Unified Sports®
Special Olympics Unified Sports® is an initiative that combines approximately equal numbers of Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (called Partners) on sports teams for training and competition. Age and ability matching of athletes and Partners is defined on a sport-by-sport basis.
The concept of combining athletes with intellectual disabilities and those without was first introduced in the mid-1980s to provide another level of challenge for higher ability athletes and to promote equality and inclusion. Today, the initiative includes virtually all Special Olympics sports, and Unified Sports competitions are an important part of Special Olympics World Games, as well as local, state/provincial and National Games.
The 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games will be offering unified Floor Hockey competition. For more information on Unified Sports®, contact:
The concept of combining athletes with intellectual disabilities and those without was first introduced in the mid-1980s to provide another level of challenge for higher ability athletes and to promote equality and inclusion. Today, the initiative includes virtually all Special Olympics sports, and Unified Sports competitions are an important part of Special Olympics World Games, as well as local, state/provincial and National Games.
The 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games will be offering unified Floor Hockey competition. For more information on Unified Sports®, contact:
Dave Lenox, Vice President, Sports & Competition, +1 (202) 824-0231 or dlenox@specialolympics.org.
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