From a Summer Camp in the Kennedys’ Garden to a Global Movement
Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports movement for people with intellectual disabilities and was founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a sister of then-US President John F. Kennedy.
It all began with a simple “Enough!” from Eunice Kennedy Shriver. And with a summer camp in her own garden.
In the early 1960s, she kept hearing the same story: Parents of children with intellectual disabilities found no place in holiday camps, no programs in the school system, no chance for carefree summer experiences. One day she simply said: “Enough.” and opened her own garden. She provided balls, swimming pools, and horses – and invited children with intellectual disabilities to play, laugh, and learn from each other. This first Camp Shriver showed: Sport can overcome barriers, reveal potential, and change lives.
This one camp sparked the global Special Olympics movement. The first Summer Games were held in Chicago in 1968. Today, the program includes 37 summer and winter sports. The movement includes 3.6 million athletes from 193 countries, nearly 530,000 registered family members, 367,000 coaches, and 777,670 volunteers.
Find the complete history at the following links
Special Olympics in Switzerland
As early as the 1980s, a group of dedicated individuals advocated for offering sports for people with intellectual disabilities. However, Special Olympics Switzerland was not founded as a foundation until 1995. The first managing director was Yolande Nick.
1980s
First sports programs for people with disabilities under the direction of Regina Müller
1990
First Swiss Delegation at the Special Olympics European Summer Games in Glasgow
1995
Accreditation as an official Special Olympics program and founding of Special Olympics Switzerland as a foundation under the direction of Yolande Nick
1998 / 2000
First National Summer Games in Zofingen and National Winter Games in Airolo
2011
New Management with Bruno Barth
2012
Introduction of the “Special Trainings” program and first collaborations with mainstream sports clubs and popular sports events for the creation of inclusive sports programs (later known as Unified Trainings and Unified Events)
2022
Awarding of the bid by Special Olympics International for hosting the World Winter Games Switzerland 2029
2024
Outsourcing of the “Inclusive Sport” department to the independent association Swiss Inclusive Sport, to further expand the development of inclusive sports programs for all.
2025
Introduction of the “Health” program to improve the physical and socio-emotional well-being of people with intellectual disabilities and effectively integrate them into health, care, and wellness systems.
Development of a position paper, that defines the stance and vision of Special Olympics, especially regarding the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
1960s
In 1968, the first International Special Olympics Summer Games took place in Chicago – an initiative of the Kennedy Foundation and the Chicago Park District. Among the co-founders were Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Olympic champion Rafer Johnson, and numerous experts from sports and science. In the same year, Special Olympics was officially founded. This laid the foundation for what is now the world’s largest sports movement for people with intellectual disabilities.
1970s
In the 1970s, Special Olympics grew rapidly: more and more athletes from all over the world participated, and in 1977, the first Winter Games took place in the USA. Prominent supporters like Muhammad Ali and Barbra Streisand brought the movement to prominence – and the Games were broadcast by major TV networks for the first time.
1980s
The 1980s brought global attention: The Law Enforcement Torch Run was launched and grew into Special Olympics’ largest fundraising event. In 1988, official recognition by the IOC followed – and Unified Sports began a new chapter of inclusion. The movement also made its mark culturally: The charity album A Very Special Christmas became a global success.
1990
In the 1990s, the Games were held for the first time outside the USA – in 1993 in Schladming and Salzburg. 1995 saw a breakthrough: With the
2000s
The 2000s were marked by growth and global visibility: With the “Campaign for Special Olympics”, the number of athletes worldwide significantly increased. In China, athletes, together with Arnold Schwarzenegger, lit the
2010s
Following the death of founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day was celebrated for the first time in over 100 countries in 2010 – a global symbol of inclusion. In the same year, the first Global Congress took place in Morocco. In 2011, over 6,000 athletes from 170 countries participated in the World Summer Games in Athens. Collaborations with professional sports, such as Unified Basketball with the NBA, also strengthened the visibility of the movement.