Frequently Asked Questions

Special Olympics is a global organisation that provides year-round sports training and athletic competition to more than 2.25 million children and adults with learning disabilities across the globe. Founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of the late President John F Kennedy in 1968, Special Olympics provides people with learning disabilities opportunities to realise their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy and friendship

Special Olympics and Paralympics are two separate organisations. Special Olympics Great Britain is recognised as the third member of the Olympic family, providing year-round sports, training, and local, regional, national and international competitions for all learning disability levels. Paralympics provides elite-only level sports competition for multi-disabled groups including physical, blind and deaf.

In 1988, Special Olympics was recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the third member of the Olympic family. It is the only sports organisation authorised by the IOC to use the word ‘Olympics’ in its title.

Special Olympics serves more than 2.25 million people with learning disabilities in more than 160 countries. In Great Britain the programme currently serves over 8000 annually through 135 volunteer led accredited local clubs.

Special Olympics Great Britain is a registered charity and is generously supported annually by individual and corporate donations and currently receives no government funding. SOGB official partner is National Grid. Premier Partners include The Coca-Cola Youth Foundation, ABB, SAS, Domino’s Pizza and Lions Clubs International.

 

The Oath is recited by Special Olympics athletes at the start of a competition at the Opening Ceremony. “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

To provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with learning disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Children and adults with learning disabilities who participate in Special Olympics develop improved physical fitness and motor skills, greater self-confidence and a more positive self-image. They grow mentally, socially and spiritually and, through their activities, exhibit boundless courage and enthusiasm, enjoy the rewards of friendship and ultimately discover not only new abilities and talents but “their voices” as well.

The Chairman of the International Board is Timothy Shriver and he leads the global organisation. In Great Britain, the Chairman of the Board is Lawrie McMenemy MBE and the Chief Operating Officer is Mrs Karen Wallin.

 

Who is eligible to participate in Special Olympics?

To be eligible to participate in Special Olympics, you must be at least 6 years old (8 years of age for competition) and identified by an agency or professional as having one of the following conditions: learning disability, cognitive delay/s as measured by formal education assessment, or significant learning or vocational problems due to cognitive delay that require or have required specially designed instruction. All these conditions would mean that the person has an IQ of below 75.

However, persons whose functional limitations are based solely on a physical, behavioural, or emotional disability, or a specific learning or sensory disability, are not eligible to participate as Special Olympics athletes, but may be eligible to volunteer for Special Olympics as partners in Unified Sports® if they otherwise meet the separate eligibility requirements for participation in Unified Sports set forth in the Sports Rules.

 

Yes, through Special Olympics’ Motor Activities Training Program (MATP), developed by physical educators, physical therapists and recreation therapists. MATP emphasizes training and participation rather than competition.

The Special Olympics World Summer Games are held every four years; the 2003 World Summer Games were held in Dublin, Ireland, on 20-29 June; the 2007 World Summer Games in Shanghai, China October 2-11th. The next World Summer Games are in 2011 in Athens, Greece. The Special Olympics World Winter Games are also held every four years; the 2005 World Winter Games took place in Nagano, Japan, on 26 February-5 March and the next World Winter Games are being held in Boise, Idaho in the USA in February 2009.

The Special Olympics GB National Summer Games will take place in Leicester between 25th-31st July 2009.

It is estimated that over 2,700 athletes, 1,200 coaches, 1,500 volunteers and 6,000 families will attending the games.

For general enquiries please contact the Games Office on 0116 238 5000, or email info@sol2009.com For media enquiries please contact the Special Olympics press office on 020 7908 6590 or sol2009@lexispr.com

You can support the Games by offering your services in a volunteer capacity, sponsorship and fundraising or simply by attending one of the events to offer your own personal support to the competing athletes.

 

Should you wish to offer your services as a volunteer at the 2009 Special Olympics GB National Summer Games then please either contact AD Durnin on 0116 238 5000 / a.durnin@voluntaryactionleicester.org.uk or log on to www.voluntaryactionleicester.org.uk for more details.

 

 

“I am very proud of my Leicestershire roots, so when I was asked to take on the role of Games Patron for the Special Olympics Leicester National Summer Games I was delighted to accept. Leicester has a great sporting heritage so I know the city will rise to the occasion and put on a great show for the athletes, their families and the supporters. Good luck to everyone involved “

We are in the process of securing commercial partners to work in conjunction with Special Olympics Leicester for the 2009 GB National Summer Games. Should you be interested in becoming an official partner for the games, then please contact First Rights Marketing by e-mail on tombw@firstrights.co.uk

The opening ceremony for the games will take place at the Walkers Stadium, home of Leicester City Football Club, on Saturday 25th July 2009 with the closing ceremony taking place at Abbey Park on Friday 31st July 2009.

The Official One Year Countdown event will kick off a programme of events and activities designed to drive awareness of the Games from the 365 day countdown to the closing ceremony.

 

The Lord Mayor of Leicester, Manjula Sood, has also launched the Lord Mayor’s appeal in aid of Special Olympics GB, the aim of the appeal being to assist city and county athletes with learning disabilities to be able to compete in these Games. Find out more about the appeal.

Log-on to www.sol2009.com for all the latest news on the athletes who will be competing at next years Special Olympics GB National Summer Games. Special Olympics Leicester has also launched its own social networking sites on Facebook, MySpace and Bebo where Leicester-born Special Olympics athlete Lee Penfold will be writing his very own exclusive blog.

Yes! To make a donation to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, please telephone 0116 238 5000 or e-mail info@sol2009.com