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With more than 550,000 athletes across 35 countries, Special Olympics programs in the Asia Pacific region are expanding rapidly. Our goal in the region is promoting respect, inclusion, and human dignity for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through sports, healthcare, education and leadership.
What We Offer
Two athletes race on a track.

Sports

We focus on regular training and high quality coaching to help athletes of all abilities develop skills, improve physical fitness and build confidence. We offer structured regional and international competitions, giving athletes the chance to showcase their talents and celebrate achievement on a global stage. It is the engine that drives inclusion across the Special Olympics movement.
An athlete dressed in yellow trying on a pair of glasses

Health

Good health is essential to the well-being and success of people with IDD, yet many face significant barriers to quality healthcare. Through strategic partnerships, specialized clinical director training, and targeted inclusive health initiatives such as Healthy Athletes and Young Athletes, we strive to bridge these gaps and create a future where every individual has access to quality healthcare and the opportunity to lead a healthier, more fulfilling life.
Special Olympics Great Britain athletes play Unified basketball

Education

Creating an environment where every student, regardless of ability, feels welcomed, valued, and included in school is critical to the success of any education system. At Special Olympics Asia Pacific, we foster this environment through Unified Champion Schools®, using sport and inclusive leadership programming for youth to change the way students, schools and whole education systems work.
Timothy Shriver talks during a meeting.

Leadership

Ensuring that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can reach their full potential is central to our work. We focus on building confidence, developing skills, and creating meaningful opportunities for individuals with IDD to share their experiences and perspectives with the wider world. Equally important is bringing people with and without IDD together. We work to create inclusive environments where everyone can learn, grow, and thrive side by side. Through these shared experiences, individuals are empowered to lead and advocate on key issues such as access to healthcare, quality education, employment opportunities, and reducing inequalities.

Our Regional Reach

With 5 competitions per hour across the globe, our region represents over half a million athletes, unified partners, coaches, and volunteers.

559,850

Athletes

82,578

Volunteers

4,392

Competitions

44,177

Coaches

52,091

Unified Partners

35

Countries
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Stories of Impact

Human R.A.C.E.

Welcome to Human R.A.C.E., our engine to drive Respect, Acceptance, Change and Equality for people with intellectual disabilities. We are more similar than we are different, so why discriminate? Hear our voices. Feel our fears. Share our joy as we race to the finish line.

Sana Won’t Stop Running or Smiling

Sana (she only has one name like Madonna) was all smiles before her 400m Level C preliminary race at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.
2 Min Read

From Isolation to Confidence: Riya Trains for World Winter Games

Riya, a Special Olympics athlete from Bharat, says she used to be alone and lonely. Now she’s part of a talented team that’s heading to the World Winter Games in Turin, Italy—and her life is full of confidence, camaraderie and hope.
1 Min Read
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Get in touch with us to volunteer, become an athlete, join a Unified Sports team, work as a coach and to learn about upcoming events.

Asia Pacific Face-to-Face Fundraising and Telemarketing

Opening pathways to health, education, and leadership through the power of sport.

Across 35 programs in the Asia Pacific region, Special Olympics Asia Pacific (SOAP) partners with communities to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can play, learn, and lead.

Your support — through face-to-face fundraising and telemarketing — fuels year-round sports training, competitions, inclusive health and leadership development for people with IDD, helping build the long-term systems that make inclusion possible.
Our Partners
UPS logo

Supporting Young Athletes and families, regional competitions and Unified Schools

Lululemon logo

Supporting health and fitness through Special Olympics MoveFit

H&M Move Black and White logo

Supporting Unified Champion Schools programming through government engagement and educator training

Nike Swoosh

Supporting coach development and Unified Champion Schools

Macquarie logo

Supporting sports development and youth leadership initiatives

Avery Dennison logo

Making Inclusion Possible through leadership and sports initiatives

Gallagher logo

Official sponsor of Special Olympics International Sport and Coach Programming

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Supporting the expansion of Unified Champion Schools programming

Bezos Family Foundation logo

Empowering young leaders to enhance inclusion in schools

ESPN logo

Official Broadcast Partner and Global Presenting Sponsor of Unified Sports

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