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Toronto Police detective competes at International Police Association Games in Romania

July 24, 2024, Toronto, Ont. – The third International Police Association (IPA) Games were held in Brasov, Romania, from May 19 to 24, 2024, and as Toronto Police’s Det. Cst. Mustafa Popalzai shared, it was a “great success and opportunity for law enforcement personnel from around the globe to not only compete with their fellow colleagues but also build long-lasting and meaningful relationships that exceeded the boundaries of the playing fields.”

Popalzai was the sole North American participant at the 2024 IPA Games in Romania. This was his second appearance, the first being in Portugal in 2018. At that time, he was the lone participant from North and South America.

“Even though I felt fortunate and proud to represent the beautiful red and white Canadian flag, I wish I had my fellow colleagues from Canada walking with me waving the Canadian flag during the opening ceremony, which was held at the gorgeous Bran Castle (Dracula Castle),” said Popalzai.

Over 30 countries had athletes participating, competing in nine different sports over four days at the Cheile Gradistei resort near Brasov.

Popalzai participated in the basketball competitions, joining two male colleagues from Poland and one female colleague from Albania. Their team competed against Poland, Greece, and the host nation of Romania.

“Despite playing a tough competition and playing with a team who had never met before, and some had limited experience playing the sport, we won against team Greece, which was a big achievement in my eyes,” Popalzai shared.

The week was comprised of tours to local attractions, networking sessions and cultural events where athletes showcased their traditions and food with their global colleagues.

Popalzai said, “In my opinion, this is what the IPA games are all about – one gets to travel to different countries, meeting officers from around the globe while learning about different cultures and playing their favourite sport(s). It truly doesn’t get any better!”

The next IPA Games will be held in 2026 in Poland.