|
Home
Contents
Governance
Organizations
Sports
Competitions
Classification
Coaching
Research
Issues
Laws
Links
Michigan
MSU
Webmaster
| |
Special Olympics Competition
The Special Olympics International (SOI) program
serves athletes with cognitive disabilities. The major competitions for
Special Olympics athletes are the quadrennial summer and winter Special
Olympics World Games. SOI also promotes training and competition at local,
state, and regional levels. The SOI organization governs all competition.
SOI is one of two international sports
organizations that serve athletes with cognitive disabilities -
SOI and INAS-FID. The major difference between the
two organizations is philosophy.
 | The primary focus in the SOI program is participation. Athletes are
grouped for competition by ability using the 10% rule, and each heat or
bracket is treated as a separate event with separate awards. In some
cases, a lottery system is used to determine which athletes advance to
higher level competitions. Training and competition are offered in 24
official sports, as well as several demonstration sports and developmental
sports activities. Many SOI athletes participate in different sports each
season. As noted earlier, the major competitions for
SOI athletes are the quadrennial summer and winter Special Olympics World
Games. |
| The European-based INAS-FID competition is highly competitive. Most
athletes have mild disability, and performances by top athletes are close
to those of non-disabled athletes. Athletes train seriously for their
sports, and typically choose to compete in only one sport. Competition is
generally limited to sports offered in the Paralympic Games.
The major competitions for INAS-FID athletes are the quadrennial summer
and winter Paralympic Games. |
Special Olympics dominates the scene in the USA.
Beginning in 1996, the United States Olympic Committee has worked with
Special Olympics to facilitate INAS-FID membership for
those athletes with cognitive disabilities who have
qualified to compete in major international
competitions such as the Paralympic Games.
Links
|
|
