Special Olympics East Asia Region

Special Olympics East Asia (SOEA) is one of the seven regions of Special Olympics International. It works closely with its five accredited Programs, Special Olympics China, Special Olympics Chinese Taipei, Special Olympics Hong Kong, Special Olympics Korea and Special Olympics Macau, to promote Special Olympics movement throughout the Region.

With over thirty years of development, Special Olympics currently offers all twenty-eight summer and winter sports in the East Asia Region. The total number of SO athletes in the region reached 871,421 at the end of 2008 according to the official census. The 12th Special Olympics World Summer Games was successfully held in Shanghai, China during October 2-11, 2007, with active participation of over 7000 athletes around the world, approximately 1600 of whom from the East Asia region.

SO Sports Events Offered in East Asia Region

Other SO Initiatives Offered in East Asia Region

Special Olympics Unified Sports®: This initiative brings together Special Olympics athletes and individuals without intellectual disabilities who are of similar age and ability to train and compete on the same team, promoting equality and inclusion.

Adopt-A-School: This initiative is organized by Special Olympics East Asia and Special Olympics China. The project is to involve special schools to participate in more Special Olympics activities under the sponsorship of corporations.

Special Olympics University Project: The initiative was jointly launched by Special Olympics East Asia, Special Olympics China and the Chinese Ministry of Education, aiming at increasing both the quantity and quality of trained Special Olympics coaches, volunteers and leaders. The project has now been rolled out to other East Asia Programs, with SO curriculum being embedded in a subject of a degree program.

Special Olympics Healthy Athletes®: An initiative to enhance the health of Special Olympics athletes by providing them with vision, hearing, and dental screenings as well as physical therapy assessments and health promotion tips at Special Olympics games and competitions.

SO Get Into It®: An innovative K-12 curriculum which teaches young people in regular education settings to learn the values of inclusion, tolerance, and respect towards people with intellectual disabilities.

Athlete Leadership Programs: Provide opportunities for Special Olympics athletes to serve as leaders, such as Board member, coach, spokesperson, etc.

Young Athletes™: The initiative provides opportunities for young athletes between the ages of 2 and 7 years of age to learn basic sports skills and motor activities to prepare them for Special Olympics competition.

Family Support Network: A structure in which Special Olympics families reach out to new families to welcome them into the Special Olympics community.

Motor Activities Training Program（MATP）: This project is designed for persons with severe limitations who do not yet possess the physical and/or behavioral skills necessary to participate in official Special Olympics sports, providing a comprehensive motor activity and recreation training curriculum for them, helping them to improve their skills and enhance their health.

Law Enforcement Torch Run®: Law Enforcement Torch Run® is a Special Olympics activity designed to mobilize a fraternal group of volunteers, the law enforcement community, to produce events, raise fund and awareness for Special Olympics at the grass roots level through state, provincial and national Special Olympics Programs.