ATHLETES
Anyone with an intellectual disability aged six or older can train as a Special Olympics athlete.
Special Olympics offers weekly training across multiple sports as well as regular competitions for those who want to compete. Competition is not for everyone, so our focus is on participation and helping every athlete achieve their personal best.
While the sports available in local programs depend on the availability of volunteers and venues, our official sports are: alpine skiing, aquatics, athletics, badminton, basketball, bocce, bowling, equestrian, football, golf, gymnastics, kayaking, pitch & putt, table tennis, motor activities training programme.
Who do I contact if I want to join?
If you are interested in finding out about Special Olympics in your community you should contact your Regional Special Olympics Office. There are five Special Olympics Regions. Click on the name of your Region below to find out more:
What else can I do in Special Olympics?
In addition to sports training and competition, there is an
Athlete Leadership Programme (also known as ALPs) for Special Olympics athletes who are over 16 years old. Athletes learn leadership skills such as how to represent other athletes as part of a committee, they learn about public speaking and making presentations and how to be a volunteer. If you would like more information about ALPs please click here.