Special Olympics enables people with intellectual disabilities to play sports, regularly train and compete in 32 Olympic sports.
Last year, more than six million Special Olympics athletes were registered in the world, who competed in 32 Olympic sports. Among them are athletes from Montenegro.
"The last international competition we participated in is also the biggest and most important competition in the SOI calendar, namely the Special Olympics World Games, which are organized in the Olympic cycle every four years. They were held in Berlin in June 2023. The games were attended by over 7.000 athletes from over 180 countries. Special Olympics Montenegro participated in four sports: athletics, swimming, table tennis and bocce," he said in an interview with "Vijesti". Ivan Radovic from the Special Olympics Montenegro.
The delegation, he added, consisted of 19 members. In table tennis and bocce, Montenegro also participated in inclusive sports - doubles made up of an athlete and a partner.
"At these games, sporting luck was not in our favor, so we had three fourth places in the finals, and we won two medals: silver in inclusive doubles in bocce (Ivan Stojanovic/Bojan Stojanovic) and bronze in the 200-meter race (Predrag Matanović)", he said.
Are the results in themselves important in the Special Olympics or is its importance reflected in something else?
According to its mission, vision and goal, the Special Olympics is a sports organization that enables people with intellectual disabilities to be able to play sports, regularly train and compete in 32 Olympic sports. Therefore, the scope of our activity is large, which consists of providing opportunities for the realization of basic human rights, the right to equality, as well as the recognition of persons with intellectual disabilities as equal members of every society. Of course, sports results are also very important in the end, just like any other sport and sports organization.
What are the core values of the Special Olympics?
In the last 55 years of our existence in the world, enormous progress has been made in recognizing and acknowledging the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities around the world, which makes the Special Olympics one big global family.
How do our athletes who compete in the Special Olympics prepare? Who works with them?
Although we have existed in Montenegro for 17 years, only in the last five we can say that we have more opportunities to provide our athletes with the highest quality training, preparations and competitions. Since 2019, as a national association, we have the opportunity to receive funds at competitions announced by the Ministry of Sports and Youth, and in this way we can provide better conditions for our athletes. Through six registered sports clubs, our athletes train and compete in eight sports. Our coaches have undergone training to work in the Special Olympics. These are people who, in addition to the necessary knowledge, also have other qualities in order to be part of SO.
In this sense, what is the representation of athletes in relation to the regions in Montenegro - north, south, central part? And are there trained trainers for each region?
Our officially registered clubs are located in Podgorica, Nikšić, Berane, Plav, Pljevlja and Tivat, so we pay close attention, as much as we can, to being present in all regions of Montenegro. In addition to those cities, also through our programs that we run in schools and kindergartens, people with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to participate in trainings in other municipalities as well. Of course, we still have a lot of work ahead of us in order to reach the goal of having trained staff in every municipality to work with our athletes and the possibility of training in at least one sport. A large number of factors are needed in order to be able to come close to achieving that goal, but - of course, with the continuous work of people who love their work, we hope that we will reach the goal.
How important is family and community support for Special Olympics athletes?
We at the Special Olympics are all together one big family and we try to make the families of our athletes feel like a part of it. The role of the family of our athletes is very important, especially at an early age. In Montenegro, support for families is still not at a satisfactory level, and there is a great burden on families in almost all spheres of life. By organizing various forums for family members, by including them in various programs intended for them, we try to find a way to reach the same goal together, which is proper development, healthy lifestyles, socialization through sports and showing the capabilities of our athletes. In the sports part, our athletes perform independently with their teams and coaches at competitions, as well as in all other sports organizations, while the role of the family is support outside the field. It is also a great result that we achieve together.
What are the opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities when it comes to sports, and beyond the Special Olympics?
SOI as a global umbrella organization, and SOCG as an accredited member of SOI, we are the only ones that allow people with intellectual disabilities to compete at the local, national and international level, according to the rules and accredited programs of SOI. There are individuals in Montenegro, as well as some sports schools, that offer the possibility of training to people with intellectual disabilities, especially at an earlier age, but we do not know according to which and what kind of professional programs these trainings are conducted. SOCG is, of course, open to cooperation and we are open to all individuals and sports clubs who want to get involved in the work of SO through various trainings, in order to apply the rules and conduct trainings through our accredited programs. The basic rule is that it is not allowed to charge any kind of membership fees and services to our athletes in the Special Olympics. SO provides all the necessary conditions for organizing training - from training, the necessary infrastructure and equipment for holding training, but our athletes and their families are exempt from any payment.
Our officially registered clubs are located in Podgorica, Nikšić, Berane, Plav, Pljevlja and Tivat, so we pay close attention, as much as we can, to being present in all regions of Montenegro. In addition to those cities, also through our programs that we run in schools and kindergartens, people with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to participate in trainings in other municipalities as well.
Are there any changes in Special Olympics sports in the last ten years?
With the latest SOI Strategy for the period from 2021 to 2025, we made a significant move in the direction of developing inclusive sports, including children and young people with intellectual disabilities in sports at the earliest possible age, as well as recognizing the sports results achieved by our athletes, both internationally and nationally. at national levels.
How does the Special Olympics promote inclusion?
We are very proud of the fact that we are the only organization in the world that has rules for the implementation of inclusive sports, i.e. developed inclusive sport in the competition system at all levels. In Montenegro, we have been applying inclusive sports since 2012, but we are especially proud of the implementation of our programs for inclusive sports, which we achieved, first in kindergartens, and then in schools. In the period from 2024 to 2026, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation, we will implement an inclusive sports program in over 60 schools, and thus give schools and students with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to form teams, train and compete. We implement inclusive sports in Montenegro in football, table tennis, bocce and basketball. In inclusive football, we won first place four times and won tournaments at the European level.
How is the Special Olympics financed?
Since 2019, by registering SO as a sports association, we have acquired the right to financing through the system organized by the Ministry of Sports and Youth. Of course, we would not have managed to exist all these 17 years if we had not participated in various competitions and projects implemented by the Delegation of the European Union, embassies, and ministries. We would highlight the long-term cooperation and partnership with the Unicef office for Montenegro, through our inclusive sports programs for children and youth.
Does the Special Olympics need volunteers and how can one join in this sense, and what kind of support is most needed and important?
SO as an organization was established on the principle of volunteerism and volunteer work, so we could rather say that volunteers lead our organization, rather than help. The concept of volunteerism, especially in Montenegro, is closely related to the financial part and some involvement in certain events. From professional trainers, expert associates from various spheres of science and education, through medical staff and experts from the IT sector, over 30.000 people are involved in the work of SO on a volunteer basis, regardless of finances, while the number of those who are in SO is much smaller. professionally engaged. The fact that 2023 athletes and 7.000 volunteers participated in the 11.000 SO World Games in Berlin, I think speaks volumes about the way the SO functions and the importance of volunteerism in our organization.
As part of SO, there are programs for training volunteers, especially young people who want to volunteer in part of the organization of sports events. We from SO Montenegro pay a lot of attention to our volunteers, so that they also feel like they are part of one big movement and part of one big family. In that part, SO offers numerous opportunities through various programs, so our volunteers can get involved in work at international competitions, be part of the health program, the program of young leaders, and many others that are implemented, at the national and global level.
What are the current trends in the development of Special Olympics on a global level?
SOI has been keeping pace with modernization in the digital sphere for a long time, so that all member countries have access to a large number of documents and educational materials needed for the implementation, not only of sports and sports activities, but also in part of programs for children and youth, as well as health programs. Thus, all countries have the possibility of training, undertaking various researches, participating in various expert webinars, all with the aim of further improving knowledge in working with people with intellectual disabilities.
Also, through the regional office of the SO for Europe and Eurasia, all countries from this region have significant support, in order to enable national institutions to access various sports and inclusive programs that the SO implements throughout the world, all with the aim of standardization and adaptation to EU standards and, of course , improving the status of people with intellectual disabilities, as well as their families in society.
6 million Special Olympics athletes were registered worldwide last year. They competed in 32 Olympic sports
Successful athletes at the tournament in Bar
Kris Nikić, a young man with Down's syndrome, completed his first Ironman a few years ago, then ran six world marathons, participated in numerous other races around the world. Today, Kris will be at the start of the Ocean Lava Montenegro triathlon race, which is held in Kotor and will gather 500 competitors from 45 countries around the world.
Nineteen-year-old Lloyd Martin from Great Britain recently completed his first marathon, becoming the youngest person with Down syndrome in the world to do so.
At the beginning of the year, Lily Mills, also from Great Britain, participated in the Australian Open. Lili has a rare genetic disease - galactosemia.
Chris, Lloyd and Lily are Special Olympics athletes, who have also achieved notable results globally. Chris and Lili were recently guests of the Special Olympics Montenegro, at the Inclusive Sports tournament in Bar.
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