Special Olympics match in Nyon

UEFA makes a contribution to the fifth annual Special Olympics European Football Week with a match featuring UEFA staff members and a Special Olympics team in Nyon, Switzerland today.

Joining forces
A record 40,000 players with intellectual disabilities will participate in football events in more than 50 countries throughout Europe and Asia until 1 May. Lausanne-based FC Sporting Eben-Hezer were chosen by Special Olympics as its representatives to visit UEFA headquarters and tackle staff members at the Colovray stadium.

What is Special Olympics?
Special Olympics, founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, is the world's largest year-round programme of sports training and competitions for individuals with intellectual disabilities. More than one million athletes in over 150 countries train and compete in 26 Olympic-style summer and winter sports at local, national and international events. Through its sports programmes, Special Olympics strives to provide long-term benefits to the health, self-esteem and social integration of individuals.

Development project
Football Week is one of the highlights of the Special Olympics football development project which aims to increase the number of players to 50,000 by 2005. "UEFA is pleased to continue to support the Special Olympics European Football Week," said UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson.

'New opportunities'
"Football Week has proved to be a highly inclusive initiative that brings many new opportunities to players with intellectual disabilities. Without a doubt, clubs and federations have been instrumental in ensuring that UEFA's partnership with Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia adds great value to the development of football for all."

More information on the Special Olympics movement can be found at: www.specialolympics.org.