Skill

Special Olympics is the world's largest program of sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities: it currently serves more than 2.5 million persons with intellectual disabilities in more than 200 Programs in more than 165 countries.

Sports

Special Olympics offers training and competition opportunities in 30 Olympic-type sports for athletes 8 years or older of all ability levels. These include 6 official winter sports, 21 official summer sports and 3 recognized or nationally popular sports.

Special Olympics sports cater for athletes of all ability levels and include events and modifications that would otherwise have precluded athletes of a lower ability level.
The fundamental difference that sets Special Olympics competitions apart from those of other sports organizations is that competitions are structured so that athletes compete with other athletes of similar ability in equitale divisions. In this way all athletes are encouraged to participate, and every athlete is recognized for his or her performance.

The Special Olympics Sports Rules govern all Special Olympics sports competitions worldwide. As an international sports movement, Special Olympics has created these rules based upon rules from International Sports Federations and National Governing Bodies. International Sports Federations and National Governing Bodies rules are employed except when they are in conflict with the Special Olympics Sports Rules. In those cases, the Special Olympics Sports Rules shall apply.

Athletes between the ages of 2 and 7 years are encouraged to participate in the Young Athletes Program™ whilst athletes with profound disabilities are catered for in the Motor Activities Training Program (MATP).

Advancement

To advance to a higher level of competition in a particular year, an athlete must have participated for a minimum of eight weeks in an organized training program in the sport or sports in which he or she is entered for higher level competition. A planned regimen of training under a volunteer coach, teacher or parent is considered an organized training program.

In addition, an athlete must advance from a lower level of competition in the same sport to the next appropriate level based on their performance in their division rather than elite qualification.

World Games

Since the first Special Olympics World Games were held in Chicago, Illinois, USA in July 1968, the event has grown to become one of the world's leading athletic events. Every two years, thousands of Special Olympics athletes from around the world come together to showcase their athletic skills and celebrate the spirit of Special Olympics.

Alternating between Summer and Winter Games, the Special Olympics World Games is a world-class sporting event featuring intense competition and inspiring performances by the great athletes of Special Olympics. The most recent World Games include:

2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games (Dublin, Ireland)
2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games (Nagano, Japan)
2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games (Shanghai, China)

Coaches

Special Olympics is indebted to the thousands of volunteer coaches around the world who provide the sports skills and spirit that define a true athlete. In addition, coaches are role models and character builders, giving Special Olympics athletes the most immediate awareness of their own worth, ability, courage and capacity to grow and improve.
Special Olympics coaches often find that the personal rewards received are equal to or even outweigh the benefits they offer the athletes. Special Olympics coaches have a unique opportunity to work with athletes in competitive situations to assist in their training for life.

Officials

Officials are the key to high quality competition as they ensure adherence to the rules and safe competition, and are necessary to ensure the integrity of the sport. Officials provide voluntary services during competitions and are selected based on their National Governing Body certification, Special Olympics certification and / or their officiating experience. In this manner, partnerships with national federations play a key role in the acceptance of Special Olympics athletes within the sporting fraternity.