Gerald Mballe

On this episode, ESPN Vice President of Corporate Citizenship Kevin Martinez and Special Olympics Unified with Refugees Advisor Gerald Mballe discuss ESPN’s global partnership with Special Olympics, its impact on athlete stories, inclusive sports programs for refugee youth and new initiatives like Take Back Sports to expand access to play.Download the TranscriptRead the Article

The Global Presenting Sponsor of Unified Sports and Official Broadcaster for the Special Olympics USA and World Games, ESPN’s longstanding partnership with Special Olympics continues to amplify athlete stories worldwide.

[Geneva, Switzerland – 10 September 2025] Special Olympics and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, have signed a new global Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reaffirming their shared commitment to empower refugees of all abilities through the transformative power of sport.

This World Refugee Day, we’re celebrating the remarkable story of Olubunmi and her family—originally from Nigeria and now living in Madrid, Spain—who have used the power of sport, dance and music to bring health, healing and enduring hope into their lives.

Special Olympics Unified with Refugees Senior Advisor Gerald Mballe travelled to Madrid, Spain, to visit a refugee reception center and a local school, and foster connections between refugees, people with intellectual disabilities and their host communities.

Host Novie Craven is joined by special guests Rebecca Daou from Lions Clubs International Foundation and Gerald Mballe, Special Olympics Unified with Refugees Advisor, to shine a light on vital global initiatives supporting youth refugees.

Inclusivity took center stage in Seville, Spain on 25 April 2024, as Special Olympics Andalucía football players and refugees from the local Refugee Reception Center came together for an exhibition match.

Representatives of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, SO Romania, and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency held a collaborative meeting in Bucharest to explore ways to amplify support for refugees.

Special Olympics Advisor and advocate for Unified with Refugees programme, Gerald Mballe has been shortlisted for the Integration of Refugees Through Sport Award (IRTS) Role Model Award.

Gerald Mballe, long time Special Olympics Italy Unified Partner and now Advisor for Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, shares a powerful and moving conversation about his life and sport with David Eades on Sports for Humanity's podcast, Live Like You Play.