Special Olympics is an international non-profit organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition.
Special Olympics offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round training and competition in 30 Olympic-type summer and winter sports.
Special Olympics currently serves more than 2.25 million persons with intellectual disabilities in more than 200 Programs in more than 160 countries.
Special Olympics was founded in USA by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, providing sports and meaningful competition for people with learning disabilities. It has a year round sports training and competition programme. The organisation has now grown to encompass over 160 Countries world wide. Special Olympics Ireland was established in 1978 and is an ALL Ireland programme with 11,000 Athletes covering 19 sports.
The Mission of Special Olympics is to provide year round sports training and competition in a variety of sports for children and adults with a learning disability, 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.
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual 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.
Special Olympics is an unprecedented global movement which, through quality sports training and competition, improves the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and, in turn, the lives of everyone they touch.
Special Olympics empowers people with intellectual disabilities to realize their full potential and develop their skills through year-round sports training and competition.
As a result, Special Olympics athletes become fulfilled and productive members of their families and the communities in which they live.
Special Olympics is an experience that is energizing, healthy, skilful, welcoming and joyful.
Today, Special Olympics stands as a leader in the field of intellectual disability and has sharpened the focus on its mission as not just “nice,” but critical, not just as a sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities, but also as an effective catalyst for social change. Children and adults with intellectual disabilities who participate in Special Olympics exhibit boundless courage and enthusiasm, enjoy the rewards of friendship and ultimately discover not only new abilities and talents but “their voices” as well.
Special Olympics is founded on the belief that people with intellectual disabilities* can, with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in individual and team sports.
Special Olympics believes that consistent training is essential to the development of sports skills, and that competition among those of equal abilities is the most appropriate means of testing these skills, measuring progress and providing incentives for personal growth.
Special Olympics believes that through sports training and competition, people with intellectual disabilities benefit physically, mentally, socially and spiritually; families are strengthened; and the community at large, both through participation and observation, is united in understanding people with intellectual disabilities in an environment of equality, respect and acceptance.