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

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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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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

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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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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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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

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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

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50European

countries

400events

40000players

38Football

Federationssupport

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100Football

Clubssupport

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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.

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Special Olympics Spain & Villareal CF ...

7-a-side Unified Tournament in Villareal June 2016

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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)

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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

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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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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 Delagateandrepeeters@terengelen.be

Beverley Hill,SOEE Football Consultant, partnerships bevhill@luxsci.net

Miroslaw KrogulecSpecial Olympics Europe/Eurasia (SOEE)Director, Organizational Development and Sportmkrogulec@specialolympics.org

Colin KennyCorporate Development Executive Special Olympics Europe/ Eurasia (SOEE)ckenny@specialolympics.org