The Olympics and the Paralympics aren’t the only Olympic Games
CHINO Keiko / Journalist
March 25, 2024
The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will open in less than 6 months from now. Behind these visible events, there are actually Olympics other than these two that are also authorized by the International Olympic Committee. The Special Olympics (SO), an Olympic for people with intellectual disabilities, is one of them.
Similar to the Olympics and Paralympics, it is a quadrennial event held in summer and winter. The most recent summer event was held in Berlin, Germany, last year and the next event is set to be held in 2027.
Its winter event will open in March 2025 in Torino, Italy, and the “Special Olympics Nippon National Winter Games” serving as its qualification rounds were held in Hokkaido and Nagano in February. A total of six competitions took place including alpine skiing and figure skating. (Ahead of these, two competitions had already been held last November.)
However, these competitions including the Special Olympic Games are not yet widely known. The Special Olympics deserves more recognition as we consider the current situation of the Olympic games and their future.
The Special Olympics which were originated in the United States has a relatively short history compared to the Olympics and the Paralympics. Its first summer event took place in 1968 in Chicago, and approximately 1,000 athletes from both the United States and Canada participated. Its history dates back to 1963 when Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of then President, John F. Kennedy hosted a day camp for children with intellectual disabilities in her backyard.
Having an elder sister with an intellectual disability herself, Eunice knew very well how important it is for children, who tend to spend most of their time locked in their houses, to have an opportunity to enjoy free activities and interactions with others outdoors, and how much joy it would bring them. Further, her brother John F. Kennedy passionately supported the initiative as U.S. President, and established the “President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.”
The devotion of the Kennedy brother and sister moved many people around the world, and the Special Olympics have been held a number of times. Today, over 3 million athletes and 500 thousand volunteers in over 201 countries participate in the Games.
Japan became a host country for the first time in 2005 in the National Winter Game held in Nagano. It was the first Special Olympic Games to be held in Asia and marked a great success with over 2500 athletes from record-high 84 countries making entries in 62 events in seven competitions.
What distinguishes the Special Olympics from the Olympics and the Paralympics is that there are no preliminaries, and the athletes are divided into groups according to their competitive abilities through a matching process called ”divisioning”. Further, every single athlete joins the final rounds, and everyone receives a commendation together with the gold, silver, and bronze medalists.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run is also characteristic of the Special Olympics. It began in 1981 in Wichita, Kansas, as a fundraising effort proposed by the city’s police chief. He called on the city’s police officers, firefighters, and law enforcement professionals to participate.
In the Special Olympics hosted in Nagano, the “5 million people torch run”, a run unique to Japan, was organized throughout the country from Hokkaido to Okinawa, and police officers and firefighters actively volunteered in 420 districts. Their action boosted the morale of the participants of the Special Olympics and served to heighten the public awareness of the game.
As is symbolized by the torch run, volunteers play a vital role in the Special Olympics, more than they do in the Olympic and Paralympic games.
Besides the run, Unified Sport (US) which allows athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to train and play together was developed by the Special Olympics. In the Special Olympics Japan for FY 2022, the number of U-athletes was 461 while the total number of athletes was 7,156. The number of U-games was only six, compared to the total number of games which was 115. However, as is the case with floorball, there are hopes that the number of U games will increase.
Unified Sport enables athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to play together, representing true inclusiveness in today’s world where diversity is called for. Further, it may simply be “so much fun when done together”.
Today, the Olympics are at a crossroads. They are faced with a variety of stumbling blocks such as outrageous costs, monopoly of broadcast rights, corruption/bid-rigging, supremacy of medals, and so forth. The Sapporo Winter Games seem to have stepped on at least one of them.
It is time for us to ask ourselves what the Olympics are all about. We should return to its fundamentals and ponder the famous words; “The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part.” Without any doubt, the Special Olympics which appreciates the continuous day-to-day efforts of athletes and commends all participants is true to the original spirit of the “Olympics”.
CHINO Keiko is a freelance journalist and a guest editorial writer for Sankei Shimbun.
Similar to the Olympics and Paralympics, it is a quadrennial event held in summer and winter. The most recent summer event was held in Berlin, Germany, last year and the next event is set to be held in 2027.
Its winter event will open in March 2025 in Torino, Italy, and the “Special Olympics Nippon National Winter Games” serving as its qualification rounds were held in Hokkaido and Nagano in February. A total of six competitions took place including alpine skiing and figure skating. (Ahead of these, two competitions had already been held last November.)
However, these competitions including the Special Olympic Games are not yet widely known. The Special Olympics deserves more recognition as we consider the current situation of the Olympic games and their future.
The Special Olympics which were originated in the United States has a relatively short history compared to the Olympics and the Paralympics. Its first summer event took place in 1968 in Chicago, and approximately 1,000 athletes from both the United States and Canada participated. Its history dates back to 1963 when Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of then President, John F. Kennedy hosted a day camp for children with intellectual disabilities in her backyard.
Having an elder sister with an intellectual disability herself, Eunice knew very well how important it is for children, who tend to spend most of their time locked in their houses, to have an opportunity to enjoy free activities and interactions with others outdoors, and how much joy it would bring them. Further, her brother John F. Kennedy passionately supported the initiative as U.S. President, and established the “President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.”
The devotion of the Kennedy brother and sister moved many people around the world, and the Special Olympics have been held a number of times. Today, over 3 million athletes and 500 thousand volunteers in over 201 countries participate in the Games.
Japan became a host country for the first time in 2005 in the National Winter Game held in Nagano. It was the first Special Olympic Games to be held in Asia and marked a great success with over 2500 athletes from record-high 84 countries making entries in 62 events in seven competitions.
What distinguishes the Special Olympics from the Olympics and the Paralympics is that there are no preliminaries, and the athletes are divided into groups according to their competitive abilities through a matching process called ”divisioning”. Further, every single athlete joins the final rounds, and everyone receives a commendation together with the gold, silver, and bronze medalists.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run is also characteristic of the Special Olympics. It began in 1981 in Wichita, Kansas, as a fundraising effort proposed by the city’s police chief. He called on the city’s police officers, firefighters, and law enforcement professionals to participate.
In the Special Olympics hosted in Nagano, the “5 million people torch run”, a run unique to Japan, was organized throughout the country from Hokkaido to Okinawa, and police officers and firefighters actively volunteered in 420 districts. Their action boosted the morale of the participants of the Special Olympics and served to heighten the public awareness of the game.
As is symbolized by the torch run, volunteers play a vital role in the Special Olympics, more than they do in the Olympic and Paralympic games.
Besides the run, Unified Sport (US) which allows athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to train and play together was developed by the Special Olympics. In the Special Olympics Japan for FY 2022, the number of U-athletes was 461 while the total number of athletes was 7,156. The number of U-games was only six, compared to the total number of games which was 115. However, as is the case with floorball, there are hopes that the number of U games will increase.
Unified Sport enables athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to play together, representing true inclusiveness in today’s world where diversity is called for. Further, it may simply be “so much fun when done together”.
Today, the Olympics are at a crossroads. They are faced with a variety of stumbling blocks such as outrageous costs, monopoly of broadcast rights, corruption/bid-rigging, supremacy of medals, and so forth. The Sapporo Winter Games seem to have stepped on at least one of them.
It is time for us to ask ourselves what the Olympics are all about. We should return to its fundamentals and ponder the famous words; “The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part.” Without any doubt, the Special Olympics which appreciates the continuous day-to-day efforts of athletes and commends all participants is true to the original spirit of the “Olympics”.
CHINO Keiko is a freelance journalist and a guest editorial writer for Sankei Shimbun.
The English-Speaking Union of Japan
オリ・パラだけでないオリンピック
千野 境子 / ジャーナリスト
2024年 3月 25日
パリ・オリンピック・パラリンピック（オリ・パラ）が開幕まで半年を切った。しかし国際オリンピック委員会（IOC）が認定するオリンピックは、実は他にもある。その1つがここで取り上げる知的障害のある人々のスペシャルオリンピックス（SO）だ。
オリ・パラ同様、４年に１度、夏冬季大会が開催されてきた。夏季世界大会は昨年独ベルリン、次回は2027年に開かれる。
一方冬季世界大会は来年3月に伊トリノで開催される。その選手団選考も兼ねたSO日本冬季ナショナルゲーム大会は去る2月に北海道と長野で開かれ、アルペンスキーやフィギュアスケートなど６競技（他に２競技は昨年11月実施）を行った。
しかしこれらの大会を含めて、SOについて知る人はまだまだ少ない。オリンピックの現状やその将来を考えるためにも、SOはもっと知られてよい大会だと思う。
米国から始まったSOはオリ・パラに比べると歴史が比較的浅く、1968年に第１回夏季大会がシカゴで開かれ、米、カナダなどから約1千人が参加した。ルーツは故ジョン・F・ケネディ元大統領の妹ユニス・ケネディ・シュライバー夫人が、知的障害者のために63年から自宅の庭を開放して開いたデイキャンプに遡る。
戸外での自由な活動や交流が日頃、家に籠りがちの彼らに如何に大切で大きな喜びをもたらすものか、ユニスは姉ローズマリーも知的障害者だったため良く分かっていた。また兄ジョンも「大統領知的発達障害委員会」を設立するなど大統領としてこの問題に熱心に取り組んだ。
ケネディ兄妹の献身は世界の多くの人々を動かし、その後回を重ねたSOは現在では201カ国、アスリート300万人、ボランティア50万人が参加する。
日本は2005年に冬季世界大会を長野で初開催。アジア初でもあり当時としては過去最多の84カ国、2500人超の選手が７競技６２種目に参加し、大成功を収めた。
SOがオリ・パラと異なる点は、予選がなく、ディビジョニングと呼ぶプロセスで同様の技術レベルにグループ分けされ、全員が決勝に出場、金銀銅だけでなく全員が表彰されることだ。
またトーチランと呼ばれる聖火リレーもSOならではで、81年に米カンザス州ウィチタの警察署長が資金募金活動のために思い付き、町の警察官や消防官など法執行者に呼び掛けたのが始まりという。
長野大会ではさらに日本独自の「500万人トーチラン」が北海道から沖縄まで420の地域で行われ、ボランティアの警察官や消防官らが活躍、関係者を感激させるとともに知名度も上がった。
トーチランが象徴的だが、SOはオリ・パラにもましてボランティアの存在が重要かつ大きな役割を果たしているのも特徴だ。
その他、知的障害のある人と障害のない人が一緒にトレーニングし、競技会にチームとして参加するユニファイドスポーツ（US）もSOが開発した。SO日本の2022年度の活動状況を見ると、アスリート7156人に対してUアスリートは461人。大会・競技会数も115に対してU競技数は６とまだ少ない。しかしフロアボールのように今後はUSが増えて行くのではないかとも見られている。
社会に多様性が求められる時代、障害のある人・ない人が一緒に競技をするUSはインクルーシブ（包摂的）そのものだし、さらに「皆一緒にやった方が楽しい」かもしれない。
オリンピックは今、岐路にある。莫大な大会費用、放映権の独占、汚職・談合事件、メダル至上主義…札幌冬季大会の躓きはそのひとつの表れと言えるのではないだろうか。
オリンピックとは何か、何のためのオリンピックか。かの名言「勝つことではなく参加することに意義あり」の原点に一旦戻って考える時が来ている。日々、努力の継続を評価し、全員が表彰されるＳＯは、その意味では間違いなく原点である。
筆者はフリーランスジャーナリスト、産経新聞客員論説委員
オリ・パラ同様、４年に１度、夏冬季大会が開催されてきた。夏季世界大会は昨年独ベルリン、次回は2027年に開かれる。
一方冬季世界大会は来年3月に伊トリノで開催される。その選手団選考も兼ねたSO日本冬季ナショナルゲーム大会は去る2月に北海道と長野で開かれ、アルペンスキーやフィギュアスケートなど６競技（他に２競技は昨年11月実施）を行った。
しかしこれらの大会を含めて、SOについて知る人はまだまだ少ない。オリンピックの現状やその将来を考えるためにも、SOはもっと知られてよい大会だと思う。
米国から始まったSOはオリ・パラに比べると歴史が比較的浅く、1968年に第１回夏季大会がシカゴで開かれ、米、カナダなどから約1千人が参加した。ルーツは故ジョン・F・ケネディ元大統領の妹ユニス・ケネディ・シュライバー夫人が、知的障害者のために63年から自宅の庭を開放して開いたデイキャンプに遡る。
戸外での自由な活動や交流が日頃、家に籠りがちの彼らに如何に大切で大きな喜びをもたらすものか、ユニスは姉ローズマリーも知的障害者だったため良く分かっていた。また兄ジョンも「大統領知的発達障害委員会」を設立するなど大統領としてこの問題に熱心に取り組んだ。
ケネディ兄妹の献身は世界の多くの人々を動かし、その後回を重ねたSOは現在では201カ国、アスリート300万人、ボランティア50万人が参加する。
日本は2005年に冬季世界大会を長野で初開催。アジア初でもあり当時としては過去最多の84カ国、2500人超の選手が７競技６２種目に参加し、大成功を収めた。
SOがオリ・パラと異なる点は、予選がなく、ディビジョニングと呼ぶプロセスで同様の技術レベルにグループ分けされ、全員が決勝に出場、金銀銅だけでなく全員が表彰されることだ。
またトーチランと呼ばれる聖火リレーもSOならではで、81年に米カンザス州ウィチタの警察署長が資金募金活動のために思い付き、町の警察官や消防官など法執行者に呼び掛けたのが始まりという。
長野大会ではさらに日本独自の「500万人トーチラン」が北海道から沖縄まで420の地域で行われ、ボランティアの警察官や消防官らが活躍、関係者を感激させるとともに知名度も上がった。
トーチランが象徴的だが、SOはオリ・パラにもましてボランティアの存在が重要かつ大きな役割を果たしているのも特徴だ。
その他、知的障害のある人と障害のない人が一緒にトレーニングし、競技会にチームとして参加するユニファイドスポーツ（US）もSOが開発した。SO日本の2022年度の活動状況を見ると、アスリート7156人に対してUアスリートは461人。大会・競技会数も115に対してU競技数は６とまだ少ない。しかしフロアボールのように今後はUSが増えて行くのではないかとも見られている。
社会に多様性が求められる時代、障害のある人・ない人が一緒に競技をするUSはインクルーシブ（包摂的）そのものだし、さらに「皆一緒にやった方が楽しい」かもしれない。
オリンピックは今、岐路にある。莫大な大会費用、放映権の独占、汚職・談合事件、メダル至上主義…札幌冬季大会の躓きはそのひとつの表れと言えるのではないだろうか。
オリンピックとは何か、何のためのオリンピックか。かの名言「勝つことではなく参加することに意義あり」の原点に一旦戻って考える時が来ている。日々、努力の継続を評価し、全員が表彰されるＳＯは、その意味では間違いなく原点である。
筆者はフリーランスジャーナリスト、産経新聞客員論説委員
一般社団法人 日本英語交流連盟