Media Fact Sheet

• Special Olympics is a charitable, non-profit organization that provides sports training and competition opportunities for individuals with an intellectual disability.
• The Special Olympics phenomenon began in 1965 when a Canadian Physical Education Professor, Dr. Frank Hayden, of London, Ontario, determined through research that as a result of frequent physical activities, the mental capabilities of people improved as their physical capabilities increased.
• The first ever Special Olympiad was staged in Chicago in 1968.
• Today, Special Olympics has grown to serve over 2 million athletes who have an intellectual disability in more than 150 countries around the world.
• Special Olympics is not just an event that takes place once every four years as there are hundreds of Special Olympics’ programs throughout the province which provide athletes with the opportunity to train twelve months of the year.
• The Ottawa District Community of Special Olympics Ontario has over 250 volunteers and over 500 athletes who participate in sixteen sport disciplines throughout the year.
• Special Olympics Ottawa provides sports training and competition opportunities to individuals aged 8-88 with an intellectual disability.
• Less than 5% of our funding comes from the government. The rest is from corporate fundraising, sponsorships and personal donations.
• Our Athlete’s Oath is “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
• Special Olympics Ontario services over 150 communities across Ontario through 1,688 sports clubs, operated by a dedicated team comprised of over 7,000 volunteers.