The Games
Provincial, National and World Games provide athletes with an intellectual or developmental disability an opportunity to showcase their talents and test their skills against their peers, making competition fierce and exciting for spectators. Special Olympics has a four-year competition cycle for summer and winter sports, giving athletes the chance to compete regionally, provincially, nationally, and internationally.
The Special Olympics Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee but World Games are not held in the same years as Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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National Games
National Games bring together athletes, coaches and volunteers from the across the country into one celebration of the Special Olympics movement and showcasing the incredible skills of the Canadian athletes. -
World Games
Alternating between summer and winter, the World Games have become the flagship event of the Special Olympics movement -
Divisioning
Special Olympics competitions are structured to ensure athletes compete with other athletes of similar ability in equitable divisions, through a process called divisioning.