Afk history (2). History of the Special Olympics Movement in Russia

In addition to the Paralympic Games, the Special Olympics Games are held on the day of the disabled, persons with intellectual disabilities and other adaptive abilities. The international movement unites more than 180 countries.

The Special Olympics is a public organization in which there are no fees and does not sell tickets to competitions; its funding is provided through voluntary contributions and donations.

In competitions, the individual capabilities of athletes are revealed, their personal achievements are regulated, and the medals of individual countries are not counted. The Special Olympics are intended for athletes of almost any age (from 8 to 80 years old), regardless of their physical abilities. Competitions are held at all levels, from classroom and school to the Special Olympics World Games for children and adults. TO Every participant in the Special Olympics can become a winner.

In order to differentiate athletes by level of preparedness, preliminary competitions (testing) are held, based on the results of which the competition participants are divided into divisions. Competitions are held between athletes of each division, which allows creating conditions for sports competition on the principle of “equal competes with equal.” The award podium is designed for 8 places, according to the number of competition participants in the division. Athletes who take 8th to 4th places are awarded ribbons or badges, 3rd to 1st places are awarded with medals.

The founder of the movement, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, opened a camp with a special sports program for people with intellectual disabilities in her home in Maryland in June 1963.

The first international games of the Special Olympics were held on June 19 and 20, 1968 in Chicago. About 1,000 athletes took part in athletics and swimming competitions. The first international Special Olympics Winter Games took place in February 1977 in Steamboat Springs.

In February 1988, at the XV Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch signed an agreement with Eunice Kennedy Shriver for the right to use “Olympiad” in the name of the movement. The organization has received worldwide official recognition. For her services to the development of this movement and its humanism, Eunice Kennedy Shriver is the only woman whose profile is minted on a $1 coin.

In February 1990, the first All-Union seminar for physical education specialists was held in Sukhumi (Georgia), dedicated to the organization of sports work with people with mental retardation under the Special Olympics program. At this seminar, the all-Union public organization “All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics” was created, which marked the beginning of the development of this movement in all republics of the former Soviet Union. More than 300 people took part in the seminar: Russian (AL. Dmitriev, V.M. Mozgovoy, etc.) and American (Dr. Hieli and Dr. Dolan) scientists in the field of education and physical education of persons with mental retardation, employees of the ministries of education, social security, health, physical education teachers, speech pathologists, as well as specialists from the international organization of the Special Olympics.

In 1990, the first all-Union competitions were held, where athletes were selected who took part in the Summer European Games of the Special Olympics in Glasgow (Scotland) that same year. Representatives from Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Uzbekistan participated in the athletics, swimming, gymnastics and handball competitions from the USSR. The first experience of participating in international Special Olympics competitions gave me the opportunity to understand the principles of this movement and become familiar with its rules.

In 1991, at the State Central Institute of Physical Culture, an All-Union Special Olympics seminar was held, in which well-known athletes in the past took part: Alexander Balashov, Alzhan Zharmukhamedov, Lyudmila Kondratyeva, Galina Prozumenshchikova. After this, the summer All-Union Special Olympic Games were held. They were held in 9 sports in the cities of Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. Athletes with mental retardation from almost all Union republics took part in them. In June 1991, a delegation of the Soviet Union, consisting of 113 people, took part in the summer Special Olympics World Games in Minneapolis (USA), in competitions in athletics, swimming, weightlifting, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, football, table tennis and handball. The level of physical development and physical fitness of persons with mental retardation involved in the Special Olympics program ranges from low to average. Representatives of the Soviet Union, participants in the World Special Olympics Olympic Games participants had a fairly high level of physical fitness.

In December 1991, due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics was liquidated and on its basis the public organization Special Olympics of Eurasia was created. The purpose of its creation is to help organize independent national Special Olympics programs in 12 countries on the territory of the former USSR.

In 1992, the first Eurasian Special Olympics Winter Games were held in Petrozavodsk (Russia), which included cross-country skiing and speed skating competitions; A floor hockey tournament was held in St. Petersburg.

In March 1993 in Austria, 156 athletes and coaches from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan participated in the Special Olympics Winter World Games in cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, speed skating, figure skating, and floor hockey.

In 1995, in New Haven (USA), independent teams from Russia, Azerbaijan, Tsguzia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine participated in the Summer Special Olympics World Games, and athletes from Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan competed in the united team of Eurasia, since independent national Special Olympics organizations have not yet been created in these countries.

In 1997, athletes from Russia and seven other CIS countries participated in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Toronto (Canada).

Currently, independent Special Olympics organizations operate in all neighboring countries, organizing year-round training and holding national Special Olympics games and competitions. Every two years, athletes take part in the Special Olympics World Summer or Winter Games. Specialists and trainers annually participate in regional Special Olympics seminars.

In 1999, a public all-Russian charitable organization for helping disabled people with mental retardation “Special Olympics of Russia” was established in the Russian Federation. The main goal stated in the organization's Charter is to promote, through physical culture and sports, successful rehabilitation, social adaptation and integration into society of people with mental retardation. Andrei Vladimirovich Pavlov was elected President of the Special Olympics of Russia, who held this post until May 2016. The new President and Chairman of the Board of the Special Olympics of Russia was Yuri Valentinovich Smirnov, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy, Academician of the International Academy of Mineral Resources, Chairman of the Public Chamber of the Ivanovo Region. He had significant leadership experience, including in the Federation Council, and was awarded a large number of government awards.

At the end of 2016, about 120 thousand children and adults participate in the Special Olympics of Russia movement. There are 63 legally registered territorial branches of the Special Olympics of Russia.

The Special Olympics motto is: “Let me win, but if I fail, then let me be brave in the attempt!”

Special Olympics is the most widespread sports movement of this kind. It is accessible, constantly improving, offers a variety of sports programs aimed at individuals with intellectual disabilities of varying abilities, and provides the opportunity for anyone who wishes to find their interest in this movement.

Specialists select physical exercises in such a way as to provide an opportunity for every person with intellectual disabilities and other adaptive abilities, starting from the age of five, to participate in physical education and sports, sports competitions (from 8 years old) and benefit from them, regardless of level preparedness, gender and age.

The Special Olympics offers participants training and competition in more than 38 sports. In addition, for persons with profound mental retardation and concomitant disorders (for example, cerebral palsy), a motor activity training program (PTDA) is offered, which includes a special selection of physical exercises and elements from various sports.

There is also a Unified Sports program, in which, along with persons with intellectual disabilities, healthy athletes also participate.

The “Athlete-Leader” program involves the athletes themselves assisting the coach in organizing and conducting training and competitions.

Under the “Healthy Athletes” program, athletes undergo a free examination during competitions, receiving expert opinions on their health status and recommendations for further examination of identified functional disorders of the body.

The “Torch Run” program brings together representatives of the security forces of countries around the world who take part in accompanying the torch with the Olympic flame, which they deliver to the site of the European or World Games of the Special Olympics.

Special Olympics family programs involve active support of athletes in terms of training and competitive activities by members of their families. This can manifest itself in joint activities, provision of comprehensive assistance to athletes, coaches and organizers of regular classes and sports events.

For the safety of athletes, some sports disciplines are prohibited at the Special Olympics. For example, in athletics, javelin and hammer throwing, pole vaulting, etc. diving, trampolining, biathlon, etc. ski jumping, all types of martial arts (except judo), including karate, rugby, American football, all types of shooting and fencing.

The popularity of the Special Olympics movement in the countries of the former USSR is explained by the fact that it stimulates the development and use of physical education and sports for people with intellectual disabilities. Active physical education and sports according to the Special Olympics programs have a positive impact on the activity of the main body systems, thereby promoting the development of correctional and compensatory functions, allowing athletes to adapt to life in society.

An indispensable role in the process of socialization of athletes with intellectual disabilities is played by the rules and regulations developed by the Special Olympic Committee and regulating participation in sports activities.

Rules of conduct for persons with mental retardation when playing sports.

1. Rules serve as a criterion for an athlete's behavior: a participant recognizes the rules of competition as a criterion not only to justify his own behavior, such as participating in competitions with the goal of winning, but also to evaluate the behavior of others. For example, if opponents do not follow the rules of the game, then their victory should not be counted.
2. Rules are popular, social and universal: these characteristics help people understand situations. Participants in a sporting event understand each other thanks to established rules. The audience also understands what is happening in each case.
3. The rules must be taught in order to know not only the rules for conducting various sporting events, but also the rules of relationships.

The system of rules imposes certain responsibilities on an athlete with mental retardation: each sport has its own rules, its own requirements for the athlete’s level of preparedness, training program, etc.

The development of various forms of sports activity of persons with mental retardation requires careful familiarization of these athletes with the norms and rules associated with their participation in sports. Sports organizations for persons with mental retardation should improve the methods by which persons with mental retardation can learn the rules.

The organization of the Special Olympics of Russia is developing successfully. In addition to the increase in the number of participants and sports practiced, the number of competitions is growing and the coaching staff is increasing.

Quantitative indicators turn into quality: the level of athletes’ preparedness increases, communication skills, thinking, and volitional sphere develop, which leads them to successful socialization and a feeling of themselves as full citizens of the country.

Society develops a tolerant attitude towards people with intellectual problems, understanding them, and a desire to provide them with support.

Special Olympics movement!!!

Where and when did the Special Olympics Movement begin?

The Special Olympics movement arose on the initiative of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of US President John F. Kennedy. 1963 In the USA

What is the main goal of the Special Olympics?

The Special Olympics are held solely for the purpose of adapting people with intellectual disabilities. At competitions there is no goal to identify the strongest and record sports records. All participants are divided into divisions depending on their athletic training. Thus, to participate in Special Olympics competitions, there is no requirement to demonstrate any athletic achievements. The difference in results between athletes of the same division should not be more than 10% (15% is allowed if the number of athletes is small). No more than 8 participants compete in each division. At the same time, there are also 8 places on the podium - that is, in principle there are no losers.

Three athletes who took the highest three places in each division, as well as partially other participants, are selected for competitions at a higher level by drawing lots. As a result, everyone has a chance to get to the World Special Olympics, regardless of their sporting achievements.

At the Special Olympics, there is no recording of the nationality of participants and there are no “team competitions” between different countries.

Which organization runs the Special Olympics programs in the Russian Federation? In the Russian Federation, the development of the Special Olympics movement is carried out by the Special Olympics of Russia - an all-Russian public charitable organization for helping people with mental retardation.

What are the features of the work of the Special Olympic Committee of St. Petersburg?

Describe the similarities and differences between the Special Olympics Movement and the Paralympic Movement.

Reveal the prerequisites for the development of adaptive sports among persons with intellectual disabilities.

Name and characterize the main dates in the development of adaptive sports among people with intellectual disabilities abroad.

1963 USA Eunice Kennedy Shriver opened a summer camp for mentally retarded people in her own home.

1968 first international Special Olympics games

1977 first international winter games in the USA Special Olympics

2015 Summer 14th Games in Los Angeles Special Olympics

2013 Winter 10th Games in China Special Olympics

In 2012, persons with intellectual disabilities were again included in the Paralympic movement

Name and characterize the main dates in the development of adaptive sports among persons with intellectual disabilities in our country.

In Russia there are 5 stages:

1st stage “pre-scientific” 1912 - 1959 The founder of this was V.P. Kashchenko (1912), who paid great attention to therapeutic and recreational activities (gymnastics, games, massage) when working in the school-sanatorium he opened. In those years, special importance in the auxiliary school was given to an educational subject called “mental orthopedics” (this was a system of exercises that helped correct mental deficiencies, including movements to improve fine motor skills (fingers and hands). In addition, the curriculum included A auxiliary school was included along with lessons in drawing, singing, manual labor and physical exercise.

2nd stage: first scientific research 1960 -1965 (Alexander Sergeevich Samylichev)

3rd stage 1966 - 1975 introduction of a protective regime for people with disabilities. Based on a study of the motor skills and physical development of oligophrenic children, the peculiarities of their motor sphere were emphasized in every possible way and all sorts of prohibitions and restrictions were introduced.

4th stage 1976 - 1990 In 1977, the study of students’ assimilation of complex motor actions, the development of a system of special and leading exercises.

Stage 5, from 1991 to the present, the introduction of competitive activities into the lives of students with intellectual disabilities. Entry into the world sports movement. Creation of the Special Olympics of Russia A.V. Pavlov - President.

Name the locations and dates of the Summer Special Olympics World Games since 1968.

Name the places and dates of the Special Olympics World Winter Games since 1968.

Tell us about the first summer Special Olympics in which our country took part.

In 1995, in New Haven (USA), independent teams from Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine participated in the Summer Special Olympics World Games, and athletes from Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan competed in one team of Eurasia, since independent national Special Olympics organizations have not yet been created in these countries.

Tell me about the activities of the Special Olympics organization.

The main periods of formation and development of adaptive sports in Russia should be considered:

1st period: 1932 – period of origin, characterized by the emergence of the first organized forms of physical exercise with people with disabilities, the emergence of the first sports organizations and sections for people with disabilities in Russia (mainly for hearing and vision)

2nd period: 1932 – 1980 – period of experience, which is characterized by the further development of sports for the deaf, the active development of the theory and methodology of exercise therapy with elements of sports for persons with musculoskeletal impairment

3rd period: 1980 – 1992 – formation adaptive sports in Russia, which begins with the creation of the first in the USSR Federation of Sports for Disabled People under the City Sports Committee of Leningrad. Participation of domestic disabled athletes with a disability in the Paralympic Games in Spain.

4th period: 1992 – 1996 – recession period a pronounced decline in the mass participation of Russian adaptive sports due to a sharp decrease in government funding. Participation in debt.

5th period: 1996 – 2000 – revival adaptive sports in the new Russia. Formalization of adaptive FC as a science, creation of the Paralympic Committee in Russia in 1996, active participation of Russian disabled athletes in international competitions.

6th period: from 2000 to present – development of adaptive sports in Russia, which is characterized by an increase in the number of people involved in adaptive sports, significant achievements of Russian disabled athletes in the international arena, active development of TiMAFC

Features of sports for the visually impaired

There are three classes according to the IBSA classification for people with impaired vision - these are B1, B2 and B3. This classification is determined by the visual acuity of each athlete:

B1: from the inability to see light with either eye to the presence of such an ability, but the inability to distinguish the outline of a hand at any distance or in any direction (totally blind).

B2: from the ability to distinguish the outline of the hand to a visual acuity of 2/60 and/or a visual field of less than 5 degrees.

B3: from visual acuity over 2/60 to 6/60 and/or visual field over 5 degrees and less than 20 degrees.

In the process of training a disabled athlete, their coaches have long noticed that disabled people have much more desire and perseverance than people without physical disabilities, and this helps them overcome difficulties both in sports and in life. This fact contributes to the achievement of high results by the athlete. But the price of these results is much higher, as can be seen from the example of the training of a skier. Sports: mini-football, archery (with a leader), athletics (with a leader), cross-country skiing, biathlon, swimming, cycling, dressage (equestrian sport), volleyball, goalball, boccia,

Official website of the Special Olympics of Russia: http://www.specialolympics.ru/
Official website of the Arkhangelsk regional branch of the Special Olympics of Russia: http://spolrussia29.ru/
e-mail: [email protected]

HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT
A private summer camp for people with intellectual disabilities launched a worldwide sports movement.

For more than 43 years, the Special Olympics has been changing the lives of people with disabilities and the way society treats them for the better.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver opened the world of sports to children with intellectual disabilities at a summer camp that became the prototype for Special Olympics competitions.

In the early 1960s. Eunice Kennedy Shriver's attention was drawn to the problem of unfair treatment of people with intellectual disabilities by society. In particular, separate playgrounds were not even built for children with special needs. Eunice decided to fight injustice. Very soon she was able to find a way to put her beliefs into practice by organizing a summer camp for children and youth with intellectual disabilities.

Her goal was to find out whether (and if so, to what extent) such children can engage in sports and other active recreational activities, and not focus on what they cannot do.

Her ideas were developed and led to the emergence of the Special Olympics movement around the world.

In July 1968, the first international Special Olympics Games took place at Military Field in Chicago. In December of the same year, the Special Olympics was created and received the status of a charitable organization. Over the years, more than three million people from 180 countries have become participants in the Special Olympics movement.

In 1988, at the XV Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, the President of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, signed an agreement with Yu. Kennedy-Shriver, according to which the Special Olympics received the right to use the word “Olympics” in its name.

...in recognition of the efforts of Special Olympics International to promote participation in sports among persons with mental retardation, the International Olympic Committee officially recognizes the Special Olympics, which is hereby granted permission to use the name “Olympics”...

Juan Antonio Samaranch - President of the International Olympic Committee, February 15, 1988, Calgary, Canada, XV Winter Olympic Games
The merit of Eunice and her husband, Sargent Shriver, a prominent figure in the US Democratic Party, is that they were able to prove: regular physical education classes and participation in competitions help mentally retarded people acquire skills in work and collective conscious action, teach them to perform purposefully and in an organized manner. . This creates opportunities for gradual adaptation to real life conditions and integration into society.

In Russia, the Special Olympics movement has been developing since 1990. On September 16, 1999, the Special Olympics of Russia, which became part of Special Olympic International, was registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation as an all-Russian public charitable organization for helping people with mental retardation.

Nowadays, more than 110 thousand children and adults participate in the Special Olympics movement in our country. There are about 60 local branches of the Special Olympics of Russia.

History of the Special Olympics Movement in Russia
February 1990

The first all-Union seminar for physical education specialists was held in Sukhumi (Georgia), dedicated to the organization of sports work with mentally retarded people under the Special Olympics program. At this seminar, the public organization “All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics” was created, which marked the beginning of the development of this movement in all republics of the former Soviet Union. The seminar was attended by Russian (A.A. Dmitriev, V.M. Mozgovoy) and American (Dr. Hieli and Dr. Dolan) scientists in the field of physical education of persons with mental retardation, employees of the ministries of education, social security, health, physical education teachers, speech pathologists, as well as specialists from the international organization Special Olympics International, led by the president of this organization, Mr. Sargent Shriver. Then Russian specialists first became acquainted with the Special Olympics program.

June 1990

The first all-Union competitions were held, at which athletes from Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Uzbekistan were selected, who took part in the Summer European Special Olympic Games in Glasgow (Scotland) in athletics, swimming, gymnastics and handball that same year. This first experience of participating in international Special Olympics competitions gave the coaches the opportunity to understand the principles of this movement and become more familiar with its requirements and rules.

April 1991

In Moscow, on the basis of GCOLIFK, an all-Union seminar “Special Olympics” was held, in which well-known athletes in the past took part: Tatyana Sarycheva, Alexander Boloshev, Alzhan Zharmukhamedov, Lyudmila Kondratyeva, Galina Prozumenshchikova. After this, the summer All-Union Special Olympic Games were held; they were held in 9 sports in the cities of Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. Athletes with mental retardation from almost all republics took part in them.

June 1991

A delegation of 113 people, including representatives of all Soviet republics, took part in the summer Special Olympics World Games in Minneapolis (USA), in competitions in athletics, swimming, weightlifting, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, football, table tennis, handball .

December 1991

Due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics was liquidated and the public organization Special Olympics of Eurasia was created. The purpose of its creation was to help organize independent national Special Olympics programs in 12 young countries in the territory of the former Soviet Union.

The first winter Special Olympic Games of Eurasia were held in Petrozavodsk, the program of which included cross-country skiing and speed skating competitions; A floor hockey tournament was held in St. Petersburg.

March 1993

In Austria, 156 athletes and coaches from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan participated in the Winter Special Olympics World Games in competitions in cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, speed skating, figure skating, and floor hockey.

In Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), athletes from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan participated in the Summer Special Olympic Games of Eurasia in competitions in athletics, swimming, basketball, table tennis, and football. Unfortunately, due to financial problems, other countries were not able to take part in them.

July 1995

In New Haven (USA), independent teams from Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine participated in the Summer Special Olympics World Games, and athletes from Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan competed in one team from Eurasia, so how independent national Special Olympics organizations have not yet been created in these countries. Such rapid growth of the Special Olympics movement in the post-Soviet countries can be explained by the fact that it stimulates the development and use of physical education and sports for people with mental retardation. It was revealed that active physical education and sports have a positive effect on the functioning of the main body systems of people with mental retardation, thereby promoting the development of correctional and compensatory functions that allow them to adapt to life in society. The Special Olympics of Russia is an all-Russian public charitable organization, officially recognized by the Russian Olympic Committee, which is the national committee of the international public organization Special Olympics International.

September 1999

The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the first time registered the “Special Olympics of Russia” - the only organization in our country representing Russia in SOI, including at international competitions. “Special Olympics of Russia” organizes all-Russian competitions in individual sports and Olympiads, recruits and sends national teams to European and world competitions, organizes all-Russian seminars, trains coaches and judges, and publishes methodological literature. The main goal of the Special Olympics of Russia is to spread the Special Olympics movement in the country and involve more people with mental retardation in sports under the Special Olympics programs. To achieve this, the directorate is doing a lot of work to organize territorial offices and regional centers.

From February 1 to February 8, the Sixth International Special Olympic Winter Games were held in Toronto, which were broadcast daily on all Canadian television channels! More than 1,780 athletes from 82 countries competed for medals at these Games.

The new millennium ushered in the European Summer Special Olympics, which took place from May 27 to June 4 in Groningen, the Netherlands. 50 Special Olympians participated in competitions in bowling, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, football and equestrianism and won 71 medals, of which there were 35 gold, 27 silver and 9 bronze!

In March 2001, the Seventh International Special Olympics Winter Games started in Anchorage. 2000 athletes from 100 countries. Russia represented a delegation of 70 people at these competitions and won a considerable number of medals.

In the spring of 2002, the Russian Mini-Football Championship was held in the beautiful city of Smolensk. The championship was attended by 170 athletes from 17 territories of Russia: Yaroslavl, Smolensk, Vyazma, Sverdlovsk Region, Omsk Region, Komi Republic, Kurgan, Voronezh, Arkhangelsk, Pskov Regions, Mari-El Republic, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Udmurtia Republic, Leningrad Region, St. St. Petersburg, Republic of Chuvashia, Kaluga, Khabarovsk Territory. As a result of the championship, a draw was held for the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2003 in Dublin, according to which the following were selected: the main team - athletes from the Republic of Udmurtia; reserve squad - athletes from St. Petersburg. At the end of September, the Special Olympics European Basketball Tournament was held in Moscow. Competitions of such a high level took place in Russia for the first time.

In June, the Special Olympics Summer World Games took place in Dublin, Ireland. For the first time in the history of the Special Olympics movement, the Summer Games were held outside the United States of America. The main delegation of the Russian Federation consisted of 104 people from different cities of Russia, from Moscow to Omsk.

When using materials from the Official Website of the Special Olympics of Russia: www.specialolympics.ru

Activities for persons with mental disabilities. Is the main organizer of the Special Olympics ( Special Olympics World Games), held every 4 years. The Special Olympics Movement arose 40 years ago on the initiative of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sisters of US President John Kennedy. In 1957, she headed the Joseph Kennedy Foundation. The foundation has two main goals: to find protection against mental retardation by identifying its causes and to improve the way society treats citizens who have intellectual disabilities.

In 1963, Eunice and her husband, Sargent Shriver, decided to change the status of people considered useless by society. To that end, they converted their Maryland home into a sports day camp for children and adults with mental retardation to study their abilities.
The first results of working with them showed how responsive these people are to care and how, with support and patient training, their enormous inner potential is revealed. People with mental retardation turned out to be much more capable in sports and physical education than many experts thought.
In July 1968, the first international Special Olympics Games took place at Military Field in Chicago. In December of the same year, the Special Olympics was created and received the status of a charitable organization. Over the years, more than three million people from 180 countries have become participants in the Special Olympics movement.

"...in recognition of the efforts of Special Olympics International to promote participation in sports among persons with mental retardation, the International Olympic Committee officially recognizes the Special Olympics and is hereby granted permission to use the name "Olympics"...
Juan Antonio Samaranch
President of the International Olympic Committee,
February 15, 1988, Calgary, Canada, XV Winter Olympic Games

The merit of Eunice and her husband, Sargent Shriver, a prominent figure in the US Democratic Party, is that they were able to prove: regular physical education classes and participation in competitions help mentally retarded people acquire skills in work and collective conscious action, teach them to perform purposefully and in an organized manner. . This creates opportunities for gradual adaptation to real life conditions and integration into society.
In Russia, the Special Olympics movement has been developing since 1990. On September 16, 1999, the Special Olympics of Russia, which became part of Special Olympic International, was registered by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation as an all-Russian public charitable organization for helping people with mental retardation.
Nowadays, more than 110 thousand children and adults participate in the Special Olympics movement in our country. There are about 60 local branches of the Special Olympics of Russia.

History of the Special Olympics Movement in Russia

In February 1990 The first all-Union seminar for physical education specialists was held in Sukhumi (Georgia), dedicated to the organization of sports work with mentally retarded people under the Special Olympics program. At this seminar, the public organization “All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics” was created, which marked the beginning of the development of this movement in all republics of the former Soviet Union.
The seminar was attended by Russian (A. A. Dmitriev, V. M. Mozgovoy) and American (Dr. Hieli and Dr. Dolan) scientists in the field of physical education of persons with mental retardation, employees of the ministries of education, social security, health, physical education teachers, speech pathologists, as well as specialists from the international organization Special Olympics International, led by the president of this organization, Mr. Sargent Shriver. Then Russian specialists first became acquainted with the Special Olympics program.
In 1990 The first all-Union competitions were held, at which athletes from Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Uzbekistan were selected, who took part in the summer European Special Olympic Games in Glasgow (Scotland) in athletics, swimming, gymnastics and handball that same year. This first experience of participating in international Special Olympics competitions gave the coaches the opportunity to understand the principles of this movement and become more familiar with its requirements and rules.
Spring 1991 In Moscow, on the basis of GCOLIFK, an all-Union seminar “Special Olympics” was held, in which well-known athletes in the past took part: Tatyana Sarycheva, Alexander Boloshev, Alzhan Zharmukhamedov, Lyudmila Kondratyeva, Galina Prozumenshchikova. After this, the summer All-Union Special Olympic Games were held; they were held in 9 sports in the cities of Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. Athletes with mental retardation from almost all republics took part in them.
In June 1991 a delegation of 113 people, including representatives of all Soviet republics, took part in the summer Special Olympics World Games in Minneapolis (USA), in competitions in athletics, swimming, weightlifting, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, football, table tennis, handball .
In December 1991 In connection with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the All-Union Committee of the Special Olympics was liquidated and the public organization Special Olympics of Eurasia was created. The purpose of its creation was to help organize independent national Special Olympics programs in 12 young countries in the territory of the former Soviet Union.
In 1992 the first winter Special Olympic Games of Eurasia were held in Petrozavodsk, the program of which included cross-country skiing and speed skating competitions; A floor hockey tournament was held in St. Petersburg.
In March 1993 In Austria, 156 athletes and coaches from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan participated in the Winter Special Olympics World Games in competitions in cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, speed skating, figure skating, and floor hockey.
In 1994 In Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), athletes from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan participated in the Summer Special Olympic Games of Eurasia in competitions in athletics, swimming, basketball, table tennis, and football. Unfortunately, due to financial problems, other countries were not able to take part in them.
In 1995 In New Haven (USA), independent teams from Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine participated in the Summer Special Olympics World Games, and athletes from Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan competed in one team from Eurasia, so how independent national Special Olympics organizations have not yet been created in these countries.
Such rapid growth of the Special Olympics movement in the post-Soviet countries can be explained by the fact that it stimulates the development and use of physical education and sports for people with mental retardation. It was revealed that active physical education and sports have a positive effect on the functioning of the main body systems of people with mental retardation, thereby promoting the development of correctional and compensatory functions that allow them to adapt to life in society.
The Special Olympics of Russia is an all-Russian public charitable organization, officially recognized by the Russian Olympic Committee, which is the national committee of the international public organization Special Olympics International.
In September 1999 The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the first time registered the “Special Olympics of Russia” - the only organization in our country representing Russia in SOI, including at international competitions.
“Special Olympics of Russia” organizes all-Russian competitions in individual sports and Olympiads, recruits and sends national teams to European and world competitions, organizes all-Russian seminars, trains coaches and judges, and publishes methodological literature. The main goal of the Special Olympics of Russia is to spread the Special Olympics movement in the country and involve more people with mental retardation in sports under the Special Olympics programs. To achieve this, the directorate is doing a lot of work to organize territorial offices and regional centers.

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Special Olympics- Basketballturnier Special Olympics ist die weltweit größte Sportbewegung für Menschen mit geistiger Behinderung und Mehrfachbehinderung. Sie ist vom Internationalen Olympischen Komitee offiziell anerkannt und darf als einzige Organization den… … Deutsch Wikipedia

Special Olympics- es una organización internacional creada para ayudar a las personas con discapacidad psíquica a desarrollar la confianza en sí mismas y sus habilidades sociales mediante el entrenamiento y la competición deportiva. Entre otras actividades,… … Wikipedia Español

Special Olympics- Special Olympian. an international program of fitness and athletic competition for children and adults who are mentally and often physically handicapped, founded in 1968 and featuring events and quadrennial games modeled on those of the Olympics… … Universalium

Special Olympics- Jeux olympiques spéciaux Inspirés des Jeux olympiques, les Jeux olympiques spéciaux s’adressent à des déficients intellectuels âgés de 8 à 80 ans. L accent est mis sur la participation de chacun plutôt que sur l exploit sportif. Sommaire 1… … Wikipédia en Français

Special Olympics- Special O|lym|pics, the an international program of sports events and sports training for adults and children who have mental or physical problems … Dictionary of contemporary English