Frequently Asked Questions

Did you know that Special Olympics International (SOI) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) are two separate organizations recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)? Both are non-profit global sports organizations focusing on athletes with disabilities.

Special Olympics athletes have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Athletes of all ability levels and ages have the opportunity to train and compete in over 30 sports. Through the power of sports, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities discover new strengths and abilities, skills, and success while demonstrating their capabilities to others.

Special Olympics is the largest grassroots sports organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the world: engaging over 4 million athletes and Unified Sports® partners, one million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers nearly 50,000 competitions every year in over 190 countries.

Special Olympics World Games are held independently from the Olympics & the Paralympics. Alternating every two years between summer and winter, Special Olympics World Games are the flagship events and have grown to be an international demonstration of inclusion, acceptance, and unity. All around the world, our athletes train and strive to achieve their very best every day.

The overarching goal of the 2029 World Winter Games (WWG 2029) is to bring the lives of people with and without disabilities closer together and to facilitate inclusion – extending beyond the realm of sport. But where do we stand in Switzerland today regarding this inclusion, and what specific issues should we address in preparation for this wonderful sporting event?

A foundational study was commissioned by the WWG 2029 Bid Committee to explore how these groups could be brought closer together in sports, housing, and employment. For this purpose, existing studies, statistical data, and legal frameworks were compiled and supplemented by interviews with people with and without disabilities. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) served as a guideline.

You can download the study and white paper here.

This resulted in a study and a white paper. The study summarizes our current status regarding the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The white paper outlines, in four overarching recommendations and eight concrete proposals, what can and should be achieved in the coming years leading up to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2029 – if we work together.

Special Olympics competitions, including single-sport World Cups and World Games, are designed to ensure that all athletes, with and without intellectual disabilities, have the opportunity to compete in sport and perform to the best of their abilities.

Athletes of all ability levels and ages have the opportunity to train and compete in over 30 sports. Special Olympics uses a process called Divisioning to ensure fair and level playing field. Athletes are divisioned based on their ability level, so that they are always competing with people of the same ability level.

The system of Divisioning is designed for Special Olympics athletes to get the best out of them and sport. It is a system that recognizes all athletes’ abilities, challenges them, and continuously supports their growth.

The World Winter Games in Switzerland will take place from 10-17 March 2029. This avoids potential conflict with the winter sports holiday season in most Swiss cantons.

The Board of Special Olympics International awarded the World Winter Games 2029 to Switzerland in September 2023.

Special Olympics Switzerland and the SOSWI Graubünden Support Association founded the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 2029 World Winter Games in mid-November 2022 as a non-profit association based in Chur. Special Olympics CEO Bruno Barth was elected as the first president of the LOC. The organization was formally established in 2023, and Beat Ritschard was appointed General Secretary. The LOC began operations in 2024.

Expert advisory boards provide the LOC with insight and advice on various topics such as tourism, inclusion, sports, major events, sustainability, etc. These boards contribute external expertise, initiate related projects and provide a nationwide support network.

For the 2029 World Winter Games, a budget of 38 million Swiss francs was established as part of the bid – roughly the same amount as the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne. The financing plan stipulates that approximately 75% of this will be covered by the federal government, the cantons of Graubünden and Zurich, the cities of Chur and Zurich, and the regions of Arosa and Lenzerheide. These funds were approved by the Federal Assembly during its 2023 summer session with the adoption of the proposal for major sporting events, thus securing the necessary public funding commitments.

The budget was reviewed in 2024, incorporating additional services and inflation expectations. Based on this, the LOC determined how much additional funding would be required through private financing.

The remaining funds are to be raised through commercial activities; a corresponding marketing concept has already been developed. The LOC’s goal was to secure the main portion of private funding, the “Official Partner” category, by the end of 2025.