by Jeff Yong
KUALA LUMPUR, June 17: More than 7,500 athletes from 190 countries and territories are now in Berlin until June 25 for the 2023 Special Olympic Games, a sporting extravaganza involving people with special disabilities.
They are drawn from individuals with Down Syndrome who have atlantoaxial instability and people who are blood-borne contagious infection carriers. Atlantoaxial instability or AAI is characterised by excessive movement at the vertebra as a result of either a bony or a ligamentous abnormality.
The German capital city’s 2023 Special Olympics has become the largest multi-sport event in Germany since the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.
Malaysia has 22 athletes at the Games. Sixteen of them, with intellectual disabilities and six unified partners will compete in six sporting events, namely swimming, bocce (an indoor game played with leather balls on a smooth surface), badminton, athletics, table tennis and bowling.
The other sports being competed are basketball 3×3, beach volleyball, volleyball, cycling, equestrian, field hockey, football, futsal, golf, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, handball, judo, kayaking, open water swimming, swimming, powerlifting, roller skating, sailing, tennis and volleyball.
It is estimated that more than 3,000 coaches and some 20,000 volunteers will also be at the Games.
The Special Olympics began in 1968 when Eunice Kennedy Shriver organised the First International Summer Games in Chicago, Illinois.
The concept was born in the early 1960s when Eunice, the sister of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, started a day camp for people with intellectual disability and saw that individuals with intellectual disability were far more capable in sports and physical activities than experts thought.
The main difference between the Special Olympics and the Paralympics is that the Special Olympics is solely for athletes with intellectual disabilities, while the Paralympics is mainly for athletes with physical disabilities, but also includes categories for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
Thus, the Special Olympics was founded on the belief that people with intellectual disability can, with proper instruction and encouragement, learn, enjoy and benefit from participation in individual and team sports.
The Special Olympics oath is: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let be brave in the attempt.”
It is believed that these words were spoken by Roman gladiators when they entered into the arena, facing the greatest battle of their lives.
The special athletes recite the oath at the opening ceremony to remind everyone, including themselves, that they are part of a brave tradition and that the goal is to compete with their whole effort and to exhibit bravery by pushing themselves to ever greater heights.
The goal of Special Olympics is to help bring all persons with intellectual disability into the larger society under conditions whereby they are accepted, respected and given a chance to become productive citizens.
The opening of the 2023 Special Olympics or #Berlin2023 will be by Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of Germany. There will also be the lighting of the Special Olympics Flame at the Olympic Stadium. The Special Olympic torch was lit on June 7 from a flame in Athens, the birthplace of the Olympic Games.
Christiane Krajewski, President of Special Olympics Germany, says: “The torch is a symbol of the power and vision of Special Olympics to bring more attention and participation to people with intellectual and multiple disabilities.”
The unique torch was made specially made for the Games and its designs contain elements of the World Games logo such as the Berlin Bear, Brandenburg Gate, TV Tower, and the heart.
Mark Solomeyer, National Athlete Spokesperson and Vice President of Special Olympics Germany, describes the 2023 Special Olympics as: ”They are Games by athletes, for athletes.”
Michael Müller, Mayor of Berlin (2014-2021), refers to the 2023 Special Olympics as “an outstanding example of inclusion in action, putting people with disabilities and their sporting prowess firmly in the limelight. That is a prime goal for the Berlin Senate, too.”
So, are you ready for the Games?
Incidentally, “Are You Ready?” is also the title of the Games song by Madcon, a Norwegian musical duo formed in 1992 by Yosef Wolde-Mariam and Tshawe Baqwa.
WE
Catch more stories on the Special Olympics Games in Berlin under our Special Events page: