Getting everyone involved

What a celebration of personal achievement! In June 2026, the national Special Olympics were held in the German stateof Saarland, raising the bar to a whole new level. More than 4,000 athletes took part in the championships for people with intellectual disabilities. Twelve international delegations travelled to Germany for the games - more than ever before at a national Special Olympics in Germany. A cross-border competition also saw athletes travel to neighbouring France. More than 110,000 visitors attended the events. Christiane Krajeswki, president of Special Olympics Germany: “And that’s exactly what we want: to lastingly strengthen the Special Olympics in Germany and give people with intellectual disabilities the visibility they deserve.” 

Inclusion is one of the core objectives of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB): “For us, inclusion means striving to enable the self-determined, equal and equitable participation of people with and without disabilities in and through sports.” To achieve this, the DOSB also campaigns at the international level. Since 2023, it has been working for example with the internationally connected Special Olympics Federation and the National Olympic Committees of partner countries on inclusion projects in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The goal is to bring people with and without disabilities together through sport and to establish inclusive local exercise and sport programmes. One key aspect involves providing training for coaches. Around 650 coaches in all have already been trained to run inclusive sports activities. People with and without intellectual disabilities train and play together in the same team. 

Strengthening social cohesion

A recently completed project involving 28 local and international partners in Uganda is a good example of just how far the DOSB’s international approach goes. “Athletics for Development” used basic athletic activities such as running, jumping and throwing, alongside forms of educational play, to raise awareness of health and social issues. The focus wasn’t only on including people with disabilities and promoting young people in rural areas, but also on strengthening social cohesion within the local communities.