Turin, Italy – 12 December – The countdown is on to the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025 (Winter Games) which will be staged in Turin, Italy. National, regional, and municipal government leaders, the private sector, and Special Olympics athletes have all shared the same message to promote the Winter Games: “The future is here.”
From 8 to 15 March 2025, Turin, Italy, will host the Winter Games and demonstrate the extraordinary power of sport to end marginalization and build inclusion and solidarity for people with intellectual disabilities, and society at large.
At a press conference at the Palazzo Reale in Turin, Andrea Abodi, Minister of Sport and Youth of the Italian Republic, Alessandra Locatelli, Minister of Disabilities of the Italian Republic, and Daniela Santachè, Minister of Tourism of the Italian Republic, all emphasized the importance of the Winter Games to end prejudice towards individuals with intellectual disabilities.
The press conference was officially opened by Special Olympics Italy athlete Lorenzo Mancino who told the audience that the World Winter Games would challenge the negative stereotypes and misconceptions that individuals with intellectual disabilities too often face in their daily lives.
“The claim of the Winter Games is The Future is Here because it gives us a glimpse of a welcoming future and because in 2025 we have the duty to do something significant to create a new culture of disability and make inroads into people's hearts and minds; because disability is part of humanity and the beauty of differences that characterize each of us,” he said.
Addressing the press conference, Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, President of the Turin 2025 Winter World Games Local Organising Committee, commented: “Hosting this event is a fantastic opportunity for Turin, Piedmont and all of Italy to break down barriers and prejudices. It celebrates the passion, dedication and talent of athletes with intellectual disabilities and promotes a culture of coexistence and sharing”.
The Winter Games will welcome 1,500 athletes from 102 countries competing in eight disciplines: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, DanceSport, figure skating, floorball, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and short track speed skating. In addition, more than 1,000 coaches, 2,000 volunteers, 1,000 accredited media, and approximately 100,000 spectators will take part in the event.
The city of Turin will host floorball, figure skating, and short track speed skating competitions. Sestriere will be the venue for alpine skiing and snowshoeing events. Bardonecchia will host DanceSport and snowboarding competitions, while Pragelato will feature cross-country skiing. Additionally, Turin will host the Winter Games Opening (8 March 2024) and the Closing Ceremonies (15 March 2024), along with additional events and programming including the Special Olympics, Inc. Global Youth Leadership Summit, Special Olympics Healthy Athletes®, Motor Activity Training Program, and Young Athletes.
“Hosting the Winter Games is a major team effort and we are grateful to the Turin 2025 Local Organizing Committee and Special Olympics Italy teams who are working tirelessly to ensure the best possible experience for our athletes. We also thank the Italian federal government, the Piemonte region and municipalities, and all our corporate sponsors that value inclusion and the long-term legacy and impact that these Winter Games will create not only in Turin, and Italy, but all around the world."
The press conference was also addressed by Daniela Santanchè, Italy’s Minister of Tourism, who said: "We are proud to host this important international event, an initiative in which the government has invested with conviction. This event represents a unique opportunity to celebrate sport as a tool for participation and growth. At the same time, it allows us to showcase to the world the spirit of hospitality and inclusion that characterizes Italy. It is an opportunity to demonstrate, through the stories of courage and passion of athletes from all over the world, that every barrier can be overcome thanks to their contagious joy of life and the team spirit that unites us."
In his speech, Andrea Abodi, Italy’s Minister for Sport and Youth, commented: “In this event we will meet friends from many nations, in a historical phase in which the world is divided and too many conflicts deny the inviolable right to life, we will unite under the flag of Special Olympics, with the pleasure of sharing, appreciating and embracing differences, cheering for everyone, with a special joy for ‘ours’ who will wear the blue jersey with honor.”
Alessandra Locatelli, Italy’s Minister of Disabilities, said: “The Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025 will be an extraordinary event, demonstrating how sport can break down barriers and build bridges, providing countless emotions and a sense of belonging. We must offer opportunities and start seeing each person's potential rather than their limitations. Special Olympics athletes, with their enthusiasm and desire to be there and participate, teach us that everyone, through their talents, can demonstrate their worth. It is a great challenge for all of us.”
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Notes for Editor
Additional speakers/quotes available from the press conference:
Stefano Lo Russo, Mayor of Turin: “With the Special Olympics World Games, our City is preparing to host a major international sporting event and, together with it, a community that is a source of inspiration in promoting a culture of inclusion and respect. The Olympic spirit, in these Games, is expressed in one of its purest forms: an invitation to overcome the barriers that separate us and to recognise the value of every individual. It will be a pleasure to welcome athletes and delegations from all over the world in a year that promises to be one of great sport for the region, which will also host the Winter Universiade.”
Alberto Cirio, President of Piedmont Region, and Marina Chiarelli, Councillor for Tourism, Culture and Sport of the Piedmont Region: "Piedmont is ready to welcome the Special Olympics World Winter Games in March, making our mountains the global stage for inclusion. These will be days filled with sports, emotions, and inspiring life stories that will remind us of the power of determination and courage to overcome any obstacle. This event is an extraordinary opportunity to demonstrate that sport is a universal language, capable of uniting people and cultures while showcasing the beauty of our region and our hospitality. The Games will be a time for us to be moved, reflect, and be inspired, because Special Olympics is not just about medals, but about values that enrich us all. Piedmont is proud to be a part of it."
Andrea Tomasoni, Special Olympics Athletes: “I’m here representing the 1,500 Special Olympics athletes from all over the world who will come to our country for the upcoming Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025. I am incredibly proud to wear the blue uniform at such an important event. For me—and for all of us—this is a fantastic opportunity to show the entire world our abilities, not our difficulties. I am proud to be Italian, and I stand here filled with emotion, my heart full of joy knowing that athletes like me from all over the planet will come to our Country to give their all. We, the athletes, are the true protagonists—not because we are athletes with disabilities, but simply because we are athletes.”
Angelo Moratti, President of Special Olympics Italy: “We are confident that, thanks to these World Winter Games, the near future will be a time in which diversity will no longer be a limitation but, on the contrary, an enrichment for all communities. A future capable of valuing everyone, going beyond mere talk of integration and inclusion. The World Games will demonstrate to the global audience how fair participation in a sporting event can serve as a metaphor for life: By participating, striving with all one’s strength, and always giving one’s best. This approach can erase all forms of discrimination and lead the way for the self-determination that lies at the heart of every Special Olympics athlete’s journey. This legacy will be passed on not only through the experiences of the athletes, but also through the communities involved and the cultural change the Games promote."
Chiara Rossetti, Major of Bardonecchia: “Bardonecchia is proud to host the Special Olympics World Games from March 8 – 15. Our town has a long tradition of welcoming these athletes, and we're excited to do so again. We're ready to provide a wonderful experience for all involved in the Special Olympics community.”
Giovanni Cesare Poncet, Major of Sestriere: "Sestriere is thrilled to host the Special Olympics Winter Games 2025 athletes, living up to our motto ‘Sestriere, a mountain of sports, for everyone’. Sport is about sacrifice, dedication, and commitment, but it's also about having fun and feeling carefree. That's what fills our hearts."
Massimo Marchisio, Major of Pragelato: "Pragelato is excited to welcome the Special Olympics and host competitions for various disciplines. Our town will once again be filled with the Olympic spirit, just like it was in 2006. This is going to be a fantastic celebration for our community.”
Cristina Camilli, Director of Communication, Institutional Relations, and Sustainability at Coca-Cola Italy: “Coca-Cola has been a founding partner and global sponsor of Special Olympics since 1968 and we are proud to continue our commitment alongside Special Olympics to support the upcoming Winter World Games Turin 2025 and the sites of Sestriere, Bardonecchia and Pragelato. We have always been dedicated to promoting a more inclusive society, also through corporate volunteering programs, where everyone can achieve great goals and celebrate the unique power of sport to drive positive change and break down barriers.”
Alberto Santilli, CEO of Toyota Motor Italy: “Being a partner of Special Olympics means being part of an extraordinary journey filled with inspiration and meaningful values. The athletes teach us the strength of determination, the courage to face every challenge, and the ability to turn obstacles into opportunities. These values guide our commitment to creating technologies and services that make mobility inclusive and sustainable. I thank all Toyota employees who, with their enthusiasm and active participation, demonstrate our company’s values and unwavering commitment.”
Fabio Spagnuolo, Senior Director of Communications and Advertising at Intesa Sanpaolo: “We are proud to renew our support for Special Olympics Italy, particularly on the occasion of the World Winter Games. This year we are Presenting Partner of the event in which 88 Italian athletes will have the opportunity to compete in an international context, demonstrating how sport can be a powerful vehicle for inclusion and growth. Over the years, the initiative has been promoted on the Group's website, which exceeds one million visits, and on the Bank's social media channels, in particular LinkedIn and Instagram, where activities with Special Olympics have obtained over one and a half million views. At Intesa Sanpaolo we believe that sport is a common good to be protected, shared and talked about. Precisely for this reason, every day we take to the field with the desire to contribute with enthusiasm and energy to the dissemination of principles and values that are fundamental for the growth of new generations: healthy competitiveness, respect for the rules, fair play and exceeding one's own limits. Our sport is everyone's sport.”