Special Olympics1
Football inSpecial Olympics Europe-Eurasia(SOEE)
André Peeters
Colin Kenny
EFDN Conference
Lisbon , 21-22 March 2017
Special Olympics
Eligibility for SOIntellectual Disability definition
• Age (8 years of age or older except Young Athletes Program)
• Registration to participate with SO
• Identification by their localities as having intellectual disability OR by
their localities as having closely related developmental disability
• Refers to substantial limitations in present functioning• Manifests before age 18 years• Exists concurrently with limitations in two or more of the
following adaptive skill areas:> communication > self-care > home living > social skills
> health and safety > leisure > functional academics > work
Special Olympics
Special Olympics & Paralympics
What’s the Difference?
• Special Olympics and Paralympics are two separate entities
recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
• They both focus on sport for athletes with a disability and are run by
international non-profit organizations.
• Apart from that, Special Olympics and the Paralympics differ in three
main areas:
1) the disability categories of the athletes involved
2) the criteria and philosophy under which athletes participate, and
3) the structure of their respective organizations.
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Uniqueness of Special Olympics
• Sports opportunities for all ability levels
• No fees charged to athletes
• Divisioning for equitable competition
• Awards for all participants
• Challenging and fair competition
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Special Olympics
Football is the most popular of the 33 official sports offered by
Special Olympics worldwide.
500,000 SO athletes competing in football worldwide,
137,707 players and 7427 coaches
registered in football across 58 SO Europe/Eurasia Programs
Special Olympics
Ultimate Goal of Special Olympics Football
- By offering them a fair opportunity to develop and
demonstrate their football skills and talents through
training and competition,
- To help persons with Intellectual Disabilities as
respected members of society,
- And by increasing the public awareness of their
capabilities and needs.
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Special Olympics
The Special Olympics Europe Eurasia-UEFA Football Development Project
- Since1998
- Aims to involve more players with intellectual disabilities in football
- After 16 years of players involved grew by 100,000,
- Unified Football concept has been successfully implemented in 40 countries,
- Grassroots initiative “Annual Special Olympics European Football Week” is gathering more
than 40,000 participants every year
- 7300 players had an opportunity to participated in 26 international tournaments.
- SO World Games in Los Angeles (July 2015), attended by 47 European football teams,
- More efforts were made to increase participation of children and youth unified football and
grassroots development.
- In March the European Conference held in Antwerp with KBVB support, followed by annual
European Football Week in May 2016, when over 3500 children (U12) with and without
disabilities could play Unified Football.
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Special Olympics
6,500athletes from
170countries
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http://media.specialolympics.org/resources/brand-awareness-and-communication/event-resources/2015-world-summer-games/LA_2015_Media_Awareness_Report.pdf
1,000footballers
100countries
Special Olympics
2012-17 Football Priorities
• Organize 2 International level football competitions per year
• Expand grassroots football with local events by implementing league type or
other competition systems for all ability levels of teams.
• Promote SO & disability football at selected UEFA events
• Host European bi-annual football coordinators meeting
• Annual Special Olympics European Football Week for 45,000 pp
• Sustain Unified Football in 35 countries, with major focus on Youth Unified
Football and Inclusion through football for 20,000pp
• Junior’s Football development (U12) in 10 Countries.
• Cooperate with National Football Federations in 50 countries
Special Olympics
50European
countries
400events
40000players
38Football
Federationssupport
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100Football
Clubssupport
Special Olympics
2012-2017 – 17 Int’l tournaments
• 2012: June, Denmark: 7-a-side football ( 12 low-ability level) ; July, Sweden: 7-a-side football „Kim Kallstrom Trophy” (28 ).
• 2013: May, Belarus: 7-a-side Unified Football (12).June, Poland: Unified Football (12, 11-a-side teams); July, Sweden: 7-a-side football „Kim Kallstrom Trophy” (30);
• 2014: May , Georgia - 7-a-side football ( 18 M&F); July, Sweden – 7-a-side football „Kim Kallstrom Trophy” (30 );
Sept , Antwerp - 7-a-side at SO European Games (26 M&F);.
• 2015: May , The Netehrlands - 7-a-side football ( 12); July, Sweden – 7-a-side football „Kim Kallstrom Trophy” (33 );July, USA – 5, 7, 11-a-side football at 2015 World Games (60).
• 2016: May , Italy: 5-a-side Unified Football ( 8); Spain: 7-a-side Unified Football;June, Lithuania: 7-a-side football (20 M & F);July, Sweden: 7-a-side football „Kim Kallstrom Trophy” (30 );
• 2017: May , Belarus: 7-a-side Football ( 20 M& F)July, Sweden: 7-a-side football „Kim Kallstrom Trophy” (30 ); October Italy: 5-a-side Unified football (12);
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a platform for communicating the value and dignity of people with intellectual disabilities, creating a culture
of inclusiveness and a stronger society.
Special Olympics
Special Olympics Spain & Villareal CF ...
7-a-side Unified Tournament in Villareal June 2016
Special Olympics15 / Special Olympics
Increase inclusion through Unified Sports and Young Athletes,
particularly in schools, and expand to new areas
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Junior’s Football development U12
• Transition - from Young Athletes (2-7) to Football to U12
• Training /coaching methods for SO, rules of competitions, materialsfor coaches.
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2016-17 Expand Grassroots football & coaches training
Football Curriculum at FA level C coaching course
• A chapter about Special Olympics (specific of football for players
with intellectual disabilities, divisioning and rules) includes in FA
courses for coaches.
• Use SOEE Football video highlights
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Rules
Based on International and National Governing Body rules of sport federations
Contain few modifications
Provide events for all ability levels
Govern all Special Olympics competitions
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Education: Conference, coaches seminars, clinics, workshops
• Warsaw 2014 (Safety & Injury Prevention); Antwerp 2016 (U12); Prague 2018 –(Children TBC)
• 50 coaches seminars /annually (EFW)- football for all ability players
• Project SOGB with THF
• SO curriculum (Belgium)
Special Olympics
UEFA, Nat’l Federations & Clubs
• 38 Nat’l Football Federations partner Special Olympics Programs – mostly with Memorandum of Undrestanding
• +100 football clubs ... enourmous opportunity for CSR
www.playunified.be/en
Special Olympics
Special Olympics
MADRID, March 14, 2017 - The Spanish national football coach, Mr. JulenLopetegui, has said he is committed to supporting the ‘inspiring athletes’ of the Special Olympics movement.
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Key Objectives when working with Club Foundations
• Ensure that there is alignment between Special Olympics football strategy
and the Club Foundations strategy
• Look at options both locally and internationally especially if the club and
it’s Foundations wish to increase its footprint outside of ther own country
• If a club has little experience in working with people with ID we can
educate them about the key points.
• In exchange for this the club foundation provides it’s football coaching
experience. For example Tottenham Hotspur have played a key role in
developing our coaching infrastructure in India.
• VIK support or cash support from the club foudation would be critical to
developing proposed projects
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Special Olympics
Player Foundations
• Have also worked closely
with player Foundations
also with very positive
results
• Currently working with
Thierry Henry’s Foundation
who is supporting an
education project in GB.
• Already proving hugely
succesful and a real legacy
has been established
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Thank you - SOEE football team:
Andre PeetersSOI Sport Resource Team Chair SOEE Football Advisor and Technical [email protected]
Beverley Hill,SOEE Football Consultant, partnerships [email protected]
Miroslaw KrogulecSpecial Olympics Europe/Eurasia (SOEE)Director, Organizational Development and [email protected]
Colin KennyCorporate Development Executive Special Olympics Europe/ Eurasia (SOEE)[email protected]