Special Olympics movement!!!

Where and when did the Special Olympics Movement begin?

The Special Olympics movement arose on the initiative of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of US President John F. Kennedy. 1963 In the USA

What is the main goal of the Special Olympics?

The Special Olympics are held solely for the purpose of adapting people with intellectual disabilities. At competitions there is no goal to identify the strongest and record sports records. All participants are divided into divisions depending on their athletic training. Thus, to participate in Special Olympics competitions, there is no requirement to demonstrate any athletic achievements. The difference in results between athletes of the same division should not be more than 10% (15% is allowed if the number of athletes is small). No more than 8 participants compete in each division. At the same time, there are also 8 places on the podium - that is, in principle there are no losers.

More than high level Three athletes who took the highest three places in each division, as well as partially other participants, are selected by drawing lots. As a result, everyone has a chance to get to the World Special Olympics, regardless of their sporting achievements.

At the Special Olympics, there is no recording of the nationality of participants and there are no “team competitions” between different countries.

Which organization runs the Special Olympics programs in the Russian Federation? IN Russian Federation The development of the Special Olympics movement is carried out by the Special Olympics of Russia - an all-Russian public Charitable organization assistance to people with mental retardation.

What are the features of the work of the Special Olympic Committee of St. Petersburg?

Describe the similarities and differences between the Special Olympics Movement and the Paralympic Movement.

Reveal the prerequisites for the development of adaptive sports among persons with intellectual disabilities.

Name and characterize the main dates in the development of adaptive sports among people with intellectual disabilities abroad.

1963 USA Eunice Kennedy Shriver opened in her own home summer camp for mentally retarded people.

1968 first international Special Olympics games

1977 first international winter games in the USA Special Olympics

2015 Summer 14th Games in Los Angeles Special Olympics

2013 Winter 10th Games in China Special Olympics

In 2012, persons with intellectual disabilities were again included in the Paralympic movement

Name and characterize the main dates in the development of adaptive sports among persons with intellectual disabilities in our country.

In Russia there are 5 stages:

1st stage “pre-scientific” 1912 - 1959 The founder of this was V.P. Kashchenko (1912), who paid great attention to therapeutic and recreational activities (gymnastics, games, massage) when working in the school-sanatorium he opened. In those years, special importance in the auxiliary school was given to an educational subject called “mental orthopedics” (this was a system of exercises that helped correct mental deficiencies, including movements to improve fine motor skills (fingers and hands). In addition, the curriculum included A auxiliary school was included along with lessons in drawing, singing, manual labor and physical exercise.

2nd stage: first scientific research 1960 -1965 (Alexander Sergeevich Samylichev)

3rd stage 1966 - 1975 introduction of a protective regime for people with disabilities. Based on a study of the motor skills and physical development of oligophrenic children, the peculiarities of their motor sphere were emphasized in every possible way and all sorts of prohibitions and restrictions were introduced.

4th stage 1976 - 1990 In 1977, the study of students’ mastery of complex motor actions, development of a system of special and leading exercises.

Stage 5, from 1991 to the present, the introduction of competitive activities into the lives of students with intellectual disabilities. Entry into the world sports movement. Creation of the Special Olympics of Russia A.V. Pavlov - President.

Name the locations and dates of the Summer Special Olympics World Games since 1968.

Name the places and dates of the Special Olympics World Winter Games since 1968.

Tell us about the first summer Special Olympics in which our country took part.

In 1995, in New Haven (USA), independent teams from Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine participated in the Summer Special Olympics World Games, and athletes from Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan competed in one team of Eurasia, since independent national Special Olympics organizations have not yet been created in these countries.

Tell me about the activities of the Special Olympics organization.

The main periods of formation and development of adaptive sports in Russia should be considered:

1st period: 1932 – period of origin, characterized by the emergence of the first organized forms of physical exercise with people with disabilities, the emergence of the first sports organizations and sections for people with disabilities in Russia (mainly for hearing and vision)

2nd period: 1932 – 1980 – period of experience, which is characterized by the further development of sports for the deaf, the active development of the theory and methodology of exercise therapy with elements of sports for persons with musculoskeletal impairment

3rd period: 1980 – 1992 – formation adaptive sports in Russia, which begins with the creation of the first in the USSR Federation of Sports for Disabled People under the City Sports Committee of Leningrad. Participation of domestic disabled athletes with a disability in the Paralympic Games in Spain.

4th period: 1992 – 1996 – recession period a pronounced decline in the popularity of Russian adaptive sports due to sharp decline government funding. Participation in debt.

5th period: 1996 – 2000 – revival adaptive sports in new Russia. Formalization of adaptive FC as a science, creation of the Paralympic Committee in Russia in 1996, active participation of Russian disabled athletes in international competitions.

6th period: from 2000 to present – development of adaptive sports in Russia, which is characterized by an increase in the number of people involved in adaptive sports, significant achievements of Russian disabled athletes in the international arena, active development TiMAFK

Features of sports for the visually impaired

There are three classes according to the IBSA classification for people with impaired vision - these are B1, B2 and B3. This classification is determined by the visual acuity of each athlete:

B1: from the inability to see light with either eye to the presence of such an ability, but the inability to distinguish the outline of a hand at any distance or in any direction (totally blind).

B2: from the ability to distinguish the outline of the hand to a visual acuity of 2/60 and/or a visual field of less than 5 degrees.

B3: from visual acuity over 2/60 to 6/60 and/or visual field over 5 degrees and less than 20 degrees.

In the process of training a disabled athlete, their coaches have long noticed that disabled people have much more desire and perseverance than people without physical disabilities, and this helps them overcome difficulties both in sports and in life. This fact contributes to the achievement of high results by the athlete. But the price of these results is much higher, as can be seen from the example of the training of a skier. Sports: mini-football, archery (with guide), Athletics(with leader), Cross-country skiing, biathlon, swimming, cycling, dressage (equestrian sport), volleyball, goalball, boccia,

The Special Olympics and Paralympics are two separate organizations recognized by the IOC. The unique nature of the Special Olympics is that it provides athletic opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities at all levels of athletic ability. The Paralympics provide athletic opportunities for elite level athletes with physical or mental disabilities.

History of the movement in Russia

In February 1990, the first all-Union seminar for physical education specialists was held in Sukhumi (Georgia), dedicated to the organization of sports work with mentally retarded people under the Special Olympics program. At this seminar, the public organization “All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics” was created, which marked the beginning of the development of this movement in all republics of the former Soviet Union. Then Russian specialists first became acquainted with the Special Olympics program.

In 1990, the first all-Union competitions were held, at which athletes from Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Uzbekistan were selected, who took part in the summer European Specials that same year Olympic Games in Glasgow (Scotland) in athletics, swimming, gymnastics and handball.

In the spring of 1991, an all-Union seminar “Special Olympics” was held in Moscow, on the basis of GCOLIFK. After this, the summer All-Union Special Olympic Games were held; they were held in 9 sports in the cities of Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. Athletes with mental retardation from almost all republics took part in them.

In June 1991, a delegation of 113 people, including representatives of all Soviet republics, took part in the summer Special Olympics World Games in Minneapolis (USA), in competitions in athletics, swimming, weightlifting, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, football , table tennis, handball.

In December 1991, due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics was liquidated and the public organization Special Olympics of Eurasia was created. The purpose of its creation was to help organize independent national programs Special Olympics in 12 young countries on the territory of the former Soviet Union.

In 1992, the first winter Special Olympics of Eurasia were held in Petrozavodsk, the program of which included cross-country skiing and speed skating competitions; A floor hockey tournament was held in St. Petersburg.

In March 1993 in Austria, 156 athletes and coaches from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan participated in the Winter Special Olympics World Games in cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, speed skating, figure skating, floor hockey.

In 1994, in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), athletes from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan participated in the Summer Special Olympic Games of Eurasia in competitions in athletics, swimming, basketball, table tennis, and football. Unfortunately, due to financial problems, other countries were not able to take part in them.

In 1995, in New Haven (USA), independent teams from Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine participated in the Summer Special Olympics World Games, and athletes from Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan competed in one team of Eurasia, since independent national Special Olympics organizations have not yet been created in these countries.

Such rapid growth of the Special Olympics movement in the countries of the post-Soviet space can be explained by the fact that it stimulates the development and use of physical culture and sports.

It turned out that active exercise physical culture and sports have a positive impact on the functioning of the main systems of the body of people with mental retardation, thereby contributing to the development of correctional and compensatory functions that allow them to adapt to life in society.

The Special Olympics of Russia is an all-Russian public charitable organization, officially recognized by the Russian Olympic Committee, which is the national committee of the international public organization Special Olympics International.

In September 1999, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation first registered the “Special Olympics of Russia” - the only organization in our country representing Russia in SOI, including at international competitions.

“Special Olympics of Russia” organizes all-Russian competitions in individual sports and Olympiads, recruits and sends national teams to European and world competitions, organizes all-Russian seminars, trains coaches and judges, and publishes methodological literature. The main goal of the Special Olympics of Russia is to spread the Special Olympics movement in the country and involve more people with mental retardation in sports under the Special Olympics programs. To achieve this, the directorate is doing a lot of work to organize territorial offices and regional centers.

Introduction

Special Olympics International- an international organization dealing with the organization of sports events for people with mental disabilities. Is the main organizer of the Special Olympics World Games ( Special Olympics World Games), held every 4 years. The organization was founded in 1968 in Chicago by physical education teacher Anna McGlone Buerke.

Chapter. History of the Special Olympics Movement

The Special Olympics movement arose on the initiative of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of US President John F. Kennedy. In 1957, she headed the Joseph Kennedy Foundation. The foundation has two main goals: to find protection against mental retardation by identifying its causes and to improve the way society treats citizens with intellectual disabilities.

In 1963, Eunice and her husband Sargent Shriver decided to change the situation of people who were considered superfluous in society. To that end, they converted their Maryland home into a sports day camp for children and adults with mental retardation to study their abilities. The first results of working with them showed how sensitive these people are to care and how, with support and patient training, their inner potential is revealed. People with mental retardation turned out to be much more capable in various types sports and physical culture than experts thought before.

In July 1968, the first international Special Olympics was held at Military Field in Chicago, organized by Anna Burke with funds from the Kennedy Foundation. In December of the same year, the Special Olympics organization was created and received the status of a charitable organization. Over the years, more than three million people from 180 countries have become participants in the Special Olympics movement.

Until 1989, the games were held exclusively in the United States under the name Special Olympics International. Then other countries began to host the games, and they were renamed the Special Olympics World Games

chapter. History of the Special Olympics Movement in Russia

In February 1990, the first all-Union seminar for physical education specialists was held in Sukhumi (Georgia), dedicated to the organization of sports work with mentally retarded people under the Special Olympics program. At this seminar, the public organization “All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics” was created, which marked the beginning of the development of this movement in all republics of the former Soviet Union.

The seminar was attended by Russian (A.A. Dmitriev, V.M. Mozgovoy) and American (Dr. Hieli and Dr. Dolan) scientists in the field of physical education of persons with mental retardation, employees of the ministries of education, social security, health, physical education teachers, speech pathologists, as well as specialists from international organization Special Olympics International, led by the president of this organization, Mr. Sargent Shriver. Then Russian specialists first became acquainted with the Special Olympics program.

In 1990, the first all-Union competitions were held, at which athletes from Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Uzbekistan were selected, who took part in the summer European Special Olympic Games in Glasgow (Scotland) in athletics, swimming, gymnastics and handball that same year. This first experience of participating in international Special Olympics competitions gave the coaches the opportunity to understand the principles of this movement and become more familiar with its requirements and rules.

In the spring of 1991, in Moscow, on the basis of GCOLIFK, an all-Union seminar “Special Olympics” was held, in which well-known athletes in the past took part: Tatyana Sarycheva, Alexander Boloshev, Alzhan Zharmukhamedov, Lyudmila Kondratyeva, Galina Prozumenshchikova. After this, the summer All-Union Special Olympic Games were held; they were held in 9 sports in the cities of Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. Athletes with mental retardation from almost all republics took part in them.

In June 1991, a delegation of 113 people, including representatives of all Soviet republics, took part in the summer Special Olympics World Games in Minneapolis (USA), in competitions in athletics, swimming, weightlifting, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, football, table tennis, handball.

In December 1991, due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics was liquidated and the public organization Special Olympics of Eurasia was created. The purpose of its creation was to help organize independent national Special Olympics programs in 12 young countries in the territory of the former Soviet Union.

In 1992, the first winter Special Olympic Games of Eurasia were held in Petrozavodsk, the program of which included cross-country skiing and speed skating competitions; A floor hockey tournament was held in St. Petersburg.

In March 1993 in Austria, 156 athletes and coaches from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan participated in the Special Olympics Winter World Games in competitions in cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, speed skating, figure skating, and floor hockey.

In 1994, in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), athletes from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan participated in the athletics, swimming, basketball, table tennis, and football competitions at the Special Olympics Eurasia Summer Games. Unfortunately, due to financial problems, other countries were not able to take part in them.

In 1995, in New Haven (USA), independent teams from Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine participated in the Summer Special Olympics World Games, and athletes from Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan competed in one team Eurasia, since independent national organizations “Special Olympics” have not yet been created in these countries.

Such rapid growth of the Special Olympics movement in the post-Soviet countries can be explained by the fact that it stimulates the development and use of physical education and sports for people with mental retardation. It was revealed that active physical education and sports have a positive effect on the functioning of the main body systems of people with mental retardation, thereby promoting the development of correctional and compensatory functions that allow them to adapt to life in society.

The Special Olympics of Russia is an all-Russian public charitable organization, officially recognized by the Russian Olympic Committee, which is the national committee of the international public organization Special Olympics International.

In September 1999, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation first registered the “Special Olympics of Russia” - the only organization in our country representing Russia in SOI, including at international competitions.

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A private summer camp for people with intellectual disabilities launched a worldwide sports movement.

For over 43 years, the Special Olympics has been changing better life disabled people and society's attitude towards them.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver opened the world of sports to children with intellectual disabilities at a summer camp that became the prototype for Special Olympics competitions.

In the early 1960s. Eunice Kennedy Shriver's attention was drawn to the problem of unfair treatment of people with intellectual disabilities by society. In particular, for children with special needs Separate playgrounds were not even built. Eunice decided to fight injustice. Very soon she was able to find a way to put her beliefs into practice by organizing a summer camp for children and youth with intellectual disabilities.

Her goal was to find out whether (and if so, to what extent) such children can engage in sports and other active recreational activities, and not focus on what they cannot do.

Her ideas were developed and led to the emergence of the Special Olympics movement around the world.

In July 1968, the first international Special Olympics Games took place at Military Field in Chicago. In December of the same year, the Special Olympics was created and received the status of a charitable organization. Over the years, more than three million people from 180 countries have become participants in the Special Olympics movement.

In 1988, at the XV Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, the President of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, signed an agreement with Yu. Kennedy-Shriver, according to which the Special Olympics received the right to use the word “Olympics” in its name.

...in recognition of the efforts of Special Olympics International to promote participation in sports among persons with mental retardation, the International Olympic Committee officially recognizes the Special Olympics and is hereby granted permission to use the name “Olympics”...

Juan Antonio Samaranch- President of the International Olympic Committee, February 15, 1988, Calgary, Canada, XV Winter Olympic Games

The merit of Eunice and her husband, Sargent Shriver, a prominent figure in the US Democratic Party, is that they were able to prove: regular physical education classes and participation in competitions help mentally retarded people acquire skills in work and collective conscious action, teach them to perform purposefully and in an organized manner. . This creates opportunities for gradual adaptation to real life conditions and integration into society.

In Russia, the Special Olympics movement has been developing since 1990. On September 16, 1999, the Special Olympics of Russia, which became part of Special Olympic International, was registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation as an all-Russian public charitable organization for helping people with mental retardation.

Nowadays, more than 110 thousand children and adults participate in the Special Olympics movement in our country. There are about 60 local branches of the Special Olympics of Russia.

History of the Special Olympics Movement in Russia

February 1990

The first all-Union seminar for physical education specialists was held in Sukhumi (Georgia), dedicated to the organization of sports work with mentally retarded people under the Special Olympics program. At this seminar, the public organization “All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics” was created, which marked the beginning of the development of this movement in all republics of the former Soviet Union. The seminar was attended by Russian (A.A. Dmitriev, V.M. Mozgovoy) and American (Dr. Hieli and Dr. Dolan) scientists in the field of physical education of persons with mental retardation, employees of the ministries of education, social security, health, physical education teachers, speech pathologists, as well as specialists from the international organization Special Olympics International, led by the president of this organization, Mr. Sargent Shriver. Then Russian specialists first became acquainted with the Special Olympics program.

June 1990

The first all-Union competitions were held, at which athletes from Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Uzbekistan were selected, who took part in the Summer European Special Olympic Games in Glasgow (Scotland) in athletics, swimming, gymnastics and handball that same year. This first experience of participating in international Special Olympics competitions gave the coaches the opportunity to understand the principles of this movement and become more familiar with its requirements and rules.

April 1991

In Moscow, on the basis of GCOLIFK, an all-Union seminar “Special Olympics” was held, in which well-known athletes in the past took part: Tatyana Sarycheva, Alexander Boloshev, Alzhan Zharmukhamedov, Lyudmila Kondratyeva, Galina Prozumenshchikova. After this, the summer All-Union Special Olympic Games were held; they were held in 9 sports in the cities of Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. Athletes with mental retardation from almost all republics took part in them.

June 1991

A delegation of 113 people, including representatives of all Soviet republics, took part in the summer Special Olympics World Games in Minneapolis (USA), in competitions in athletics, swimming, weightlifting, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, football, table tennis, handball .

December 1991

Due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics was liquidated and the public organization Special Olympics of Eurasia was created. The purpose of its creation was to help organize independent national Special Olympics programs in 12 young countries in the territory of the former Soviet Union.

1992

The first winter Special Olympic Games of Eurasia were held in Petrozavodsk, the program of which included cross-country skiing and speed skating competitions; A floor hockey tournament was held in St. Petersburg.

March 1993

In Austria, 156 athletes and coaches from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan participated in the Winter Special Olympics World Games in competitions in cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, speed skating, figure skating, and floor hockey.

1994

In Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), athletes from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan participated in the Summer Special Olympic Games of Eurasia in competitions in athletics, swimming, basketball, table tennis, and football. Unfortunately, due to financial problems, other countries were not able to take part in them.

July 1995

In New Haven (USA), independent teams from Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine participated in the Summer Special Olympics World Games, and athletes from Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan competed in one team from Eurasia, so how independent national Special Olympics organizations have not yet been created in these countries. Such rapid growth of the Special Olympics movement in the post-Soviet countries can be explained by the fact that it stimulates the development and use of physical education and sports for people with mental retardation. It was revealed that active physical education and sports have a positive effect on the functioning of the main body systems of people with mental retardation, thereby promoting the development of correctional and compensatory functions that allow them to adapt to life in society. The Special Olympics of Russia is an all-Russian public charitable organization, officially recognized by the Russian Olympic Committee, which is the national committee of the international public organization Special Olympics International.

September 1999

The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the first time registered the “Special Olympics of Russia” - the only organization in our country representing Russia in SOI, including at international competitions. “Special Olympics of Russia” organizes all-Russian competitions in individual sports and Olympiads, recruits and sends national teams to European and world competitions, organizes all-Russian seminars, trains coaches and judges, and publishes methodological literature. The main goal of the Special Olympics of Russia is to spread the Special Olympics movement in the country and involve more people with mental retardation in sports under the Special Olympics programs. To achieve this, the directorate is doing a lot of work to organize territorial offices and regional centers.

1997

From February 1 to February 8, the Sixth International Special Olympic Winter Games were held in Toronto, which were broadcast daily on all Canadian television channels! More than 1,780 athletes from 82 countries competed for medals at these Games.

year 2000.

The new millennium ushered in the European Summer Special Olympics, which took place from May 27 to June 4 in Groningen, the Netherlands. 50 Special Olympians participated in competitions in bowling, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, football and equestrianism and won 71 medals, of which there were 35 gold, 27 silver and 9 bronze!

year 2001.

In March 2001, the Seventh International Special Olympics Winter Games started in Anchorage. 2000 athletes from 100 countries. Russia represented a delegation of 70 people at these competitions and won a considerable number of medals.

2002

In the spring of 2002, the Russian Mini-Football Championship was held in the beautiful city of Smolensk. The championship was attended by 170 athletes from 17 territories of Russia: Yaroslavl, Smolensk, Vyazma, Sverdlovsk region, Omsk region, Komi Republic, Kurgan, Voronezh, Arkhangelsk, Pskov regions, Mari-El Republic, Krasnoyarsk region, Republic of Udmurtia, Leningrad region, St. Petersburg, Republic of Chuvashia, Kaluga, Khabarovsk region. As a result of the championship, a draw was held for the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2003 in Dublin, according to which the following were selected: the main team - athletes from the Republic of Udmurtia; reserve squad - athletes from St. Petersburg. At the end of September, the Special Olympics European Basketball Tournament was held in Moscow. Competitions of such a high level took place in Russia for the first time.

2003

In June, the Special Olympics Summer World Games took place in Dublin, Ireland. For the first time in the history of the Special Olympics movement, the Summer Games were held outside the United States of America. The main delegation of the Russian Federation consisted of 104 people from different cities of Russia, from Moscow to Omsk.

— sport for people with intellectual disabilities.

“Let me win, but if I can’t win, let me be brave, in the attempt” (“I strive to win. But if I can’t win, let me have the courage to try”). This is the athlete’s oath at the Special Olympics World Games, which is not only part of the organizational events, but also characterizes the international Special Olympics movement as a whole. After all, only here for an athlete “the main thing is not victory, but participation” ( famous words Bishop of Pennsylvania, delivered at the 1908 Olympic Games).

The Special Olympics is perhaps the only organization that provides people with intellectual disabilities with the opportunity to join society through sports. Their main goal is not to win medals at the main competitions of the four-year period. It is important to help people with disabilities mental development become full members of society.

The Special Olympics movement dates back to 1962, when Eunice Kennedy Shriver organized a summer sports and recreation camp for children with mental disabilities. However, this event has its own background. In 1918, a daughter, Rosemary, was born to the family of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, who, as it turned out later, began to lag behind her peers in mental development. In 1941, Rosemary underwent brain surgery, after which her condition only worsened. Eunice, observing her sister’s condition and life, decided to help people with the same problem at all costs.

So, in 1968, with the help of Joseph Kennedy, Eunice organized the first International sport games Special Olympics (Chicago, USA). More than 1 thousand athletes took part in the Games in 3 sports: athletics, swimming, floor hockey. Later that year, it was decided to create a charitable non-profit organization, Special Olympics Inc.

First winter Games The Special Olympics were held in 1977 in Steam Bounte Springs (USA). A special feature of the Special Olympics Games is the system of division of athletes, according to which one competitive division can have from three to 8 participants (athletes or teams).

Thus began the history of one of the large-scale international sports movements. Today the Special Olympics brings together more than 4 million athletes. And this is largely thanks to the volunteers who play a decisive role in the activities of this organization. Here volunteers are not only those who assist in organizing competitions and other sporting events. Here they are mentors, comrades, brothers and even parents. Anyone can become a Special Olympics volunteer: a businessman who sponsors competitions, a student who organizes them, a doctor who conducts a medical examination, and even a representative law enforcement, who, together with the athlete, carries the torch with the flame of the Special Olympics.

The award podium at Special Olympics competitions differs from the classic one and has 8 steps. Accordingly, at the Games all participants receive awards of varying denominations.

To understand the essence of the volunteer activities of the Special Olympics, you need to understand its features. It is important to note that “special” volunteers are not only involved in preparing and organizing competitions (as happens in Olympic, Paralympic or Deaflympic sports). Here they also participate in various volunteer programs (“United Sports”, “Healthy Athletes”, “Join”, “Young Athletes”, “ Family program", "MATR", "Torch Run", "Athlete Leadership"). Today there are more than 915 thousand volunteers in the Special Olympics. Thanks to their activities, as well as the opportunities provided by the Special Olympics, athletes with mental disabilities are able to adapt socially through sports and physical activity.