Unified Sports® is a worldwide Special Olympics program where people with different backgrounds and abilities play sports, train, and compete together in mixed teams. Unified Sports® promotes social inclusion, and SOI has defined three different models.
Competitive Model: The teams consist of athletes and Unified Partners who train together regularly and are of a similar age and performance level. This model is offered at the World Games.
Player Development Model: Teams in this model train together regularly and consist of athletes and partners of a similar age. However, they can have different performance levels. This allows weaker athletes to benefit from and learn from the stronger athletes. This model is not offered at the World Games, except in some sports that have defined it in the regulations.
Recreational Model: In the recreational model, the focus is on doing sports together. Athletes and partners in similar numbers form a team. Age, performance, or joint training do not matter. At least 25% of the participants are athletes and at least 25% are Unified Partners. This model is not offered at the World Games.
