Inclusion

For the first time ever in Latin America, gamers with intellectual disabilities played alongside influencers, athletes and professional gamers in a Unified eSports tournament held on 30 July 2020 as a fundraiser for Special Olympics Chile. The teams competed in two FIFA 20 matches and attracted media, sponsor and influencer attention.

“Just like in the Olympics and just like right now, we have to get back up, we have to throw ourselves towards the finish line and we have to continuously keep adapting and reinventing ourselves.”

After many months of work, Special Olympics is bursting with excitement to share that our online coach education courses are now available in even more global languages.

Special Olympics has come a long way since 1968 and now it goes beyond just sports. In the past two weeks, the Landscape Podcast, a series of episodes highlighting people, programs and businesses changing the landscape for individuals with any type of disability, has focused on Special Olympics and ESPN.

The 2nd Special Olympics MENA Regional Athlete Leadership Input Council Meeting was held virtually and attended by 20 Athlete Leaders from 10 programs. During the virtual meeting, all Athlete Leaders participated in a Design Thinking and Recycling Workshop.

5 Reasons Inclusion Matters More Than Ever

Anas Khalil Al Zorba was once described by some as hyperactive with excessive movement. Then, he joined Special Olympics Palestine. Because of his sports training, the exercise and rules of game helped him control his energy and gain discipline. Not only did his skills and dedication improve his behavior, self-reliance and independence, but they also got him noticed by Special Olympics coaches and staff.

Special Olympics Board of Directors member Bart Conner was recently interviewed by Front Office Sports CEO Adam White on a podcast titled Office Hours: Bart Conner, Owner of Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy and Former US Olympian.

International Youth Day recognizes youth engagement for global action. To celebrate, some young people who took part in the Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa Youth Leadership Summit 2020 share the impact it had on them and their vision for a more inclusive world!

On and off the field, Kristine Hughes is a champion of inclusion. She’s a Special Olympics athlete, an athlete leader, a certified coach, and an official. She is also the Athlete Leadership Manager and a Sargent Shriver Global Messenger for Special Olympics North Carolina.