Vodafone MALTA Foundation Thanked For Its Support
(16 December 2008)

Special Olympics Malta hosts a ceremony to thank sponsors and competitors in the 2008 Special Olympics Small Nations 7-a-side Football Tournament in Aiya-Napa, Cyprus (on November 2-7) Anna Calleja, National director of Special Olympics Malta, appeals for qualified coaches to volunteer so...

National Youth Unified Football seminar in FRANCE
(15 December 2008)

Special Olympics France hosted a Youth Unified Football® Seminar in Eaubonne near Paris on December 13.  The day opened with a demonstration game between two youth Unified teams from F.C. Saint-Cloud Paris that served as a basis for some seminar sessions. The sixteen participants represented eight regions in France who will join the Y...

UZBEKISTAN: Celebrations for children to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities
(12 December 2008)

Probably no other Special Olympics National Program celebrated the UN’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December as extensively as what was organized in Uzbekistan. A concert was held in cooperation with UNICEF and Caravan Holding, the general sponsor of Special Olympics Uzbekistan.  More than 350 people, including ch...

Special Olympics Meets with EU Sports Ministers
(8 December 2008)

SPECIAL OLYMPICS received a significant boost on Friday 28 November 2008 in its bid to secure funding for its programs across Europe. Mary Davis, Managing Director of Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia, addressed the EU Sports Council meeting in Biarritz to seek annual support to the organization from the European Union.  EU funding would...

Basketball Week: Full Court Press across the Region
(4 December 2008)

The fifth Special Olympics European Basketball Week is in full swing across the region with at least 12,000 basketball players with intellectual disabilities from over 25 countries participating in a wide range of activities.   This represents the fifth consecutive year that the region has dedicated a week to develop the sport. It is also...

ROMANIA: Global Messenger and Nadia Comaneci Shoot Promotional Video
(26 November 2008)

Iona Ciobanu, Special Olympics Romania athlete and spokesperson, as well as Global Messenger for the worldwide organization has been extremely active recently.  After officially opening the Special Olympics Europea/Eurasia Leadership Conference that was held 14-15 November in Bucharest, she gave a speech at a conferenc...

UNICEF and Special Olympics team up in Kazakhstan
(24 November 2008)

From 23-24 October 2008 in the city of Semei, in eastern Kazakhstan, a FunFitness training seminar was organized by Special Olympics Kazakhstan in cooperation with UNICEF. The initiative was part of a project entitled “The human capacity empowerment on the territory of the former nuclear testing site of Semey.”“We are launchi...

KAZAKHSTAN: Mobile Company GSM Kazakhstan KCell presents $100,000 Check
(23 November 2008)

On 21-22 October, Special Olympics Kazakhstan organized meetings with the government, general sponsors, partners and international organizations.  The meetings, held on occasion of the visit of Mary Davis, managing director, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia (SOEE), and Krzysztof Krukowski, director, organizational development, SOEE, to Almaty, ...

CYPRUS: UEFA presents SOEE with check to continue football development
(21 November 2008)

The ninth Special Olympics Football Coordinators Meeting was held 2-3  November 2008 and  was attended by 43 representatives from 32 countries. Among the guests speakers were Michel Sablon (Belgium Football Federation and UEFA Jira Panel), James Isaac (Tottenham Hotspur Foundation), Brad Douglas (Coerver Coaching Nordic) and Mike Smi...

POLAND: Flame of Hope receives heartfelt welcome
(19 November 2008)

On 18 November, 2008, the city of Warsaw welcomed the Flame of Hope during its three-month journey as part of the Global Law Enforcement Torch Run. The Flame was carried through Warsaw by a relay consisting of 220 runners. Among them, there were five Special Olympics athletes, three Polish Olympians, 20 volunteers from DHL, and law enforcement...

Vodafone ROMANIA participates in Unified Football Tournament
(18 November 2008)

Ten Vodafone Romania employees joined 60 Special Olympics athletes and partners in a Unified Football Tournament in Bucharest, Romania on November 12, 2008.The opportunity to play sports can have a pivotal impact upon Special Olympics athletes themselves but the impact on those who participate alongside them can be profound too.George Moroianu,...

Regional Conference on Partnerships, Planning, Fundraising and Grant Writing Held in Romania
(18 November 2008)

Close to 110 delegates from over 50 National Programs attended the Special Olympics Regional Conference that was held 14-15 November in Bucharest, Romania.  The two-day conference was filled with presentations and workshops.  During the Opening Session, the keynote speaker was Octavian Bellu, President of the National Agency for Sports.&n...

POLAND: Agreement to hold European Games signed in Warsaw
(17 November 2008)

On the 17 November 2008 an agreement to organize the Special Olympics European Summer Games 2010 was signed in Warsaw, Poland.  The signing took place at the Polish Olympic Committee Center.  Mary Davis, Managing Director, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia (SOEE), and Zbigniew Niemczycki, President, Special Olympics European Summer Games 20...

GREECE: Official lighting ceremony and start of Global Law Enforcement Torch Run®
(10 November 2008)

The official lighting ceremony of the Flame of Hope™ for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games will be held Wednesday, 12 November, at the Atrium, Zappeion Megaron in Athens, Greece.   Upon its lighting, the flame will embark on a three-month worldwide journey known as the Global Law Enforcement Torch Run® -- a signature ...

FIBA Europe endorses Basketball Week for fifth consecutive year
(10 November 2008)

FIBA Europe will endorse Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia (SOEE) for the fifth consecutive year during the Special Olympics European Basketball Week to be held 29 November-7 December 2008 across the region.  Basketball Week is expected to involve 15,000 basketball players with intellectual disabilities from 35 countries in a wide range of activ...

ALBANIA: Vodafone Albania Foundation and Special Olympics Team Up in Tirana
(3 November 2008)

Vodafone Albania Foundation in cooperation with Special Olympics Albania organized Special Olympics National Games held on 28-30 October 2008 in Tirana.  Two hundred and fifty Special Olympics athletes representing 12 teams from nine regions competed in football, basketball table tennis, athletics and bowling.  The event was the first coo...

GREAT BRITAIN: The Vodafone Foundation helps launch Unified project
(23 October 2008)

Special Olympics Great Britain in partnership with The Vodafone Foundation launched the Youth Unified Football® Development Project on 22 October, 2008 in London. The launch, held at a community pitch, brought a Special Olympics Unified team from Merseyside to play against the All Parliamentary Football squad. The All Parliamentary Football squ...

NBA: Basketball giants give Special Olympics players tips
(23 October 2008)

During the 2008 Europe Live Tour, NBA Cares once again had a big presence in Europe. NBA Cares is the NBA’s social responsibility program that builds upon the NBA’s tradition of addressing important social issues with an emphasis on programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes. This ...

SPAIN: Over 2,000 athletes screened during National Games
(15 October 2008)

Special Olympics Spain athlete Juan Jose Querol Grass used to be very nervous when he visited a doctor. But that all changed when his eyes were tested at an Opening Eyes screening that was organized during the Sixth Special Olympics Spain National Games that were held recently.  “It was very funny to be with the doctors and not have any ...

HUNGARY: Vodafone Foundation supports Unified event
(8 October 2008)

Special Olympics Hungary organized the 2008 National Youth Unified® Football Tournament in Szeged, Hungary , from 3-5 October, 2008. Twelve teams - 120 players with and without intellectual disability aged 14-25 - competed in 7-a-side football in the “Kisstadion.”   The competition was held as part of a Unified Footba...

BULGARIA: Team MATTEL pitches in at National Games
(5 October 2008)

The 2008 Special Olympics Bulgaria National Summer Games were held on the campus of the National Sports Academy in Sofia 1-3 October 2008. Three hundred Special Olympics athletes and Unified Sports® partners participated. Nine sports were offered including five Unified:  Unified Basketball, Unified Bocce, Unified Dodge Ball (a popular nati...

UEFA, Parliament, Commission and RSC Anderlecht support Special Olympics Football in the Park
(19 September 2008)

On 17 September 2008 Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia hosted its fourth football tournament in Brussels, Belgium.  "This is the fourth consecutive year that Special Olympics and UEFA have hosted this tournament, and it becomes more popular each time," said William Gaillard, UEFA Director of Communications.   Watch the v...

Special Olympics 40th Anniversary
(20 July 2008)

On 20 July Special Olympics celebrates the 40 year anniversary of Eunice Kennedy Shriver declaring the first International Special Olympics Games (now World Games) officially open with the words, “Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”For 40 years Special Olympics has been changing the lives of people with int...

KAZAKHSTAN: UN representatives attend Central Asian FunFitness training seminar
(14 July 2008)

Special Olympics Kazakhstan hosted the first Central Asia Healthy Athletes® Funfitness Train-The-Trainer seminar in Almaty July 3-6 2008. Volunteer physiotherapists and sport medics from Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were trained as Clinical Directors. Central Asian National Directors also participated. Th...

Historic Climb of Montblanc for Managing Director, Mary Davis
(9 July 2008)

Between 30 June and 1 July, Mary Davis, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia Managing Director, participated as Ireland's representative in a climb of Montblanc, France, organised by the French EU Presidency.The climb of the highest summit in Europe represented a symbolic gesture uniting 27 women from all countries of the European Un...

UNICEF and Special Olympics ROMANIA Sign Cooperative Agreement
(4 July 2008)

The global UNICEF-Special Olympics partnership, announced 3 October, 2007 on the occasion of the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, inspired Special Olympics Romania to take action. As a result, on 1 July 2008, the two Romania-based organizations signed an agreement of cooperation in Bucharest to implement a project: “Inclusive ...

Coca Cola President Meets Special Olympics in ISRAEL
(3 July 2008)

Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola President and Chief Operating Officer, and Special Olympics Board member, met with Special Olympics Israel athletes and program representatives in Jerusalem on June 25, 2008.  Kent was on an official visit to the country to meet President Shimon Peres and Coca-Cola officials.  Special Olympics athletes and staff wer...

Athletes Advocate for AFRICA
(26 June 2008)

Special Olympics Ireland hosted a conference in Dublin, Ireland (June 22-26) as part of an initiative by Special Olympics programs in Europe to improve capacity building among similar programs in Africa.The initiative has received support from Irish Aid, the Irish Government’s program of assistance to developing countries, and from the Europe...

Great Success for Healthy Athletes Screenings in GERMANY
(24 June 2008)

More than 3600 athletes competed in 17 sports during the Special Olympics Germany National Games in Karlsruhe (16-20 June 2008). For the first time in the history of Special Olympics Germany screenings in all six Healthy Athletes disciplines (Opening Eyes, Funfitness, Healthy Hearing, Health Promotion, Special Smiles and FitFeet) were offered to pa...

NBA Players Teach Skills to Special Olympics TURKEY Athletes
(23 June 2008)

Within the context of Basketball Without Borders which is one of the community outreach programs of the NBA, some 80 athletes between the ages of 8 - 14 from one of the local special schools in Istanbul, Turkey, attended a one-hour basketball clinic conducted by NBA instructors on 5 June, 2008.In the presence of almost 100 media...

UZBEKISTAN Hosts First Central Asian Gymnastics Competition
(23 June 2008)

Special Olympics Uzbekistan hosted the first Central Asian gymnastics competition from 14-18 June 2008 in Tashkent.  More than 100 young Special Olympics gymnasts between the ages of 8 and 21 from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan with guest teams from Russia and Great Britain competed in rhythmic gymnas...

UNICEF-Special Olympics Conference Brings Together NGOs on Disability Issues
(23 June 2008)

UNICEF and Special Olympics Uzbekistan jointly organized a conference 13-14 June 2008 in Tashkent.  The conference, titled “Commitment to Changing the Lives of Children and Young People with Different Abilities,” brought together approximately 60 representatives of United Nations agencies, national bodies dealing with disability is...

Special Olympics Team Play Before Quarter Final of UEFA EURO 2008
(20 June 2008)

Eleven Special Olympics Austria players and a team representing the Austrian disability group ÖBSV, had the opportunity to play a pre-match at Vienna's Ernst-Happel-Stadion before the Croatia-Turkey UEFA Euro2008 quarter-final on 20 June 2008. They played a 14-minute demonstration match against each other as part of UEFA's Football for All cam...

Extensive TV Coverage for National Games in SERBIA
(20 June 2008)

Pirot, Serbia was host to the Third Special Olympics Serbia National Games on 5-8 June 2008.  Two hundred and eighty participants competed in football, basketball, athletics and table tennis.  Two divisions for male and female Unified football® competed in the event.The games were opened by Lord Mayor Vladan Vasic and Specia...

Great Basketball and Warm Hospitality in TURKEY
(19 June 2008)

The Special Olympics European  Basketball Tournament, hosted by Special Olympics Turkey, was held in Marmaris, Turkey from 26-31 May 2008. One hundred and twenty six Special Olympics players from 16 countries participated in an unforgettable experience in the port city located on the Aegean Sea. This was the fourth regional basketball tourname...

TORCH RUN® Committee Meets in Dublin, Ireland
(4 June 2008)

Thirteen members of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Council for Special Olympics gathered in Dublin, Ireland on May 11, 2008.  Members represented committees of Law Enforcement officers in Great Britain, Ireland, Nothern Ireland, Netherlands, Gibraltar, Austria and Poland who strive to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics activities in...

SERBIA: Youth and Sport Minister Congratulates Special Olympics Athletes
(3 June 2008)

On 8 May, 2008 Special Olympics Serbia footballers were greeted at the airport in Belgrade by Snezana Markovic Samardzic, Minister of Youth and Sport, when the team returned with a gold medal that they won at the Special Olympics European Football Cup.Markovic held a press conference and congratulated the athletes and ...

Youth Unified Basketball® Development Project
(2 June 2008)

The Special Olympics Youth Unified Basketball® “bounced off” with a seminar held in Marmaris, Turkey, 26-28 May 2008.  Eight Special Olympics representatives from Lithuania, Germany, Ukraine, Russia, Serbia, and Bulgaria participated in the seminar that was held parallel to the Special Olympics European Bask...

Successful Eighth Annual Special Olympics Football Week
(2 June 2008)

An estimated 50,000 players with intellectual disabilities participated in football events in more than 50 countries throughout Europe/Eurasia during the Special Olympics European Football Week.  Football Week, which is in its eighth season, was held this year from 3-10 May. Football Week also served to launc...

Local Communities in Four Countries Host Over 500 Special Olympics Players
(30 May 2008)

The 2008 Special Olympics European 11-a-side Football Cup was held 2-8 May 2008 in Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany. Special Olympics Austria and Special Olympics Switzerland jointly hosted the event, in partnership with Special Olympics Liechtenstein and Special Olympics Germany. The Cup involved 550 Special Olympics footballers fro...

New President and COO for Special Olympics
(27 May 2008)

On 20 May, 2008, the Special Olympics International Board of Directors elected J. Brady Lum as President and Chief Operating Officer of Special Olympics. Timothy Shriver, Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics, introduced Lum to the Board Directors at their meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, which was hosted by The Coca-Cola Company, a founding partne...

Special Olympics Honors World Games Supporters
(26 May 2008)

On 19 May 2008, at a dinner held at The World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia, USA Special Olympics recognized organizations and individuals whose contributions were critical success factors of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games held in Shanghai, China, last October.The recipients were the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games Organiz...

Coach Assistants Reach New Hights
(19 May 2008)

The Tottenham Hotspur Foundation (THF) uses sport and football in particular as a means to improve the quality of life for children and young people in local communities. The Foundation receives significant financial support from Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, one of England's Premier League Clubs.James Isaac, THF Inclusion  Officer for...

EYID: European Identity and Citizenship
(12 May 2008)

The enlargement of the European Union, deregulation of employment laws and globalisation have increased the multicultural character of many countries, adding to the number of languages, religions, ethnic and cultural backgrounds found on the continent. As a result, intercultural dialogue has an increasingly important role to play in fostering Europ...

BULGARIA: Team MATTEL Pitches in at National Games
(10 May 2008)

The 2008 Special Olympics Bulgaria National Summer Games were held on the campus of the National Sports Academy in Sofia 1-3 October 2008. Three hundred Special Olympics athletes and Unified Sports® partners participated. Nine sports were offered including five Unified:  Unified Basketball, Unified Bocce, Unified Dodge Ball (a popular nati...

TURKEY: Special Olympics European Basketball Tournament in Marmaris
(9 May 2008)

Special Olympics Turkey will host the 2008 Special Olympics European Basketball Tournament from 27-30 May in Marmaris, a city located on the Aegean coast.  Sixteen teams from 16 countries will be competing.  Delegations will get their first taste of Turkish hospitality as they are greeted by the citizens of Marmaris during a parade t...

GREECE: Getting Ready for 2009 World Winter Games
(29 April 2008)

An Alpine Skiing and Snowshoeing training session was organized in late February at Seli Mountain in Verria in northern Greece in preparation for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Idaho, USA.  Thirty athletes from Athens, Patras, Serres, Drama and Verria participated in the two-day event. Special Olympics Greece co-organized the ...

Special Olympics European Football Cup 2008
(29 April 2008)

The Special Olympics European Football Cup 2008 will be held in communities in Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany from 2 to 8 May 2008.  This 11-a-side tournament will be the largest Special Olympics regional football event this year.  The event is being organized by Special Olympics Austria and Special Olympics Switzerland i...

DENMARK Hosts Floorball and Floor Hockey Tournament and Seminar
(28 April 2008)

Special Olympics Denmark hosted a Special Olympics Floorball and Floor Hockey seminar during the first Special Olympics Enlarged Floorball Tournament in Helsingor from April 17 to April 20, 2008.  Eleven teams from six countries took part in the Floorball Tournament organized in collaboration with Danish Floorball Federation who prov...

National Swimming Competition in SERBIA
(25 April 2008)

Seventy-three athletes representing 10 towns in Serbia participated in the Special Olympics Serbia National Swimming Competition in Leskovac on 29 March.  The competition included six events: 25, 50 and 100 m in free style and in breaststroke.The competition was held under auspices of the Ministry of Sports.  During Opening Ceremonie...

GREECE: Special Olympics participates in public awareness campaigns
(23 April 2008)

Two hundred Special Olympics Greece cyclists and their coaches participated in a two-day event bearing the slogan “Make Roads Safe” in Mesologgi. The event, held 13-14 April, was organized in cooperation with the General Secretariat of Sport – Ministry of Culture, the Municipality of Mesologgi, and the local Prefecture and the FIA...

Eighth Annual Special Olympics European Football Week
(22 April 2008)

The eighth annual Special Olympics European Football Week will be held 3-10 May, 2008.  An estimated 50,000 players with intellectual disabilities are expected to participate in football events in more than 50 countries throughout Europe/Eurasia.  This year the focus will be on community-based initiatives with an emphasis on volunteer coa...

GREECE: ‘Join the World of Winners’
(21 April 2008)

Special Olympics was the theme of a two-day seminar called “Join the World of Winners” that was organized by Special Olympics Greece on 4 and 5 March 2008 in Athens.  More than 150 coaches, trainers, officials and representatives of sports organizations gathered to learn more about Special Olympics.  The seminar was opened wit...

ROMANIA: New PSA with Nadia Comaneci screened
(17 April 2008)

On 14 April, 2008, a new public service announcement (PSA) to support Special Olympics Romania was screened at a televised gala event in Bucharest.  Click here to view PSA video clip.  The PSA features Olympic legend and Special Olympics Vice Chair Nadia Comaneci and Special Olympics Romania gymnast Andra Pirvanescu, 18.  The ev...

RUSSIA: Olympic Medalist Supports Special Olympics Athletes
(10 April 2008)

Over 500 athletes, 120 coaches and 300 volunteers representing 34 regions from all over Russia gathered in St. Petersburg, Russia on March 10-17, to attended the 2008 Special Olympics Russia National Winter Games.Athletes competed in seven sports (alpine skiing, cross country skiing, figure skating, speed skating, floor hockey, snowboardi...

Learning about Differences in KYRGYZ REPUBLIC
(9 April 2008)

Fifty students aged 10-12 years with and without intellectual disabilities came together in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic on March 26-28, 2008 for a  SO Get Into It ® camp.  The aim of the three-day camp, organized by Special Olympics Kyrgyz Republic, was to learn how to identify stereotypes that exist in society, learn to b...

"Sport for All" Run in BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA
(9 April 2008)

Adnan Sulejmanovic, a Special Olympics athlete from Bosnia and Herzegovina, participated in Vivicittá, an international sport for all event in Tuzla.  The event, held on 6 April 2008, was organized by the Italian Sport for All Association (UISP).  Vivicittá brings more than 70,000 citizens to run simultaneously in diffe...

TURKEY: Special Olympics Athlete Carries Olympic Torch
(8 April 2008)

Special Olympics Turkey athlete Durducan Nevruz, 16, had the honor of carrying the Olympic Torch through the streets of Istanbul on 3 April 2008.  Joined by 80 other runners, Nevruz ran two km as part of the relay.  “I will never forget this day, “said his mother Sevim Nevruz, who was with her son during the run.  “...

SERBIA Hosts Second National Winter Games
(7 April 2008)

Special Olympics Serbia held it’s Second Winter Games at Kopaonik mountain resort in Serbia on March 20-23, 2008.Winter sports are becoming very popular among Special Olympics Serbia’s athletes and coaches. One hundred and twenty three participants from nine different cities participated.  Competition started with preliminaries and...

TURKMENISTAN Looking Forward to Hosting International Events
(1 April 2008)

From 22-28 March 2008, Krzysztof Krukowski, Director, Organizational Development, Special Olympics/Eurasia, visited the Special Olympics National Program in Turkmenistan.  During his visit, Krukowski was in the capital, Ashgabat, where he and Program staff met with representatives from city government, the sports ministry, the American Embassy...

Vodafone Group Foundation Supports Unified® Football
(26 March 2008)

Special Olympics Youth Unified® Football Project was kicked off during a seminar in Brussels, Belgium on March 11-13, 2008Special Olympics received a 500,000£ grant from the Vodafone Group Foundation over a three-year period to fund Unified® Football projects for young people between 14 and 25.  The funds are allocated to six cou...

NETHERLANDS: Special Olympics Swimmers show their skills at European Championship
(22 March 2008)

Fourteen Special Olympics swimmers from Netherlands participated in a 50-meter freestyle (females) and 50-meter freestyle (males) demonstration took place just before the start of the European Championship finals in Eindhoven, Netherlands on March 22, 2008. Three thousand spectators watched the demonstration, which was shown live on NOS, one o...

SERBIA hosts National Table Tennis Competition
(5 March 2008)

Special Olympics Serbia opened its 2008 sports season with a national Table Tennis competition in Cacak, Serbia on Saturday February 23.   Sixty eight athletes from ten towns took part in the event and competed in 13 divisions.  Special guests were athletes who competed in table tennis at the 2007 Special Olympics Worl...

Euro Parliament Hearing
(3 March 2008)

On 26 February, the Special Olympics movement was given a unique opportunity to testify in front of the Education and Culture Committee of the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Approximately 100 people attended the hearing including Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), representatives from the European Commission and the Council of Mi...

NORWAY: Princess Attends National Games
(25 February 2008)

Special Olympics Norway hosted its 2008 National Cross-Country competition on February 16-14 in Holmenkollen (Oslo, Norway). One hundred and forty athletes participated.  Competition results will serve as a basis for selection of cross-country skiers to represent Special Olymipcs Norway at the 2009 Special Olympics Wor...

The Vodafone Group Foundation to support Unified projects
(21 February 2008)

The Vodafone Group Foundation has announced that Special Olympics will receive £500,000 to fund a European sports project that will help young people with disabilities. Special Olympics will receive its grant over a three-year period to fund Unified® Football projects for young people between 14 and 25.  The funds will be allocated t...

Athens to Host 2011 World Games
(14 February 2008)

Officials Sign the Memorandum of Agreement and Unveil 2011 World Games LogoThe World Games, which promise to be one of the world’s largest multi-sport and humanitarian events that year, will unite 7,500 athletes from more than 170 countries.On February 14, H.E. Karolos Papoulias, President of the Hellenic Republic; H.E. Natasha Karamanlis, wi...

One Year Count-Down to Winter World Games
(8 February 2008)

In just one short year, the spectacular mountains of Boise and Sun Valley, Idaho USA will play host to the world for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. From 6-13 February 2009, nearly 3,000 athletes from 85 countries will compete in seven Olympic-type sports: Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowboarding...

ISRAEL: Prime Minister Olmert Meets with Athletes
(28 January 2008)

On January 28,2008, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert received the Special Olympics athletes who represented Israel at the 2007 Special Olympics World Games that were held in China.The athletes showed the Prime Minister their 42 medals proudly won in the eight sports: athletics, aquatics, bowling, cycling, judo, tennis, table tennis, and football.The...

Continued Cooperation with UNICEF in UZBEKISTAN
(25 January 2008)

Special Olympics Uzbekistan and UNICEF are continuing their cooperation in bringing children with and without intellectual disabilities together.  On January 25, 2008 a meeting was held in Tashkent with 25 pupils from mainstream school No. 171 and 30 pupils from special school No. 101, which played host.  The pupils, who ranged in age fro...

Special Olympics on UNICEF video clip
(11 January 2008)

UNICEF and Special Olympics partnered to work together and advocate for health care, education, recreational sports and employment policies that will benefit children with intellectual disabilities.  In Europe/Eurasia, Bulgaria and Uzbekistan and the first two national programs to be included in the project in 2007-2008.The partnersh...

Awards and Accolades for athletes in GREAT BRITAIN
(10 January 2008)

On the close of 2007, Special Olympics Great Britain celebrated its athletes and coaches across England, Scotland and Wales, paying credit to 159 world-class sportsmen and women.Football coach Elaine McKenna was nominated Sunday Times Sportswomen for the Year Award.  The World Summer Games tennis Squad was nominated by the Lawn Tennis Ass...

MONTENEGRO: Inclusive Activities
(7 January 2008)

Special Olympics Montenegro, the newest program in Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia, concludes four "SO Get Into It: Youth Get It Going" inclusive activities.  A total of 200 students with intellectual disability and 50 students without intellectual disabilities from four cities were involved. A basketball event was org...

AUSTRIA: Carving Skis and Alpine Skiing
(21 December 2007)

Sixty-six Special Olympics skiers from eight countries participated in the European Alpine Skiing Camp organized in Murau, Austria from 8 to 15 December.  Themes of the training were "SNOW MOTION" training on short carving skis.The project was held successfully thanks to great efforts from Prof. Heinz Pe...

AZERBAIJAN: International Day of the Disabled
(20 December 2007)

On occasion of the International Day of the Disabled on December 3, Special Olympics Azerbaijan in association with Inter Professional Sport Club, hosted a football tournament on 3-5 December 2007.  The event was held under the auspices of the Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the Inter Professio...

LEN Showcases Special Olympics Swimmers
(20 December 2007)

On occasion of the European Swimming Championships in Debrecen, Hungary, LEN (the European swimming federation) invited eight male and six female Special Olympics swimmers to take part in two demonstration short pool races on 14 December 2007.  The demonstration was broadcasted on Eurosport TV the day prior to Championship finals.  S...

ROMANIA: Olympians Honor Special Olympics Athletes
(11 December 2007)

On 5 December, Special Olympics Romania athletes who competed at the World Games in Shanghai were honored by Romanian Olympic medalists and sports celebrities in Bucharest.  The House of Champions Foundation organized the gala event.  Sports stars, among them Olympics Gold medalists, who were part of the congratulatory ceremony, included:...

FRANCE: Basketball Federation Supports Special Olympics
(11 December 2007)

France hosted 20 tournaments throughout the country during this year's Special Olympics Basketball Week.  More than 180 teams, or 1,200 to 1,300 players participated.  All tournaments included clinics at which players had the opportunity to test their individual skills.Each team received 1 ballon of Basket and each pla...

LUXEMBOURG: Minister and Olympic Commitee Honour Delegation
(8 December 2007)

Sports Minister Jeannot Krecké and Marc Theisen, President of the National Olympic Commitee (COSL) invited the whole delegation participating on the World Games of Shanghai in a sympatic reception. Proud of the result of the 27 athletes (everybody won a medal in China), both confirmed a subtantial aid in the futur for the activities of Speci...

Football Federation Support in ROMANIA
(7 December 2007)

This year the Romanian Football Federation and Special Olympics Romania partnered to promote football players with intellectual disabilities. During the qualifying games for European Championships, Special Olympics footballers joined professional players on the pitch during prior to kick-off.  In November a second project was started in partne...

International Day of the Disabled
(3 December 2007)

Special Olympics athletes set example as model employees as International Day of Disabled Persons focuses on employmentThe annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons, 3 December, aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.  I...

Health Screening Changes Life of Athlete from TURKEY
(28 November 2007)

Garip Olcas, 12, is a passionate table tennis player from Special Olympics Turkey.  His participation in the Special Olympics World Summer Games this year was his first travel abroad and his first time on an airplane.  Between competitions, Olcas also took Healthy Athletes screening tests.  Several Turkish clinici...

2007 European Basketball Week
(27 November 2007)

FIBA Europe has again endorsed this Special Olympics European Basketball Week, which is the flagship event of the FIBA Europe and Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia partnership. The relationship was established in May 2004 with the aim of developing basketball for players with intellectual disabilities. Since 2004, the number of Special Olympics playe...

LUXEMBOURG: FLBB Supports Basketball Week
(25 November 2007)

On occasion of the Special Olympics European Basketball Week, Special Olympics Luxembourg held its fourth VIP Game.  FLBB, the Luxembourg Basketball Federation, is privileged partner for the event.  After a small practice, national coach Herrmann Paar, former president Romain Haas and the Special Olympics&nbs...

LUXEMBOURG Says Chie Chie Shanghai!
(18 November 2007)

The Special Olympics slogan ("A World of Winners") remains the best summary for the World Games.  A total of 50 individuals from Special Olympics Luxembourg (27 athletes and partners, family members and a soccer referee say "Chie Chie (thank you)" to Shanghai and to the Community of Yu Yuan for thei...

IRELAND: President Hosts Reception for Athletes
(16 November 2007)

Irish President Mary McAleese and her husband Dr. Martin McAleese hosted a reception at Aras an Uachtarain (Presidential Residence) in Dublin an Uachtarain Dublin on 8 November for TEAM Ireland athletes and coaches who recently returned from the Special Olympics World Summer Games.  The event was held to recognize the achievements of Team...

UEFA Renew Partnership with SOEE
(16 November 2007)

In a recent letter to SOEE Managing Director, Mike Smith, the General Secretary of UEFA, David Taylor, confirmed UEFA’s extension of its football development partnership with SOEE.  The partnership, part of UEFA’s established corporate social responsibility commitment, will provide funding for further development of Special Olympic...

GREECE: President receives Special Olympics flag
(15 November 2007)

On November 14, the President of the Hellenic Republic, Dr. Karolos Papoulias, was presented with the Special Olympics flag that was passed to Special Olympics Hellas during Closing Ceremonies of the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China.  The next Summer Games, in 2011, will be held in Athens, Greece.  Special Olympics H...

UZBEKISTAN: UNICEF Welcomes Athlete Presenter
(8 November 2007)

A Special Olympics Uzbekistan athlete and her mother were invited to address participants at the UNICEF Mid-Term Review Conference in Tashkent.  The conference, held on 25 October, was organized by UNICEF and the Government of Uzbekistan. During the conference, current programs of cooperation between the government and UNICEF were presented, i...

LEN and Special Olympics
(7 November 2007)

On 29 September, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia (SOEE) Managing Director, Mike Smith, made a presentation to the Annual General Meeting of the European Swimming Federation (LEN).  The presentation focused on the great progress that Special Olympics swimming has made since the first Special Olympics World Games in Chicago, USA, in 1968.  ...

RUSSIA: Tennis Players receive Tips from the Best
(7 November 2007)

Twenty Special Olympics athletes had the chance to participate in a tennis master class led by one of Russia’s top players, Mikhail Youzhny, on 3 October in Moscow.  The event took place at the Ronald McDonald center as part of the social program of the Kremlin Cup international tennis tournament.  Special Olympics tennis players sp...

Ongoing Growth for Judo
(25 October 2007)

First introduced on the initiative of programs in Europe/Eurasia, judo competitions gathered 54 athletes from 9 countries (all from Europe) at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. This year, participation had almost tripled to 143 athletes from 20 countries (European coutries and China). The tournament was organized at the best possible ve...

POLAND: Four Million TV Viewers for Special Olympics Announcement
(25 October 2007)

On October 17, 2007, national football teams from Poland and Hungary competed against each others in Lodz, Poland. Both Polish and Hungarian Football Federations agreed to promote Special Olympics at this event viewed live on Polish TV by about four million spectators and followed by many more on national radio. Players from bot...

European Kayaking Outreach
(24 October 2007)

Kayaking became a Special Olympics demonstration sports following the initative of some programs in Europe/Eurasia. In Shanghai, experts, referees and volunteers were trained by Roza Banasik, Kayaking Technical Delegate from Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia, which should result in dramatical expansion of Special Olympics Kayaking in China, the faste...

"Best Ceremonies": Says UN Official
(22 October 2007)

United Nations official Adolf Ogi, the Special Adviser to the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace, said the organization of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai was superb. "This is the best opening ceremony I've seen," Ogi was quoted as saying by Shanghai Daily. "The show is v...

FIFA and Special Olympics
(18 October 2007)

Both FIFA (the International Association of Football Associations) and the ISPA (International Sports Press Association), reported on their websites the launch of the "Special Olympics Global Football" Initiative in Shanghai, China on October 1.Special Olympics and FIFA joined forces to announce the launch. This ongoing program sees Spec...

Wuerth Company: Promoting Special Olympics
(18 October 2007)

During the male football game between Germany and Czech last night, banners jointly promoting sponsor Wuerthand Special Olympics Germany were on display around the football pitch. Wuerth is one of the main sponsors of the qualifying games for Euro 2008. Wuerth banner will have exposure at all qualifying games. "Out of all Wuerth banners around...

Basketball Competitions With 328 Athletes from Europe/Eurasia
(17 October 2007)

A total of 328 athletes, including 94 ladies from 26 countries in Europe/Eurasia took part in Basketball competitions in the last couple of days. Bosse Stark from Special Olympics Sweden is both a basketball coach assistant and basketball player. During World Games, he competed as a player on his national team.Type "Bosse" or "Stark&...

TEAM Ireland Return to Heroes Welcome!
(17 October 2007)

TEAM Ireland received a rapturous welcome from family members, friends and supporters when they arrived in Dublin Airport last Friday evening. The 141 Athletes and their 55 coaches had just stepped off a gruelling 13 hour flight from Shanghai via London from the Special Olympics World Summer Games, but there was no sign of tiredness.  They wer...

Unprecedented Media Coverage
(12 October 2007)

The 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games started on October 2nd. A total of 119 journalists from 26 countries in Europe/Eurasia applied for official accreditation to the Games.Daily satelite feeds were made available for broadcasters to download.  So far a record 1,400 media agencies from over 120 countries have covered the event. Ove...

Glorious Returns to Everyone!
(12 October 2007)

After Spectacular Closing Ceremonies, delegations are now getting prepared for glorious returns to their respective countries.In total, there were 2,801 athletes and partners from Europe/Eurasia competing in 20 sports.  The largest delegations were Austria and Germany with over 200 athletes participating.  Special Olympics Kosov...

Watch Closing Ceremonies Live on www.cctv.com
(11 October 2007)

The Closing Ceremonies of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games will be broadcast live on www.cctv.com on October 11, 14:00 Brussels time.Over 30,000 people are expected to attend the hour-and-a-half long ceremony. High-tech equipment will help a mentally disabled girl "fly" to symbolize the athletes' dreams of reaching higher...

Nearly 19,000 Free Health Screenings Provided
(11 October 2007)

Over the past 9 days, over 800 volunteers provided nearly 19,000 free health screenings to athletes from 159 of 164 delegations at the World Games.Approximately 4,900 Special Olympics athletes, or 69 percent of athletes participating in the World Games, were screened at the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Village. The screenings, design...

Special Olympics Behind-the-Scenes
(10 October 2007)

Throughout the World Games, guests, officials, journalists, families and coaches alike were give the opportunity to experience a Special Olympics competition in a guided tour led by competition professionals. At select venues, they all were give the opportunity to experience what it takes to be a World Games athlete and how the Games...

Special Olympics Football IS Truly Global
(9 October 2007)

See the enthusiasm of football players! (video attachement below) Despite the heavy rains and stormy wheather in Shanghai, Special Olympics football players give their best on the pitch and show that Special Olympics Football IS truely global.Earlier this week, a ceremony marked the launch of the Special Olympics Global Football, with rep...

Video on Vodcast! UNICEF/Special Olympics partnership
(8 October 2007)

A UNICEF-Special Olympics partnership will promote the participation and empowerment of children with intellecutal disablities and their families through sports, initially in Bulgaria and Uzbekistan for Europe/Eurasia, but also Cambosia, China, El Salvador, Jamaica and Panama. The parnership will seek to build confidence, self-reliance and self-adv...

Video: Sports Highlights are on www.specialolympicslive.org
(8 October 2007)

Thousands of video clips and photos are available on specialolympicslive.org.  See videos from any of the Special Olympics athlete competing in the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, watch videos and slideshows.  Share the excitement and "Be a Fan!" on specialolympicslive.org:Click here for a Sport Highlights video c...

Specialolympicslive.org: More than 300 Involved!
(8 October 2007)

Specialolympicslive.org is one of the largest documentary web projects ever attempted. More than 300 volunteers and a dedicated group of faculty and coaches have worked on this project for almost two years. The project grew out of the desire of Special Olympics Vice President Peter Wheeler to share the magic of the World Games with a world-wide aud...

Video: CNN Covers Special Olympics World Games
(7 October 2007)

Over 80,000 spectators attended Opening Ceremonies as China's largest city hosts 7,300 athletes from 164 countries and regions for the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai, China.The Games will be the first major sports event for people with intellectual disabilities ever staged in China.  "China hopes the Games ...

Video: Watch Opening Ceremonies on specialolympicslive.org!
(7 October 2007)

"Judgin by the awe-inspiring display of traditional dance, music and pyrotechnics, Beijing will have a tough act to follow next year at the start of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games," says on October 2 a BBC News coverage of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghai.The ceremonies began with an army of chinese drumme...

Global Leaders Attend Global Policy Summit
(5 October 2007)

Government, Health, NGOs, Sports, Academic and Business Leaders Issue a Call to Action to Improve the Well-being of Inidividuals with Intellectual Disabilities.Leaders representing 60 countries gathered in Shanghai, China today to attend the Special Olympics Global Policy Summit in Shanghai, China and further opportunities for people with inte...

Representing Europe/Eurasia
(5 October 2007)

Amongst over 2,5 million athletes competing in Special Olympics, 27% are female athletes, and athletes aged between 8 and 15 represent more than one third (36%) of the total population of Special Olympics athletes worldwide.  Kathlyn Garbin from Special Olympics Norway, 14 is one of them.  Despite her young age; she has a solid experience...

Heart Thumping Opening Ceremonies
(4 October 2007)

Opening Ceremony Reflects the Heart and Spirit of China The long-awaited Opening Ceremony of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games exploded with the heart-thumping rumble of hundreds of traditional Chinese drums, the blaze of fireworks and colorful, exquisite costumes resplendent of the country's ancient culture, emphasizing the first words ...