Special Olympics
Special Olympics is a global sports movement that harnesses the transformative power and joy of sport to unleash the human spirit every day, around the world. It is a movement of people building a new world of inclusion and community, where everyone is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability.
It is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) in the United States.
Mission and Impact
Through sports, health, education, and leadership programs, the organization combats inactivity, stigma, isolation, and injustice faced by people with intellectual disabilities, driving social change that enables their full participation in society.
Motto: Helping make the world a better, healthier, and more joyful place — one athlete, one volunteer, and one family member at a time.
Key Programs
- Sports and Competitions: More than 30 Olympic-type sports, with year-round training and competitions at local and international levels, for athletes aged 2 to 99.
- Unified Sports®: A model in which people with and without intellectual disabilities play together.
- Unified Schools: Inclusive schools, with 28,206 participating schools.
- Young Athletes: Early sports development for children aged 2 and older.
- Inclusive Health: Improving the health and well-being of people with intellectual disabilities, including 105,486 health screenings for athletes.
- Inclusive Leadership: Developing leadership potential in people of all abilities.
- The Revolution Is Inclusion: A peaceful campaign to end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities.
Global Reach (Website Figures)
- 5,139,344 athletes and Unified partners
- 256 national and state programs
- 411,382 coaches
- 963,899 volunteers
- 28,206 Unified Schools
- Approximately 5 competitions every hour around the world and nearly 50,000 games per year
Founder
Eunice Kennedy Shriver,
a pioneer in the global fight for the rights and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities. Her legacy continues to inspire and guide the movement.
Regional Presence
Major Events
The World Games: The upcoming events are the World Summer Games in Santiago, Chile, from October 16–24, 2027, and the World Winter Games in Switzerland, from March 10–17, 2029.
In 2026, the USA Games were held in Minneapolis, United States.