Special Olympics is a year-round international program of athletic training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics features sports events modeled on those of the Olympic Games. More than 180 countries take part in Special Olympics programs.
Special Olympics provides opportunities for training and competition in such sports as badminton, basketball, bocce, bowling, cycling, floor hockey, golf, gymnastics, horseback riding, ice skating, judo, powerlifting, roller skating, sailing, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, soccer, softball, swimming, table tennis, team handball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. Participants compete in different divisions depending on their age and ability. The athletes train in programs offered through their schools or communities.
In the United States, Special Olympics games at local, area, and state levels are held every year. In other countries, national Special Olympics Games are held every year or every other year. The Special Olympics World Games consist of summer games and winter games, which occur by turns every two years.
Special Olympics was created in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, executive vice president of the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., Foundation; and Anne M. Burke, a physical education teacher who later became a justice on the Illinois Supreme Court. Headquarters of Special Olympics are in Washington, D.C.
See also Paralympic Games .
