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After saying good bye to the old year, we had to say the saddest goodbye to our friend and colleague

Jiří Daněk, who was there at the birth of a tournament for handicapped table tennis players Czech Open – Para Table Tennis to allow to as many Czech handicapped players to compare their skills with athletes from abroad. Until his last moments, he was one of the members of the organizing committee which along with Tělovýchovná jednota Ostrava was overseeing improvements of the tournament, the expansion of categories for players in a wheelchair and mentally handicapped. He was carefully taking care of accommodation and transport of over 550 participants every year. Over 300 players from over 35 countries praised the conditions during their battles for valuable points for the world rankings and participation at the paralympics. By passing on his experience as a technical delegate for the international table tennis federation ITTF-PTT he ensured rising interest in the Czech Open, until it grew into a world renowned tournament. The event played in Ostrava is the oldest tournament for handicapped table tennis players and one of the largest sporting events in the Czech Republic. In your New Year's wish to the tournament organizers, you wrote: “I know that I’m an 83 years old man but I still believe that I might be helpful with the tournament organization for a while – as one of the founders I have sort of a “fatherly” relationship with it!” Your wish was not heard. For us, however, you will forever be the founder and chairman of the Czech Open Para Table Tennis Ostrava tournament!