Latin America

Women’s History Month is a time to celebrate the remarkable achievements of women throughout  history who have shaped our past and are shaping our future.

A significant leadership gap remains across Special Olympics globally. There are 50,739 Athlete Leaders worldwide, with 34.6% more men serving in these roles than women. The Women Play, Women Lead initiative is working to address this issue.

[Paris, France - 19 February 2026] On 19 February, more than 200 Special Olympics athletes, Unified partners (athletes without intellectual disabilities), and media convened at the City Hall in Paris, France for a landmark moment: the official unveiling of the 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams selected to compete in the Special Olympics Unified Football World Cup Paris 2026.

The story behind the Special Olympics World Games Santiago 2027 logo

New CEO David Evangelista, Board Chair Timothy Shriver, Chief of Sport and Competition Louis Lauria, Regional President & Managing Director, Latin America Claudia Echeverry, and Special Olympics Board Member and Athlete Leader, Kiera Byland BEM featured in expansive series of articles.

[San Juan, Puerto Rico - 4 December 2025] The wait is almost over. This week, Puerto Rico will make history as it welcomes basketball players from around the world to the first-ever Special Olympics Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup, a global celebration of sport, inclusion, and equality, taking place December 5 – 7, 2025, at Distrito T-Mobile, San Juan.

A Stage Set for History

Hearts are still pounding, full of the excitement from the first ever Special Olympics Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup held in San Juan, Puerto Rico from 5 – 7 December 2025. Skill, sportsmanship and inclusion took center stage and the global media took notice. Here is a sample of the coverage.

Fanside followed their journey in an article titled Morocco makes a statement at the Special Olympics Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup.

A Stage Set for History