In the News
In every corner of the earth, Special Olympics is changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. These news stories come from all around the world.
The 2026 Special Olympics MENA Games are Underway!
The city of Sousse, Tunisia, witnessed the official opening of the 2026 10th Special Olympics MENA Games – Beach Sports, bringing together delegations from across the Middle East and North Africa.
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Advancing Inclusion for Rohingya Refugees with Disabilities Through Sport in Bangladesh
A new pledge by Special Olympics Asia Pacific and its partners leverages sport to identify, include, and support Rohingya refugees with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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FanSided Covers the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games
The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games are finally here!
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Two by Two, AALE Pairs Will Be Everywhere at the USA Games
An Innovative Way for Athlete Leaders to Learn Debuts Today
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A Second Chance at Life
A powerful story of how the Special Olympics Unified with Refugees initiative offers refugee children with intellectual disabilities a pathway from exclusion to belonging.
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ESPN’s Coverage of 2026 Special Olympics USA Games
From June 20 – 26, the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games will bring nearly 3,000 athletes and 1,500 coaches from all 50 states to Minneapolis to compete across 16 Olympic-type team and individual sports. ESPN will provide 48 hours of live competition coverage on ESPN+ through the ESPN App, featuring events including athletics, swimming, powerlifting and flag football, along with ABC preview and review programming.
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The Caribbean Leadership Academy Launches
Eighteen leaders from six Caribbean islands gathered together in Saint Kitts and Nevis, not in a massive conference hall, but in a space built for conversation, honesty, and growth.
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Special Olympics Athletes React to AI Bias Study Led by Special Olympics
Special Olympics Athlete-Spokespersons see dangers and opportunities highlighted in a new study on how AI reinforces subtle but widespread bias against those with intellectual disabilities.
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More Than a Game
Shane Yan Wen Yu has learned that football is more than just a game, it’s a source of identity, purpose, and growth.
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The ASHA Leader Profile
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) profiled Denise Cardona, Senior Clinical Program Manager for Special Olympics Healthy Hearing, in the May/June issue of The ASHA Leader.
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Future of Personal Health—Mental Health Campaign
The story details how Kayte leveraged her own challenges accessing mental health care to help develop Special Olympics Strong Minds, the mental discipline of Special Olympics Health Athletes®.
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Closing the Mental Health Gap for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Future of Personal Health captures the impactful work being accomplished by Special Olympics to mitigate the gap in mental health care for people with disabilities. The following is an excerpt from the article titled Closing the Mental Health Gap for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities:
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