Special Olympics, founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, is the world’s largest year-round program of sports training and competitions for individuals with mental handicaps of all ability levels.  More than 1 million athletes in over 150 countries train and compete in 26 Olympics-style summer and winter sports at local, national and international events.  Through its sports programs, Special Olympics strives to provide long-term benefits to individuals’ health, self-esteem and social integration.

Basketball is one of the most popular sports in Special Olympics.  Worldwide there are more than 100,000 Special Olympics players who compete at local, national, European and World levels.  In Europe/Eurasia, there are close to 13,000 players. Players with mental handicaps of all ability levels who meet the age requirements are welcomed.

In 2004, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia (SOEE), a regional office, will begin a partnership with FIBA Europe.  The aim of the partnership is to add 15,000 new Special Olympics players by 2006 and significantly change public attitudes toward people with mental handicaps.  To achieve this goal, the project will focus on:

• Significantly expanding women’s basketball
• Establishing UnifiedTM basketball in which players with and without mental handicaps participate on the same team
• Recruiting and training new coaches
• Creating a network of national Special Olympics basketball coordinators
• Involving as partners FIBA Europe and national basketball federations and clubs in at least 30 countries.

“For the partnership to be successful we need all levels of the basketball community to embrace athletes with mental handicaps and create the coaching and competition opportunities that are so needed,” said Michael Smith, managing director, SOEE.

"FIBA Europe is very proud to have a special relationship with Special Olympics,” said Nar Zanolin, executive director, FIBA Europe. “It is very important to support such a great idea. We have been a partner to wheelchair basketball for a long time and we are now very happy to extend our support to players with mental handicaps through Special Olympics so that even more people enjoy this fantastic game," he said. 

If you would like more information on Special Olympics basketball in Europe and Eurasia, please contact:

Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia
Zadumana 1, 02206 Warsaw, Poland
T/F: +48 22 824 1201
e-mail :mdamsoce@it.com.pl
Attn :  Mariusz Damentko, SOEE sports director

Visit the following Web site:

www.specialolympics-eu.org