1. Introduction

The EPYG – Legacy Initiative of the European Paralympic Committee (EPC) is part of a broader set of initiatives aimed at promoting Paralympic sport and strengthening the inclusion of people with disabilities within European society. Through educational programmes, development actions, and awareness-raising projects, the EPYG Project contributes to building more inclusive communities. In this context, sport is understood as a fundamental tool for social participation and personal development, as for many people with disabilities, engaging in sport creates spaces for connection, shared effort, and the overcoming of barriers.

2. Topic

The central focus is: the inclusion of people with disabilities through sport. The competition aims to highlight sport as a tool that contributes to inclusion and improves the lives of people with disabilities. Therefore, submitted photographs should reflect how the practice of sport—at any level, whether professional or amateur—can create opportunities for inclusion, personal development, empowerment, and the improvement of everyday life.

The call invites participants to highlight values such as effort, teamwork, perseverance, personal growth, fulfilment, self-esteem, social inclusion, coexistence, and the capacity of sport to improve lives. Photos will be judged on the following:

• Sensitivity and respect toward the reality represented
• Relevance to the proposed theme
• Visual impact and expressive strength
• Technical and formal quality of the image

3. Participants

Participation in the competition is free. Individuals of any nationality may take part, whether professionals or amateurs, with no restrictions on place of residence, age, or background. Participants under 18 must provide a signed authorization from a parent or legal guardian. Individuals involved in the organization, the team responsible for the call, or the competition jury are not eligible to participate. Their immediate family members are also excluded.

4. Submission Guidelines

Photographs must be submitted in digital format (.jpg or .tiff), with a minimum of 3000 pixels on the longest side. Each participant may submit up to five photographs, in color or black and white. Images may be created using any photographic device. Submissions do not need to be unpublished, but they must be original and authored by the participant.

• A text document with the following information must be included with each submission:
• Full name of the author
• Age
• Country of residence
• Email address
• Contact phone number
• Title of the work (optional)
• Brief description of the image (optional)

Submissions must be sent by email to the following address: EPYG-legacy@europaralympic.org

Images generated wholly or partially using artificial intelligence will not be accepted. Submissions that include artificially created elements or manipulations altering the essential documentary or visual content of the photograph are also not permitted. This approach follows international standards of visual integrity, allowing only basic technical adjustments—such as exposure, contrast, color, density, sharpness, cropping, or conversion to black and white— as long as they do not change the content of the image.

In case of doubt, the organization may request the original file or additional information to verify the authenticity of the submitted photograph.

5. Timeline

• Call opens: April 30, 2026
• Submission deadline: June 15, 2026
• Jury decision and announcement of results: Before October 1, 2026
• Exhibition of selected works: From October 20, 2026 onward

The organization reserves the right to modify these dates if necessary, with any changes announced in advance through its official channels.

6. Jury

The jury will be composed of professionals from the fields of photography, culture, sport, disability, social inclusion, and the organizing entity.

• Teodora Malavenda (Visual Editor and Creative Consultant).
• Carlos Folgoso Sueiro (Photographer).
• Rubén Bahamonde Delgado (Legacy Initiative Representative).
• Two representatives of the European Paralympic Committee.

The jury reserves the right to withhold the award.

The jury’s decision is final.