The Transplant Games - It's time to get back out there!

ABOUT THE GAMES

Australia’s most inspirational sporting event, the Australian Transplant Games is held every two years. The Games provide living proof of the success of transplantation and encourage all Australians to discuss organ and tissue donation with their families.

Many transplant recipients use the Games as motivation to a greater end goal, setting various health and fitness targets along the way as they train.

The Australian Transplant Games is also the country’s largest awareness activity for organ and tissue donation. Transplant Australia boasts an enviable record of influencing public understanding of organ and tissue donation through the staging of the Australian Transplant Games.

The Australian Transplant Games were first held over three days in Melbourne in 1988 with 150 recipient competitors competing in Tennis (at the Kooyong courts), Golf, Table Tennis, Lawn Bowls and for children, Quoits.

Thereafter, the Australian Transplant Games have been held every two years in different cities in different states or territories of Australia.

The Games cover a multitude of sports and recreational activities, giving individuals the opportunity to try sports they have not participated in before.

The spirit of the Australian Transplant Games is to encourage individuals to be involved in a sporting competition, and to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Many competitors previously may not have been able to engage in any sort of sporting activity due to their illness. The quality and determination of competitors has led to many participants being selected to represent Australia at the World Transplant Games.

Australian Transplant Games in the beautiful city of Launceston, Tasmania in2022 have be cancelled. 

The Board of Transplant Australia met this week to receive a status report from staff on the merits of the Australian Transplant Games, due to be held in Launceston, Tasmania, in April, 2022.

These Games had already been postponed twice due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and subsequent border closures. Key to the considerations were the health and safety of transplant recipients who would attend the Games. Financial considerations, such as the costs of flights and accommodation to the transplant community, were also important. Tasmania is due to lift its border restrictions later this month however there is still significant uncertainty over the potential impact of the new COVID-19 variant early in the New Year.

After considering all issues the Board passed the following resolution: ‘Due to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, the continued uncertainty about the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on athlete preparation, travel, border restrictions and other key considerations, the Board of Transplant Australia regretfully cancels the Australian Transplant Games due to be held in Launceston, Tasmania in April 2022.

 To read the full statement please click here or see attachment. 

Question and Answers 

Q:  Who is eligible to compete?
A:  To be eligible to compete in the Australian Transplant Games transplant participants must be among the following situations:

• Solid organ and tissue recipients
• Those with cystic fibrosis
• Those awaiting transplantation
• Dialysis patients
• Corneal recipients
• Bone marrow and stem cell recipients
• Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome patients
• Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome patients

Tissue donors are also eligible to compete in The Australian Transplant Games alongside solid organ donors as both lead to improving the quality of life and/or the saving the lives of Australians.

Opening The Australian Transplant Games for tissue recipients has been agreed to on the following basis:

Qualification – participants having undergone invasive treatment of a non-cosmetic nature requiring organs and/or tissues (excluding blood) donated by another person.

Q:  What sports are played?
A:   Athletics, Backgammon, Badminton, Chess, Cycling, Darts ,Golf, Lawn Bowls, Petanque, 5km Run, Scrabble, Sudoku, Swimming, Table Tennis, Ten Pin Bowling, Tennis, Volleyball

Q:   What is the purpose of the Games?
A:   To promote organ and tissue donation and to honour donors and their families.

• Register your donation decision on the Australian Organ Donor Register online at donatelife.gov.au and tell your loved ones.
• Organ and tissue donation is the ultimate gift – just one organ and tissue donor can transform the lives of ten or more people.
• The Australian Transplant Games are the country’s largest organ donation awareness event.
• There are currently more than 1,400 people on the waiting list.
• Donor families are Australian heroes saving the lives of fellow Aussies.

Q:  Where have the Games previously been held?
A:  Melbourne, Toowoomba, Bathurst, Shepparton, Adelaide, Ballarat, Wollongong, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Geelong, Belmont, Canberra, Newcastle, Melbourne, Western Sydney, Gold Coast.

Q:   Who is supporting the Games?
A:  Sports Australia, Donatelife and the Organ & Tissue Authority

About Transplant Australia?

Transplant Australia is the national charity for organ donation and transplantation, is a DonateLife Partner and is recognized by Sport Australia as a National Sporting Organisation with a Disability.