The Special Olympics WORLD GAMES FACTBOOK 3.0 1 July 2015 SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD GAMES LOS ANGELES 2015: AT A GLANCE The Games: Held every two years and alternating between Summer Games and Winter Games, the Special Olympics World Games is a direct descendant of the July 1968 event organized by Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the City of Chicago to foster new opportunities for acceptance and inclusion for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Today, Special Olympics has grown to touch more than 4.4 million athletes annually worldwide. Summer editions of the World Games were held in the U.S. through 1999, then went international, to Dublin, Ireland in 2003, Shanghai, China in 2007 and Athens, Greece in 2011. Los Angeles was selected in 2011 to host the 2015 Games. Athletes: Approximately 6,500 Special Olympics Athletes are expected to compete in Los Angeles, from 165 Special Olympics Accredited Programs from around the world. Schedule: The Games will begin with the Opening Ceremony at the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on 25 July 2015, continue through 2 August, with the Closing Ceremony in the Coliseum. Most delegations will arrive on 20-21 July, and after being welcomed at Loyola Marymount University, will move to one of 85 Host Towns in communities throughout the greater Southern California area. They will move into the Athlete’s Villages at UCLA and USC on 24 July. Sports: A total of 25 sports will be held: Aquatics, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Bocce, Bowling, Cycling, Equestrian, Football (soccer), Golf, Gymnastics – Artistic, Gymnastics – Rhythmic, Handball, Judo, Kayaking, Open Water Swimming, Powerlifting, Sailing, Softball, Roller Skating, Table Tennis, Tennis, Triathlon and Volleyball. There will be 290 separate events in the Games: 267 for Special Olympics Athletes only and 23 Unified Sports® competitions pairing athletes with and without intellectual disabilities. A special “divisioning” process will ensure fair competition in each event in groups of three to eight athletes. All competitors will receive awards: gold, silver and bronze medals for the top three places and ribbons for places 4-8. Venues: Competition will be centered in four major hubs: the Los Angeles Convention Center (six sports); the University of Southern California (USC), hosting three sports, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), hosting six sports, and four sites in Long Beach, California, where six sports will be held. Additional sites include Griffith Park (golf), the Los Angeles Equestrian Center (equestrian), Lucky Strike Lanes (bowling) and the Balboa Sports Center (football/7-a-side). For more information, please visit www.SpecialOlympics.org and www.LA2015.org. FACTBOOK: SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD GAMES LOS ANGELES 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS (Version 3.0: current to 1 July 2015) 1. The Special Olympics Movement 1.01 In the Beginning: The Power of One. page 7 1.02 Mission. 8 1.03 Logo. 9 1.04 Leadership. 10 1.05 Growth and Reach. 13 1.06 Programs. 17 1.07 Partners and Support. 20 1.08 Special Olympics Global Ambassadors. 21 1.09 Sargent Shriver International Global Messengers.. 23 1.10 Milestones. 24 2. The Special Olympics World Games 2.01 Beginnings of the Special Olympics World Games.. 30 2.02 The World Games Era. 31 2.03 The World Games Sports Program. 32 2.04 The World Games Sports Registration and Competition Format. 34 3. Los Angeles 2015: Organization 3.01 About LA2015: Approach and Principles. 36 3.02 Award of the 2015 World Games. 37 3.03 LA2015 Board of Directors. 39 3.04 LA2015 Leadership Staff. 40 3.05 Accommodations. 42 3.06 Ceremonies. 43 3.07 Credentials.. 47 3.08 Delegation Services. 48 3.09 Development, Partners and Sponsors. 53 3.10 Digital Strategy. 57 3.11 Fans, Fans in the Stands and Cheerleaders.. 58 3.12 Finance. 61 3.13 Global Messengers.. 62 3.14 Graphics and Look. 63 3.15 Host Town. 68 3.16 Language Services. 71 3.17 Licensing and Merchandise. 72 3.18 Media Operations. 72 3.19 Medical Programs. 75 3.20 Promotion and Publicity.. 77 3.21 Protocol. 82 = [ 3 ] = TABLE OF CONTENTS 3.22 Security.. 82 3.23 Special Events. 83 3.24 Staffing. 85 3.25 Technology. 86 3.26 Torch Relay. 86 3.27 Transportation. 89 3.28 Travel. 90 3.29 World Games Calendar. 91 4. LA2015: Sports and Venues 4.01 Athlete Eligibility. 97 4.02 Divisioning and Schedule. 98 4.03 Sports. 99 4.04 Aquatics (Swimming and Open Water). 100 4.05 Athletics (Track & Field and Road Running). 102 4.06 Badminton. 105 4.07 Basketball.. 105 4.08 Bocce. 106 4.09 Bowling.. ..