In Paris, Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet officially opened the first TeamNL House during the Paralympic Games, together with chairwoman Anneke van Zanen-Nieberg. NOC*NSF will have two TeamNL Houses starting from these Games – for both the Olympic and Paralympic athletes and their fans, friends and family from the Netherlands. Home for Oranje, also now.
For NOC*NSF, the choice for a TeamNL House during both Games is a matter of principle. General manager Marc van den Tweel: “We stand for accessible and inclusive sports, at all levels. When it comes to Paralympic top sports, the Netherlands has a reputation to uphold. We therefore expect many medal ceremonies in this House. In addition, we will certainly also translate the sports achievements into society from this beautiful location during the upcoming Games. There are still major steps to be taken in our country on the road to true inclusivity, particularly in the labor market. Too much talent is not yet being used.”
It TeamNL House is located in the Cabaret Sauvage, an atmospheric circus theatre in the Parc de la Villette, where the TeamNL House was also located during the Olympic Games. In the meantime, almost all the country houses in the park have disappeared; only a handful of countries still have a House to receive athletes and fans.
Tributes, celebrations and themes from society
Just like during the Olympic Games, the House will be more than just partying and celebrating. Together with partners, NOC*NSF will put various social themes on the agenda. For example, VNO-NCW, MKB Nederland, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment and NOC*NSF partner MissieH2 will start a campaign at the invitation of NOC*NSF to make the threshold much lower for employees with a disability.
There will also be a day dedicated to (international) innovation in sports, a meeting of all European Paralympic committees, daily radio broadcasts and sessions on sports and economics and sports in special education. In the evenings there will mainly be festive tributes to the Dutch medal winners.
From left to right: Chef de Mission Esther Vergeer, HRH Princess Margriet, NOC*NSF Chair Anneke van Zanen-Nieberg and professional tennis player and Paralympic medal winner Jiske Griffioen.
No TeamNL House without partners
The partners of NOC*NSF are also crucial for this TeamNL House. In addition to the Dutch Lottery and Odido, the Nijmegen Nexperia and the Disabled Sports Fund are also important partners. The Disabled Sports Fund provides a daily radio broadcast from the House with All Sports Radio.
Studio Para Paris is broadcast live daily from the NOS studio next to the TeamNL House; an evening program with Eline de Zeeuw, who analyses the daily sporting highlights with former Paralympic athletes.
