the spirit of international friendship that honours the master athletes and all of our championship guests. We shall do our very best with a big heart for the convenience of our athletic guests and to host the magnificent international sporting festivity in accordance to the high status of our sporting lives.
The masters’ athletics has attained a powerful status in Finland. The Finnish Veterans Athletic Association has been pursuing persistently and goal-oriented to make the athletics as equal as possible for people in all age-groups. This is because the athletic way of life benefits remarkably all age-groups. It is of high value that sport that advances health and ability to function as well as improves the quality of life is also beneficial from our society’s point of view. During the 21st century we have been working with enthusiasm according to the theme” Sports throughout the whole course of life”. We wish to offer everybody the possibility to enjoy sports and the services provided by sport clubs. Our line of action has improved the appreciation of masters’ athletics in the world of our sports. Also the national government has taken notice of the meaning of our work for the public good from the society’s point of view.
Turku managed the organisation of the World Championships in 1991 with great success. I am happy to see that we have the honour once again to host our prominent competitions where the athletes arriving are genuinely sport loving competitors. I wish our guests a life enriching competition journey and athletic experiences of success.
Let’s compete in Lahti in an atmosphere that is encouraging and cherishes the ideals of clean sport!
Kunto Viiru
The president of Finnish Veterans Athletic Association
