The Virtus European Winter Games marked a historic milestone for inclusive sport, as athletes with intellectual impairments gathered in Zakopane, Poland for the first-ever edition of the Games. Hosted in the renowned mountain city of Zakopane, often referred to as Poland’s “winter capital,” the Games brought together athletes and delegates from countries including Italy, Australia, Sweden, Türkiye, Poland, France, Austria, USA, Portugal, Spain, Finland and Japan.

Held from 3–8 March 2024, the inaugural Winter Games expanded the Virtus regional competition pathway into winter sport, further strengthening opportunities for athletes to compete internationally across Alpine Skiing, 3×3 Basketball, Indoor Rowing and Futsal. Nordic skiing was also planned as part of the programme. However, due to adverse weather conditions and melting snow, the competitions were unfortunately cancelled. Despite these challenges, the Games successfully delivered high-level competition and valuable international experience for participating athletes.

The success of the inaugural Virtus European Winter Games established a strong foundation for the future of inclusive winter competition.