The Paralympics and Special Olympics are not the same. Despite focusing on the disability community, the two are distinct and serve unique purposes.
and you might notice some interesting discourse in the comment section. Among excitement over athlete success and emojis conveying country pride, some commenters are getting called out for referring to the current competition as"special Olympics."
In fact, their only overlap is the fact that both the Paralympics and Special Olympics are recognized by the International Olympic Committee and focus on sport for people with disabilities. But that's pretty much where their similarities end., including classifications like impaired muscle power, limb deficiency, vision impairment, and vision impairment, among others.
Special Olympics, on the other hand, works a bit differently."We create divisions for our athletes based on their ability level, age, and gender — with the idea that regardless of ability level, if we provide you with a thrilling competition experience, it's going to be fulfilling," says Jon-Paul St. Germain, Vice President of Sport Development for Special Olympics International, while speaking on a panel for Nike's Coach The Dream initiative.
The mission and purpose of the Special Olympics is different, but similarly important: It was founded back in 1968, with the goal to end discrimination against people with ID."Our organization is dedicated to using sport to change societal attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities," says St. Germain. He also notes that some recent research identifies that, for people with ID, low expectations from others is one of"the most disabling factors they face.
Kristine Thomason Standard Fitness Sports Athletes Paralympic Games
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