About Us

Ten Things to Know

1. Special Olympics Australia is part of a global network that brings sport, joy and inclusion to people with intellectual disability/autism.
2. In Australia, 750,000 people live with intellectual disability/autism and each of them deserves to be included in sport and physical activity. It's the Australian way!
3. Special Olympics is not the Paralympics. The Paralympics is for elite athletes, mainly with physical disability. Special Olympics is for people with intellectual disability/autism of all ages, abilities and aspirations.
4. Although Special Olympics and Paralympics are two separate organisations, we are both recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
5. Many particpants join us for fun and friendship, others have a passion to win gold for Australia.
6. Special Olympics is not just a major event. In Australia, our dedicated volunteers, coaches and sports partners provide year-round sports training and competition in multiple summer and winter sports.
7. Thanks to our network of Partners who respect diversity and inclusion, we are also able to offer health, education and leadership programs so that athletes have personal development opportunities outside of sport.
8. Special Olympics is a global charity founded in the 1960s in the US by Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
9. Today, Special Olympics supports almost 4 million athletes in 177 countries (Special Olympics Global Reach Report 2022).
10. With your support, we can help more Australians with intellectual disability/autism to experience their best life.
    

👇 Be a champion. Choose to include.