Special Olympics World Winter Games

• The Special Olympics World Winter Games are an international multi-sport event.
• They are for athletes with intellectual disabilities.
• The international Special Olympics organisation runs the event.
• The winter programme includes snow and ice sports.
• Alpine skiing and cross-country skiing are among the winter disciplines.
• The Winter Games are distinct from the Paralympic Games.

The Special Olympics World Winter Games bring athletes with intellectual disabilities together for international competitions. They are part of the Special Olympics movement, which organises sports programmes at local, national and international levels. Participants from many countries come together for the World Games. The event combines sporting achievement with opportunities for athletes, coaches, families and delegations to meet. In March 2025, the World Winter Games took place in Turin.

As a multi-sport event, the winter edition includes several snow and ice sports. Official Special Olympics winter disciplines include Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, figure skating and speed skating, among others. The exact choice of events and categories can vary between editions. The shared setting gives athletes a chance to compete with others in their discipline and demonstrate their performance on an international stage.

Special Olympics organises regular competitions at local, national and international levels. National programmes create pathways from training and regional events to the World Games. At the World Winter Games, the sporting disciplines take centre stage; competition divisions and procedures follow the organisation's rules. The Games put athletes first and recognise their individual performances.

Special Olympics and the Paralympic movement are separate organisations with different target groups, participation criteria and structures. Special Olympics competitions are for people with intellectual disabilities; Paralympic sport uses sport-specific qualification criteria.

For skiing, the Special Olympics World Winter Games are an international forum that includes Alpine and Nordic disciplines. One Nordic winter discipline is cross-country skiing. Events in skiing include not only individual races but also international multi-sport gatherings such as the World Winter Games.