Athlete Leadership
Athlete Leadership transforms people with intellectual and developmental disabilities from participants into decision-makers, advocates, and changemakers.
Get Involved
Athlete Leadership empowers people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to take on meaningful leadership roles in Special Olympics and their communities. Instead of being only participants, Athlete Leaders are decision-makers, advocates, trainers, and changemakers. They receive structured training, practice leadership skills, and step into real positions of responsibility. Athlete Leadership is about shifting power, amplifying lived experience, and ensuring inclusion is led by those it most impacts.
Lead with Ability. Inspire with Passion.
From Gymnastics to the Big Screen
Magnus first stepped into a gymnastics class at just six years old.
Advocating, Inspiring, and Leading with Confidence
Margaret Turley, a Special Olympics Sargent Shriver Global Messenger, recently had the opportunity to travel internationally, visiting both Brussels and New York, and she brought her passion for inclusion and health advocacy wherever she went.
Special Olympics Athlete Is Leading Change in Healthcare
When Melony Salla, a Special Olympics Indiana athlete, walks into a doctor’s office, she wants to be treated like what she is, the expert on her own body.
Turning Struggles Into Strength
At 18 years old, Lê Trọng Nguyên (Austin), the only child in his family, Austin has always been surrounded by love at home, but school life was often a different story.
Corporate Partnership
If you or your organization would like to partner with Special Olympics and support our athlete leaders as they continue driving inclusion around the world, please contact Daniel Orzechowski (dorzechowski@specialolympics.org). We’d be honored to work together to create more opportunities, elevate athlete voices, and strengthen communities through the power of inclusion.
Global Athlete Leadership Council
The Athlete Leadership Council is a group of Special Olympics athletes who serve as representatives and advisors for their peers across the movement. These leaders use their lived experience, skills, and perspectives to help guide program decisions, shape initiatives, and ensure that athlete voices are meaningfully included at every level of the organization.
Barbara Njovo
Special Olympics Africa
Victor Umeh
Special Olympics Africa
Hay Qing Hui
Special Olympics Asia Pacific
Wonjae Choi
Special Olympics East Asia
Inge Maiberg
Special Olympics Europe Eurasia
Daniel Guerra
Special Olympics Latin America
Abdullah Aref
Special Olympics Middle East North Africa
David Duncan
Special Olympics North America
Sargent Shriver Global Messengers
Quick paragraph before the roster - For twenty years Special Olympics athlete leaders have served in a select role titled Sargent Shriver Global Messenger. These spokespeople for the movement lead the campaign for a more inclusive world for people with intellectual disabilities. Through their participation and leadership at global, regional, and local events.
Yeruult Batbayar
Special Olympics East Asia
Grace Payne
Special Olympics Asia Pacific
Malvin Mukombe
Special Olympics Africa
Gilmour Borg
Special Olympics Europe Eurasia
Margaret Turley
Special Olympics Europe Eurasia
Pablo Composto
Special Olympics Latin America
Melissa De Leon Mazariegos
Special Olympics Latin America
Mujahid Al-Sarhani
Special Olympics Middle East / North Africa
Wyatt Spalding
Special Olympics North America
Susan Wang
Special Olympics North America
Get Involved with Athlete Leadership
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