The Minister of Youth and Sports Krassen Kralev has offered the ministry's support for hosting the World team championship for visually impaired persons in year 2018. This outcome was announced after the meeting the minister had with the Chairman of Bulgarian Federation "Sport for visually impaired persons" Dr. Ivan Yanev.

On behalf of the federation Dr. Yanev invited minister Kralev to provide patronage for the event, planned for 20th-31st of July 2018 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Bulgaria was chosen to host the World team championship at International Association of Braille Chess' (IBCA) congress on 25th of June 2017 where (as Ivan Yanev has shared) the meeting between minister Kralev and IBCA's president Ludwig Beutelhoff in 2015 played a key role.

In Bulgaria's sport history it is the first event of such level to be organized by our country for visually impaired people. A similar event (however at European level) was organized in 1983 European athletics championship for visually impaired held in Varna, Bulgaria. At that event Krassen Kralev had participated as pilot runner for Norwegian athlete that won the silver medal in 5000m. competition.

Minister Kralev and Dr. Yanev discussed the possibility of engaging other Non-Governmental Organizations involved with the sport for visually impaired children in the framework of the National Program for Youth Activities. As the Chairman of Bulgarian Federation "Sport for visually impaired persons" stated, it is necessary, having in mind the difficulties to organize sport events for these children during their integration in the public schools.

This information was copied from Ministry of Youth and Sports web site.