The Special Olympics World Games are being held in Germany for the first time. Berlin is preparing for the largest sporting event in Germany since the 1972 Olympic Games in Germany.
Berlin will host the Special Olympics World Games from June 17th to 25th. Around 7,000 athletes take part in the games for the mentally and multiply handicapped. This makes the World Games the largest multisport event in Germany since the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.
What are the Special Olympics?
The Special Olympics are the largest sports movement for people with intellectual and multiple disabilities worldwide. They were founded by Eunice Kennedy-Shriver, a sister of former US President John F. Kennedy. Faced with her sister Rosemary’s disability, she founded Camp Shriver in the early 1960s, which grew into the first Special Olympics Games in 1968. More than five million athletes from at least 190 countries now belong to the movement, which wants to use sport to help people with intellectual disabilities to gain more self-confidence and participate in society. The President of the Special Olympics is Timothy Shriver, son of Eunice Kennedy-Shriver. The movement is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and is therefore allowed to use the word Olympics in its name.
What are the Special Olympics World Games?
This is the world’s most inclusive sporting event for athletes with intellectual and multiple disabilities. The Special Olympics World Games are held every four years, alternating between summer and winter games. This year, this sporting event will take place in Germany for the first time. The World Games are an occasion and an opportunity to focus more on the practical implementation of the UN Disability Rights Convention and to allow people with disabilities to participate more in social life and especially in sport.
What is the difference to the Paralympics?
The mentally handicapped and those with multiple disabilities start at the Special Olympics, while the physically handicapped start at the Paralympic Games.
Which sports are represented at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin?
A colorful program is offered at a total of ten locations in the capital and at golf in Bad Saarow. A total of 26 sports are on the program. In view of the bundling of several sports, especially in the Berlin Exhibition Center and in the Olympic Park, the distances are short. Badminton, basketball, boccia, gymnastics, power triathlon, rhythmic gymnastics, table tennis and volleyball all take place in the exhibition center. Soccer, futsal and handball players line up in the Olympic Park. Hockey is also played there and track and field athletes, roller skaters and horse riders hold their competitions. The water competitions take place in Grünau and in the swimming and diving hall in the Europasportpark. The basketball players compete three against three at the Neptune fountain. The beach volleyball players are in the BeachMitte, the sailors on Wannsee and the cyclists on the Straße des 17. Juni. SC Brandenburg hosts the tennis players. In the Bowling World, the balls are played – but without spectators.
What is Unified Sports?
Since the 1980s, Unified Sport has emerged within the Special Olympics movement, in which athletes with and without intellectual disabilities play together. Through the joint sport, the disadvantaged should gain more self-confidence and reduce any fears through the encounter.
Why do police officers take part in the torch relay?
The so-called Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) was run for the first time in 1981 by six police officers in the USA. The aim was to draw attention to the achievements of the Special Olympics athletes and not to label them as disabled. This resulted in the largest donation movement for the Special Olympics. The LETR now exists in 51 countries with more than 110,000 members. There is a special torch relay “Final Leg Run” for the World Games. At the World Games in Berlin, too, police officers will carry the flame to the opening ceremony together with the active participants.
Is there a medal table?
No. Even though gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded at each competition, there is no showdown between nations. The main aspect of the Special Olympics is the encounter without national competition.
Where can you see the Special Olympics?
Of course on site: there is even free entry for seven sports, otherwise day tickets cost between six and eight euros, the ticket for all days between 24 and 32 euros. If you can’t be there, you can follow the competitions on TV: Eleven television stations will report live from the event for more than 400 hours.
Special Olympics World Games website
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
