Healthy Athletes Objectives As athletes enter Healthy Athletes venues, such as Special Olympics Nippon (Japan) speed skater Tasuku Arita at the 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games, they receive a card to keep track of their progress which they take to each discpline's screening area. When each screening is complete, athletes receive a stamp on their card. [Photo by Takamitsu Mifune/Photo Kishimoto] Every athlete knows that excellence in sports depends on good health. For Special Olympics athletes, the Healthy Athletes program — which works to ensure that every athlete has the best possible chance for a truly healthy sports experience — makes achieving excellence more likely. The key objectives of Special Olympics Healthy Athletes are: Improve access and health care for Special Olympics athletes at event-based health screenings Make referrals to local health practitioners when appropriate Train health care professionals and students in the health professions about the needs and care of people with intellectual disabilities Collect, analyze and dessiminate data on the health status and needs of people with intellectual disabilities Advocate for improved health policies and programs for person with intellectual disabilities.