Backwards in wheelchair: down the stairs

[alexis_the_tiny]

It'd be nice to see special athletic events in the Olympics or in friendlies between typical athletes and athletes with special needs. My prof loves telling us about the time when our special olympics soccer team played against a college's soccer team and trashed them soundly. It really does help with showing people that children and adults with any kinds of special needs really aren't THAT different and its good for paving the way to a more inclusive society.

However, knowing what the Special Olympics offers to children with special needs, I feel its very important for it to remain. The Young Athletes' Program is really great for kids with special needs. These kids are often the very first ones to lose out on sports participation so having a program that gets them started on sports very early and remain in sports is critical to their success later on in life.

[Sylvia]

The special Olympics caters to a different group, athletes with intellectual disabilities. And I agree that they should remain as a separate event.

Often when people think of disabled athletics, they think of the special Olympics. And I think sometimes people may confuse the Paralympics with the special Olympics.

So thanks for bringing that up, so I could clarify this.

[NbyNW]

Yes, as I understand it the Paralympics are organized by a committee within the IOC, so there is already a relationship with the "regular" Olympics. I believe they get the same medals.

The Special Olympics is an entirely different organization with its own history and does have a different focus.