Healthy Athletes

Special Olympics Morocco has chosen to reach out to athletes during its sports events, as well as within institutions. Five specialties are offered, with free consultations conducted by our volunteer health professionals in :

  • Ophthalmology – Opening eyes
  • Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) – Healthy hearing
  • Dentistry – Special smiles
  • Podiatry – Fit feet
  • General Medicine – Med Fest
  • Physiotherapy – Fun Fitness

Special Olympics Morocco also conducts awareness-raising activities and provides training for professionals for this specific care.

Since its establishment in 1994, the teams of Special Olympics Morocco have conducted numerous consultations throughout the Kingdom.

Young Athletes (Under 8)

“Young Athletes” is a sports and play program for children with intellectual disabilities aged 2 to 8 years old.

Its goal is to introduce them to regular physical exercise through fun games and psychomotor exercises. The ultimate goal for these young athletes is to be able to practice and/or compete in a Special Olympics sport discipline from the age of 8.

It provides parents, teachers, caregivers, and community members with the opportunity to share the joy of sports with all children.

Toddlers exhibit basic sports skills. In this regard, the activities and games offered cater to individual skill and ability levels while allowing children to play in a fun and inclusive environment.

The “Young Athletes” program of Special Olympics Morocco is offered to associations alongside sports events.

Unified Schools

As part of a strategy to reach as many young people as possible and promote inclusion, Special Olympics Morocco has implemented the “Unified Schools” program: Designed to promote social inclusion and socio-emotional learning through inclusive sports within schools and universities.

Students, with and without intellectual disabilities, thus have the power to have a positive impact on their school community. Young people and educators become leaders of change.

The “Unified Schools” program by Special Olympics Morocco is carried out with the support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, through Special Olympics International.

Thanks to the agreement signed with the Ministry of Education in 2020, Special Olympics Morocco collaborates with several schools and universities across the kingdom:

  • Universities
  • Public schools
  • French mission schools
  • Private schools

Schools and universities committed to creating a more connected environment through inclusive sports and the development of inclusive youth leadership are designated as “Unified Champion Schools”.

Involvement of Brothers and Sisters

Since the creation of Special Olympics, siblings have been a force of innovation and activism. Indeed, the founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, was inspired by her sister, who had an intellectual disability, to launch the movement for inclusion through sports.

Through this program, siblings find a supportive community, a platform to share their experiences, and an opportunity to develop as leaders.

Special Olympics Morocco creates the necessary resources to involve siblings in various ways:

  • Exchange of opinions and experiences in various areas related to the role of sports in athlete integration
  • 
Participation in various awareness and information campaigns
  • Accompaniment of athletes to training venues
  • Encouragement and support of athletes during sports events

By proactively reaching out to siblings and supporting them, we empower them to be passionate advocates for inclusion. Through this initiative, siblings become leaders of the unified generation.

Athlete Leaders

The “Athlete Leaders” program is dedicated to the active development of athletes within Special Olympics Morocco.

By providing them with the necessary resources to express their talents and interests, as well as training and initiation into new skills, athletes can engage in roles previously considered “non-traditional”, such as coach, referee, team captain, spokesperson, or committee member.

Our athlete leaders : 

Lead To Include

The Lead To Include project targets young people aged between 14 and 25, whether they are Special Olympics athletes or not. Its aim is to instill in them the importance of an inclusive society and to share these values through their leadership. This is done through unified sports, artistic activities…

Training

In order to support athletes and help them thrive under the best conditions, Special Olympics emphasizes the ongoing training of professionals:

  • Training of educators, referees, coaches, athletes, doctors, volunteers, families, journalists, regional coordinators…
  • Development of training modules and guides.
  • Evaluation and monitoring of refresher sessions and ongoing training.