The traditional 8th Police Games, the biggest sports and social event of the year for the Slovenian police have started. Today, 21 May 2009, in Tacen the athletes put themselves to the test in judo, self-defence (demonstration of techniques) and practical skills, in other words - disciplines that are extremely useful in their day-to-day work.

The chess and football tournaments also started today. In the judo competition, the judokas Aljaž Sedej and Sašo Jereb, top-level athletes working in the police, were also present during the entire competition. The official opening ceremony of this year's Police Games will take place tomorrow (22 May 2009) at 8.30 a.m. in the sports park of the Police Academy in Tacen (Rocenska 56), near Ljubljana.

First weighing ...

... then warming up

Tomorrow the competitions will continue. Most of the events take place in Tacen but some will also take place in Gotenica.  The competitors will take part in a multidiscipline police tournament featuring air rifle shooting, shooting with the Hecker Koch MP.5 automatic rifle, pistol shooting (European Police Course), self-defence (ju-jitsu) and beach volleyball. The football and chess tournaments will continue. Top individuals and teams in the final classification will receive diplomas, medals and trophies. Prizes were awarded today to the winners of the judo, self-defence (demonstration of techniques) and practical skills competitions.

Exhibition football matches will also take place tomorrow, 22 May 2009, at 11.00 a.m. in Tacen. The match will be held between the team of the Slovenian army and the team of police leadership, and the team of journalists against the team of police leadership. For the first time at the Police Games, exhibition matches will be held in volleyball, that is the team consisting of female representatives of the Slovenian Army against the team of police officers, and the team of female journalists against the team of female police officers. The matches will start at 12:30.