Special Olympics Europe
supports
supports
supports
supports
Menu
latte
Banner Index

Homepage / Focus Projects /

Special Olympics Unified Sports ®

Special Olympics aims at changing attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities.

The concept of combining athletes with intellectual disabilities and those without was first introduced in the mid-1980s to provide another level of challenge for higher ability athletes and to promote equality and inclusion.

Athletes with and without intellectual disabilities train and compete on the same team, learn about their differences, respect and acceptance. The end result is the inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities through sports.

 

img

Photo: Partner Juraj Majtan, 16, (left) and athlete Tomas Kekoska, 16, (right), both playing on a Unified football team in Puchov, Slovakia.

Special Olympics

Created by the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation for the Benefit of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities