Special Olympics facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Special Olympics

Founded	July 20, 1968; 57 years ago (1968-07-20)
Founder	Eunice Kennedy Shriver
Location	1133 19th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., U.S. 20036
Origins	Camp Shriver
Area served	International
Official language	English and the host country's official language when necessary
Key people	Timothy Shriver (chairman of the board) Mary Davis (Chief Executive Officer) William P. Alford (Lead Director & vice chair) Angelo Moratti (vice chair) Loretta Claiborne (vice chair)

Special Olympics is a huge sports group for kids and adults with intellectual disabilities. It helps over 5 million people in 172 countries train and play sports all year long. They have competitions every day, all over the world! This includes local, national, and regional events, adding up to more than 100,000 events each year.

Like the International Paralympic Committee, Special Olympics is recognized by the International Olympic Committee. However, their World Games are different from the Paralympic Games. They are not held in the same year or at the same time as the Olympic Games.

The Special Olympics World Games are big events organized by Special Olympics. These games usually switch between summer and winter sports. They happen every two years, with a full cycle repeating every four years. The very first games were held on July 20, 1968, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. About 1,000 athletes from the U.S. and Canada took part. At these first games, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who helped organize the event, announced that the Special Olympics organization was officially starting.

More countries joined in later games. In 2003, the first Summer Games held outside the United States took place in Dublin, Ireland. About 7,000 athletes from 150 countries competed. The most recent Summer Games were in Berlin, Germany, from June 16 to 25, 2023.

The first World Winter Games were held in 1977 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, USA. Austria hosted the first Winter Games outside the U.S. in 1993. The most recent Special Olympics World Winter Games were in Turino, Italy, from March 8 to March 15, 2025. During the 2013 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, the first Special Olympics Global Development Summit was held. This meeting brought together leaders from around the world to talk about "Ending the Cycle of Poverty and Exclusion for People with Intellectual Disabilities."

History of Special Olympics

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who was the sister of US president John F. Kennedy, believed that people with intellectual disabilities could live happy and meaningful lives. She started Special Olympics to help change how people thought about those with intellectual disabilities.

In June 1963, Eunice Kennedy Shriver began a summer camp called Camp Shriver. It was for children with intellectual and physical disabilities and was held at her home in Potomac, Maryland. The camp aimed to give disabled children more chances to play organized sports. Camp Shriver showed that people with intellectual disabilities could benefit from physical activity. Because of this success, the Kennedy Foundation, which Eunice led, gave money to universities and community centers to start similar camps. Camp Shriver became an event that happened every year.

In the early 1960s, Kennedy Shriver wrote an article in the Saturday Evening Post. She shared that her sister, Rosemary Kennedy, also President John F. Kennedy's sister, was born with intellectual disabilities. Rosemary had trouble learning and experienced seizures and mood swings. Doctors had told her mother that Rosemary's situation was hopeless. This honest article about the President's family helped change public attitudes toward people with intellectual disabilities. Rosemary's disability inspired Eunice to believe that people with intellectual disabilities could compete and unite in public.

Dr. James N. Oliver from England did important research in 1958. He showed that physical exercise helped children with intellectual disabilities. These positive effects also helped them in the classroom. Dr. Oliver later worked as a consultant for Camp Shriver in 1964.

Dr. Frank Hayden, a Canadian physical education professor, also did research in 1964. He showed that people with intellectual disabilities could and should exercise. He believed this would help them in all parts of their lives. In the fall of 1968, Hayden started one of the first public sports programs for people with intellectual disabilities: floor hockey. He also came up with the idea for national games. His work caught the attention of the Kennedy Foundation, and he shared his ideas with them.

The First Special Olympics Games

The very first Special Olympics games happened on July 20, 1968, at Soldier Field in Chicago. About 1,000 athletes from the U.S. and Canada participated in the one-day event. It was a joint effort by the Kennedy Foundation and the Chicago Park District.

Anne McGlone Burke, a physical education teacher, first had the idea for a one-time sports event for people with special needs in Chicago. She asked the Kennedy Foundation for help in 1967. Kennedy Shriver encouraged her to make the idea bigger than just one city. The foundation gave $25,000 to help. When Burke had asked another charity for money, they told her, "You should be ashamed of yourself putting these kinds of kids on display."

The advisory committee for the Chicago Special Olympics included important people like Dr. William Freeberg, Dr. Hayden, Dr. Arthur Peavy, Anne Burke, and Olympic champion Rafer Johnson. Eunice Kennedy Shriver was the honorary chair. At the games in July 1968, Kennedy Shriver announced that Special Olympics was officially formed. She also said that more games would be held every two years as a "Biennial International Special Olympics."

In 1971, the U.S. Olympic Committee officially allowed Special Olympics to use the name "Olympics." France sent the first athletes from outside North America to the second games in 1970. By the third games in 1972, 10 nations sent athletes. The first Special Olympics World Winter Games were held in February 1977 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, U.S.

The United Nations declared 1986 the year of the Special Olympics. In 1988, the Special Olympics was officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The first World Games held outside the U.S. were the Winter Games of 1993 in Salzburg and Schladming, Austria. The Austrian president was the first head of state to personally open the games.

In 1997, the Healthy Athletes program officially started. This program offers health information and check-ups to Special Olympics athletes worldwide. By 2010, the Healthy Athletes program had given free health screenings and treatment to over 1 million people with intellectual disabilities.

The crowd at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games Opening Ceremonies in Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland

The 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games were the first summer games held outside the United States. They took place in Dublin, Ireland. About 7,000 athletes from 150 countries competed in 18 different sports. The Dublin games were also the first to have their opening and closing ceremonies shown live on TV. The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, performed the official duties. The 2003 games greatly changed how people around the world viewed the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities.

In October 2004, President George W. Bush signed a law called the "Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act." This law provided money for the Healthy Athletes, Education, and Worldwide Expansion programs. In July 2006, the first Special Olympics USA Games were held at Iowa State University. Teams from all 50 states and the District of Columbia participated.

In May 2016, Mary Davis from Dublin, Ireland, became the chief executive officer. She is the first CEO from outside the U.S. in the organization's history. As part of the Special Olympics 50th Anniversary in 2018, a new goal called the "Inclusion Revolution" was launched.

Symbols of Special Olympics

The Special Olympics logo is based on a sculpture called "Joy and Happiness to All the Children of the World." This sculpture was created by Zurab Tsereteli. The "stick figure" in the logo looks like a person moving and being active. The logo is meant to show growth, confidence, and joy among children and adults with disabilities.

In 2018, the Chicago Park District dedicated the "Eternal Flame of Hope" to honor Special Olympics. This 30 foot (9.1 m) sculpture by Richard Hunt stands in a plaza next to Soldier Field. This is where the first games were held 50 years earlier in 1968. The Flame of Hope is also the name of the torch carried to and lit at Special Olympics games.

Special Olympics World Games Hosts

Special Olympics World Games hosts

Year	Summer Special Olympics World Games			Winter Special Olympics World Games
	No.	Host	Date(s)	No.	Host	Date(s)
1968	1	Chicago, United States	July 20 – August 3
1970	2	Chicago, United States	August 13–15
1972	3	Los Angeles, United States	August 13–18
1975	4	Mount Pleasant, United States	August 8–13
1977				1	Steamboat Springs, United States	February 5–11
1979	5	Brockport, United States	August 8–13
1981				2	Smugglers' Notch and Stowe, United States	March 8–13
1983	6	Baton Rouge, United States	July 12–18
1985				3	Park City, United States	March 24–29
1987	7	Notre Dame and South Bend, United States	July 31 – August 1
1989				4	Lake Tahoe and Reno, United States	April 1–8
1991	8	Minneapolis and Saint Paul, United States	July 19–27
1993				5	Salzburg and Schladming, Austria	March 20–27
1995	9	New Haven, United States	July 1–9
1997				6	Collingwood and Toronto, Canada	February 1–8
1999	10	Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh, United States	June 26 – July 4
2001				7	Anchorage, United States	March 4–11
2003	11	Dublin, Ireland	June 21–29
2005				8	Nagano, Japan	February 26 – March 4
2007	12	Shanghai, China	October 2–11
2009				9	Boise, United States(1)	February 6–13
2011	13	Athens, Greece	June 25 – July 4
2013				10	Pyeongchang, South Korea	January 29 – February 5
2015	14	Los Angeles, United States	July 25 – August 2
2017				11	Graz and Schladming, Austria	March 14–25
2019	15	Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates	March 14–21
2022				-	Kazan, Russia	cancelled(2)
2023	16	Berlin, Germany	June 17–25
2025				12	Turin-Piedmont, Italy	March 8-15
2027	17	Santiago, Chile	October 19-31
2029				13	Zürich-Graubünden, Switzerland

¹ Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, was first chosen to host the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. But due to money problems and delays in fixing up old venues, the city could not host. So, Boise, Idaho, was asked to host instead.

² The 2021 Special Olympics World Winter Games were planned for Åre and Östersund, Sweden. However, in December 2019, the Swedish Paralympic Committee said no to the money needed for the event. Special Olympics had to delay the games. In 2020, Kazan, Russia, was announced as the winter host for 2022. But on March 4, 2022, the Kazan games were cancelled because of safety and money worries from the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Special Olympics Programs Around the World

Special Olympics has programs in 204 countries and territories. These are grouped into seven main regions. Some countries use their local language names instead of English names for legal reasons.

• Africa: 40 countries
• Asia-Pacific: 35 countries
• East Asia: 6 countries
• Europe-Eurasia: 58 countries
• America and the Caribbean: 43 countries
• Middle East and North Africa: 22 countries

In total, Special Olympics works in 204 countries and territories.

Who Can Participate?

Special Olympics programs are free for athletes. Over 5.7 million athletes and Unified Sports partners take part in Special Olympics sports training and competitions. The organization offers training and competitions all year in 32 Olympic-style summer and winter sports.

Special Olympics World Winter Games 2017 reception in Vienna, Austria

People with intellectual disabilities are encouraged to join Special Olympics. Being active helps them stay healthy, like lowering the risk of heart disease and obesity. They also gain many emotional benefits, such as feeling more confident and building better social and athletic skills. Exercise has also been shown to help lower anxiety levels for people with intellectual disabilities.

To join Special Olympics, a person must be at least 8 years old. They need to be identified by a professional as having intellectual disabilities or similar cognitive delays. For younger children (ages 2–7) with and without intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics has a Young Athletes program. This program focuses on games and activities that help with mental and physical growth. Children learn motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Parents say their children in Young Athletes also develop better social skills. This confidence helps them play and talk with other kids. A study found that these activities also helped children with intellectual disabilities learn routines and follow rules.

Families can also get involved with Special Olympics. Family members support their athletes by attending events or volunteering. Their involvement helps boost the athlete's self-esteem and provides constant encouragement.

Volunteers and supporters are a very important part of Special Olympics. Millions of people around the world help with its programs. Some are sponsors or donors. Many others are coaches, event volunteers, and fans. Coaches help athletes do their best, no matter their ability. Special Olympics trains coaches through its Coaching Excellence program. Volunteers often make lifelong friends and find great rewards.

Law Enforcement Torch Run

One of the biggest events involving families and volunteers is the Law Enforcement Torch Run. This event brings together police officers, sheriffs, FBI agents, and other law enforcement personnel. They work to raise awareness and money for Special Olympics. Before a Special Olympics competition, officers carry the torch along a planned route. This route covers most of the state or country, leading to the opening ceremonies of the games. Then, they pass the torch to a Special Olympics athlete. Together, they run to the cauldron and light it, marking the start of the games.

The Special Olympics athlete's oath was first used by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1968. It is: "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

Sports Offered

In 1968, track and field, swimming, and floor hockey were the first three official sports offered by Special Olympics. Over time, more sports and events were added.

Special Olympics now has over 30 Olympic-style individual and team sports. These sports give people with intellectual disabilities great chances to train and compete. As of 2016, some of these sports include:

Other sports and programs include the Motor Activity Training Program and beach volleyball. The sports available can depend on the location and the time of year.

A key difference in Special Olympics competitions is that athletes of all skill levels are encouraged to play. Competitions are set up so that athletes compete with others who have similar abilities. An athlete's ability is the main factor in deciding which group they compete in. This ability is found by a score from a past competition or a practice round at the event. Age and gender are also important factors in creating fair groups.

At competitions, medals are given for first, second, and third place in each event. Ribbons are given to athletes who finish from fourth to eighth place.

Unified Sports

Special Olympics created a new idea called Unified Sports. This brings together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to play as teammates. The main idea is that training and playing together can lead to friendship and understanding. This program has grown a lot. More than 1.4 million people worldwide now take part in Special Olympics Unified Sports. The goal is to break down old ideas about people with intellectual disabilities and promote unity.

Building on this, Special Olympics launched "The Revolution Is Inclusion." This campaign asks people worldwide to sign an Inclusion Pledge. It started as Special Olympics celebrated its 50th anniversary.

A recent study looked at Special Olympics Unified Sports in several countries. It showed the benefits of Unified Sports, including changing attitudes toward people with intellectual disabilities. One Unified Sports partner said, "I am ashamed to say that I used to laugh at these people... now I will tell anybody to stop laughing if I see it and I will stand up for people if I can." Other studies have also shown that Unified Sports helps build self-esteem and confidence in people with intellectual disabilities. It also helps non-disabled peers understand and accept them better.

As part of their 50th anniversary, Special Olympics created the first Unified Cup. The first competition was a soccer tournament with 440 athletes from 24 countries.

Unified Robotics is a program that started in 2016. It pairs Special Olympics students with FIRST Robotics students to build robots. This program gives Special Olympics students chances to learn technology skills.

Healthy Athletes Program

As Special Olympics grew, staff and volunteers noticed something important. Many athletes, both children and adults with intellectual disabilities, had health problems that were not being treated. In 1997, Special Olympics started an initiative called Healthy Athletes. This program offers health check-ups to athletes who need them.

Healthy Athletes currently offers health screenings in eight areas:

• Fit Feet (foot care)
• FUNfitness (physical therapy)
• Health Promotion (overall health and well-being)
• Healthy Hearing (ear and hearing checks)
• MedFest (sports physical exam)
• Opening Eyes (vision checks)
• Special Smiles (dental care)
• Strong Minds (emotional health)

These screenings teach athletes about health. They also find problems that might need more follow-up care. For example, the FUNfitness Program checks an athlete's flexibility, strength, balance, and fitness. After the check, a physical therapist gives advice on how to improve these areas.

Since the Healthy Athletes program began, Special Olympics has become the largest global public health organization for people with intellectual disabilities. So far, over 1.9 million Healthy Athletes screenings have been done for people with intellectual disabilities worldwide.

The Special Olympics health program has attracted big partners. For example, the Hear the World Foundation checked over 1,000 athletes during the most recent World Winter Games in Korea. More than 200 of them were found to have hearing loss.

In 2012, the Special Olympics Healthy Communities initiative started in eight countries and six U.S. states. The goal is to make people with intellectual disabilities healthier and help them reach their full potential.

See also

In Spanish: Special Olympics para niños

• Paralympics
• Deaflympics
• Flame of Hope
• Healthy Athletes
• Special Hockey