This morning (19 September 2008) at 8.30 a.m. the 7th edition of the traditional Police Games officially opened in Tacen. The Games are the biggest sports and social event of the year for the Slovenian police.
Following an opening address by the director general of the police, Jože Romšek, the Games were opened by the deputy director general of the police and chairman of the Games organising committee, Matjaž Šinkovec, who wished all the competitors every success and as few injuries as possible and wished spectators plenty of enjoyment as they watched the individual disciplines.
Attending the opening as guests were Miro Cerar, the president of the Institute for Fair Play and Tolerance in Sport, and Dr Stanislav Pintar, the ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia for fair play and tolerance in sport.
Left to right: Police Academy director Franc Kosmač, Miro Cerar, Jože Romšek, Matjaž Šinkovec and Police Academy assistant director and vice-president of the main organising committee of the 7th Police Games Zdenko Renko
All 22 teams taking part in the Police Games took up their positions in the venue in alphabetical order. First was the team from Celje PD, led by Marko Gaber. The team came 8th at last year's games. Next came the team from Koper PD, led by Silvo Nemanič. Last year the team came 5th. The team from Kranj PD is led by Denis Čemažar. Last year the team came 13th. The team from Krško PD, which last year came 6th, is led by Andrej Bobek. Next is the team from Ljubljana PD, led by Nermin Isić. Last year the team finished in an excellent 3rd place.
Last year the team from Maribor PD broke the series of successive victories by the Special Unit and became the overall winners. The team leader is Jožef Časar.
The team from Murska Sobota PD took 4th place last year. The team leader is Zoran Kosi. The team from Nova Gorica PD is led by Simon Justin and came 9th last year. The team from Novo Mesto PD is led by Matjaž Volčanjk and came 7th last year. The team from Postojna PD is led by Igor Jadrič. Last year the team came 10th. Aleksander Kolar is the leader of the team from Slovenj Gradec PD, which took 12th place at the last Games.
Last year the team from the Forensic Investigation Centre took 20th place. The team is led by Aljoš Rozman. The team from the Operational Communications Centre of the General Police Directorate is led by Damir Grgasovič. Last year the team came 16th. The team from the Police Academy came 14th last year. They are led by Boštjan Robič. The Service of the Director General is taking part in the Games for the first time this year, represented by the women of the volleyball team, which numbers 8 competitors. The team is led by Milan Kangler and Monika Golob.
The team from the Special Unit, which came 2nd last year, is led by Jure Pignar.
The team from the Criminal Police Directorate is led by Franci Kregar. Last year the team took 15th place. The team from the Logistics Office, which last year came 18th, is competing under the leadership of Matija Štubelj. The team from the Organisation and Personnel Office is led by Tadej Fischinger. At last years games they came 17th. The team from the Information and Telecommunications Office is led by Branko Pavlič. Last year they came 19th. Next up is the team from the Uniformed Police Directorate. The team, which last year came 11th, is led by Sanja Repše. The Security and Protection Office team is led by Igor Naraglav.
The teams
One of the teams
The competitors then set off to the various venues: some remained in Tacen, others headed for the shooting range on Dolenjska Cesta, the female competitors made their way to the sports ground Kleče in Savlje ( Ljubljana) and others again set off to Gotenica.
Musical accompaniment for the opening was provided by the Police Orchestra.