1. General Statement of Eligibility – Special Olympics training and competition is open to every person with intellectual disabilities who is at least eight years of age and who registers to participate in Special Olympics as required by the General Rules.
2. Age Requirements – There is no maximum age limitation for participation in Special Olympics. The minimum age requirement for participation in Special Olympics competition is eight years of age. An Accredited Program may permit children who are at least six years old to participate in age-appropriate Special Olympics training programs offered by that Accredited Program, or in specific (and age-appropriate) cultural or social activities offered during the course of a Special Olympics event. Such children may be recognized for their participation in such training or other non-competition activities through certificates of participation, or through other types of recognition approved by SOI that are not associated with participation in Special Olympics competition. However, no child may participate in a Special Olympics competition (or be awarded medals or ribbons associated with competition) before his or her eighth birthday.
3. Degree of Disability – Participation in Special Olympics training and competition is open to all persons with intellectual disabilities who meet the age requirements, regardless of the level or degree of that person’s disability, and whether or not that person also has other intellectual or physical disabilities, so long as that person registers to participate in Special Olympics as required by the General Rules.
4. Identifying Persons with intellectual disabilities – A person is considered to have intellectual disabilities for purposes of determining his or her eligibility to participate in Special Olympics if that person satisfies any one of the following requirements:
a. The person has been identified by an agency or professional as having intellectual disabilities as determined by their localities; or
b. The person has a cognitive delay, as determined by standardized measures such as intelligent quotient or “IQ” testing or other measures that are generally accepted within the professional community in that Accredited Program’s nation as being a reliable measurement of the existence of a cognitive delay; or
c. The person has a closely related developmental disability. A “closely related development disability” means having functional limitations in both general learning (such as IQ) and in adaptive skills (such as in recreation, work, independent living, self-direction, or self-care). However, persons whose functional limitations are based solely on a physical, behavioral, or emotional disability, or a specific learning or sensory disability, are not eligible to participate as Special Olympics athletes, but may be eligible to volunteer for Special Olympics as partners in Unified Sports, if they otherwise meet the separate eligibility requirements for participation in Unified Sports set forth in the Sports Rules.
Athlete Parental/Medical Release Form Policy
Each participating athlete in a Special Olympics program is required to have an up-to-date medical/unified partner form (Direct Service Volunteer Application Form) on file with his/her coach, Area Manager, and state office prior to training for a sport. The SOMA Medical Form/Unified Partner Form (Direct Service Volunteer Application Form) is valid for 3 years. No athlete will be allowed to compete at a Special Olympics event without a valid up-to-date medical form present at the site of training and competition.
Medical Form Policy at All State Competitive Events
Area Managers will submit a binder of medical and Direct Service Volunteer Application Forms for all competing athletes to the State Office prior to the start of state competitive events. Area Managers will be responsible to ensure that all registered athletes for the event have current and complete medical forms available in the binders. A sign out sheet shall be placed at the front of the binder in case an athlete’s medical must be removed due to medical emergency. The Director of Medical Services at state events shall be responsible for the safekeeping of the medical forms. At the conclusion of the state event, it shall be the responsibility of the area to retrieve the binder.
Coaches will be responsible to have up-to-date athlete medical forms in their possession for training and competition events. The coach’s medical form will be utilized at all qualifying and area competitions.
Participation by Individuals with Down Syndrome Who Have Atlantoaxial Instability
In light of medical research indicating that up to 15% of individuals with Down syndrome have Atlanto-axial instability, exposing them to possible injury if they participate in activities that hyper-flex the neck or upper spine, all Accredited Programs must take the following precautions before permitting athletes with Down syndrome to participate in certain physical activities:
1. Athletes with Down syndrome and confirmed Atlanto-axial instability may participate in most Special Olympics sports training and competition, but shall not be permitted to participate in any activities which, by their nature, result in hyper-extension, radical flexion or direct pressure on the neck or upper spine, unless the requirements of subsections 2. and 3. below are satisfied. Such sports training and competition activities include: butterfly stroke and diving starts in swimming, diving, pentathlon, high jump, squat lifts, equestrian sports, artistic gymnastics, football (soccer), alpine skiing, snowboarding, and any warm-up exercise placing undue stress on the head and neck.
2. An athlete with Down syndrome may be permitted to participate in all Special Olympics training and competition activities described in subsection 1. above if that athlete is examined (including x-ray views of full extension and flexion of neck) by a physician who has been briefed on the nature of the Atlanto-axial instability condition, and who determines, based on the results of that examination, that the athlete does not have an Atlanto-axial instability condition.
3. An athlete with Down syndrome who has been diagnosed by a physician as having an Atlanto-axial instability condition may nevertheless be permitted to participate in the activities described in subsection 1. above if the athlete, or the parent or guardian of a minor athlete, confirms in writing his or her decision to proceed with these activities notwithstanding the risks created by the Atlanto-axial instability, and two (2) Licensed Medical Professionals certify in writing that they have explained these risks to the athlete and his/her parent or guardian, and that the athlete’s condition does not, in their judgment, preclude the athlete from participating in Special Olympics restricted activities. These statements and certifications shall be documented and provided to Accredited Programs using the standardized form approved by SOI, entitled “Special Release for Athletes with Atlanto-axial Instability,” and any revisions of that form, approved by SOI (the “Special Release Concerning Atlanto-axial Instability”).
Unified Athletes (Special Partners)
Each Unified Athlete (special partner) must complete a Direct Service Volunteer Application Form, valid for three years from date of signature, which serves as a medical release, consent to medical treatment, and volunteer application. The form must be signed by the Unified® Athlete (18 or older) or parent/guardian if applicable.
Participation in Special Olympics Unified Sports – Persons who are eligible to participate in Special Olympics Unified Sports as a Special Olympics Unified Sports Partner shall be required by Accredited Programs that offer Special Olympics Unified Sports to compete and sign a standardized application and release form approved by SOI, which shall conform to the application and release form entitled “Application for Participation in Special Olympics by a Special Olympics Unified Sports Partner” (or any amendment or supplement to that form approved by SOI. The Special Olympics Unified Sports Partner Release Form shall be signed by every Special Olympics Unified Sports Partner who is an adult, or by his or her parent or guardian if that athlete is a minor.
