Page 34 - BBHAC Winter 2015-16 Gazette
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The Special Olympics
The Olympics and Paralympics the main event. But by 2012 the boycott at those Games,
have, as we go to press, now been the Olympiad had become there were slightly fewer
completed. However there are recognised as a serious competitors in 1984 and only
other Olympic movements designed competitive sporting event. 140 competing Nations. So
to include all those who despite There are in fact four what are the Special Olympics
whatever their disability, are able to Olympic movements and the and how are they different to
compete at whichever level they can. other two are often forgotten. the Paralympics?
Such are the Special Olympics One is the Deaflympics The Paralympics are for those
for those with hearing with a physical disability
What are the Special impairment. This movement and of course there are
Olympics? was sanctioned by the IOC many categories. They cater
in the 1920s. The fourth for those who have what is
The Paralympics greatly movement is the Special referred to as an ‘intellectual
caught the imagination in Olympics where at their disability’. The Special
2012 especially as Team GB World Summer Games in Los Olympics were founded by
had a highly impressive return Angeles in 2015, 7000 athletes John F. Kennedy’s sister
of 120 medals including 34 from 177 countries took Eunice Shriver in 1968. In
golds and finished third part in 25 different sports. 1971, The U.S. Olympic
in the medal table. It was There was a contingent of Committee gave the Special
a superb celebration and 112 from the UK. There Olympics official approval to
testament to how a small
acorn had grown into a were 500,000 spectators use the name ‘Olympics’. In
mighty oak. Its beginnings and 30,000 volunteers for 1988, the Special Olympics
in the immediate post war an event that was ‘full of was officially recognised by
period were humble enough joy and friendship’. This the International Olympic
when Dr Lutwig Guttman was the largest event in LA Committee (IOC).
of Stoke Manderville since the 1984 Olympics. Like the International
Hospital organised a sports And, probably because of Paralympics Committee,
competition for British World
War II veteran patients
with spinal cord injuries
and to some it seemed
merely an afterthought to
