ATHLETES, INSPIRATION, COMPETITION, HISTORY AND YOU ... An Invitation to Cover the SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD GAMES LOS ANGELES 2015 Los Angeles, California USA 25 July – 2 August 2015 ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD GAMES In July 2015, nearly 7,000 athletes from up to 177 countries will converge on Los Angeles, historic site of two Olympic Games, for the world’s largest event for athletes with intellectual disabilities: the Special Olympics World Games. From the Opening Ceremony at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to competitions in 25 sports at sites in Los Angeles and Long Beach, the Games will showcase athletes from ages 8 - 60+, competing among themselves and in Unified Sports Experience events with non-disabled peers, athletes and celebrities. ABOUT SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD GAMES The Games Begun by Eunice Kennedy Shriver as a camp for children with intellectual disabilities in the 1960s, the first International Special Olympics Summer Games was held in Chicago (USA) on 20 July 1968. Nearly 1,000 athletes from Canada and the USA competed in athletics and swimming. The event was re-named as the Special Olympics World Summer Games in 1975 and after being held in the United States through 1999, was held for the first time outside the U.S. in Dublin, Ireland in 2003. Four years later, the World Summer Games debuted in Asia in Shanghai, China and then in continental Europe in 2011 in Athens, Greece. Athletes Competitors may be as young as eight years old, with no upper-age limit. Events will be held in divisions with as few as three competitors, but never more than eight. The top three finishers will receive gold, silver and bronze medals, respectively, with ribbons awarded to finishers in places four through eight. Athletes will, for the most part, be housed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and University of Southern California (USC) campuses and walk to events held on campus. Events & Schedule Most national delegations will arrive in Los Angeles on or about 20 July 2015 and after receiving their Special Olympics World Games credentials, will depart for a unique Host Town experience from 21-24 July. More than 80 Southern California communities will welcome athletes, coaches and officials for three days of training, sightseeing and entertainment before sending them to Los Angeles. Media will have access to most delegations during the Host Town programs. The Opening Ceremony will be held on Saturday, 25 July in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of the opening events of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games. A large-scale entertainment program will be mounted, in addition to the traditional parade of athletes and the formal opening protocol s. The Closing Ceremony will be held in the Coliseum on Sunday, 2 August. Sports A total of 25 sports, based on standard International Federation rules, will be held at the 2015 World Games: • Aquatics • Bowling • Gymnastics (Rhythmic) • Roller Skating • Athletics • Cycling • Handball • Sailing • Badminton • Equestrian • Judo • Softball • Basketball • Football • Kayaking • Table Tennis • Beach Volleyball • Golf • Open Water Swimming • Tennis • Bocce • Gymnastics (Artistic) • Powerlifting • Triathlon • Volleyball • Information Current up to 9 March 2015 • VENUES AND SCHEDULE Venues and Schedule Most of the competitions will be centralized at four locations in Los Angeles (3) and Long Beach (1), with six auxiliary sites hosting one sport each. The current calendar: [Key: D = Divisioning process LACC = Los Angeles Convention Center LB = Long Beach T=Training UCLA = University of California, Los Angeles USC = University of Southern California] Sport/Event Venue 25 Jul 26 Jul 27 Jul 28 Jul 29 Jul 30 Jul 31 Jul 1 Aug 2 Aug Opening Cer. L.A. Mem. Coliseum « Aquatics-Swimming USC/Uytengsu Center « « « « « « « « Aquatics-Open Water LB/Alamitos Beach D « Athletics-Track USC/Loker Stadium D D D D « « « « Athletics-Road LB/Alamitos Beach « Badminton LACC/South Hall T D D « « « « « Basketball USC/Galen Center D D D « « « « « Bocce LACC/South Hall D D « « « « « « Bowling Lucky Strike Lanes D D « « « « Cycling LB/Aquarium « « « « Equestrian L.A. Equestrian Cntr. T T T D « « « « Football/5 UCLA/Intramural Field D D « « « « « Football/7 Balboa Sports Center D D « « « « « Football/11 UCLA/Drake Stadium D D « « « « « « UCLA/North Ath. Field Golf Griffith Park T D D « « Gymnastics-Artistic UCLA/Wooden Cntr. T T T T « « « « Gymnastics-Rhythmic UCLA/Wooden Cntr. T D « « Handball LACC/South Hall D « « « « « « Judo UCLA/Student Activ. T D « « « Kayaking L.B. Marine Stadium T D D « « Powerlifting LACC/Concourse Hall T « « « « « « Roller Skating LACC/South Hall T D D « « « Sailing Belmont Pier T D « « « « « Softball UCLA/Easton Stadium T T D « « « « « Table Tennis LACC/South Hall D D D D « « « « Tennis UCLA/L.A. Tennis Ctr. D D D « « « « « Triathlon LB/Alamitos Beach « Volleyball-Beach LB/Alamitos Beach D « « « Volleyball-Indoor UCLA/Pauley Pavilion T D D « T « « « Closing Cer. L.A. Mem. Coliseum « (Please note that this schedule is preliminary and is subject to change.) NEWS MEDIA SUPPORT News Media Support A full program of support services is planned for news media covering the 2015 World Games: • Credential applications are online now at www.LA2015.org/media, and will be accepted through 1 June 2015. • Hotel accommodations may be booked today through the LA2015 housing portal: www.LA2015.org/housing. The preferred media hotel is the LA HOTEL DOWNTOWN (333 S. Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles; the FIGUEROA HOTEL (939 S. Figueroa St., is walking distance from the Media Operations Office & Workroom at the Los Angeles Convention Center.) • Media facilities will be available at each site, including but not limited to: • Seating reserved in existing facilities or in the grandstands; • Reserved shooting positions for photographers and videographers at field level; • Designated post-event Interview Zones where journalists can meet the athletes; • Results, start lists and LA2015 staff images and video available online; • Working areas with complimentary wired and/or wireless Internet access. The Media Operations Office & Workroom will be located inside the Los Angeles Convention Center, opening on 20 July 2015, which will also support media covering the competition venues at that site. • Photographers and videographers will be identified by special bibs allowing access to field-of-play adjacent shooting positions. Live video coverage is not allowed, but recordings of competitions and athlete interviews shown post-competition are encouraged. • Transportation support will be provided free of charge to credentialed media via shuttle systems. Media staying at LA2015-designated hotels will be connected to the Media Operations Office & Workroom and to the competition venues. Media driving their own vehicles will be accommodated with complimentary parking (on a space-available basis) at designated locations at each site. Join us in Los Angeles this summer for a Games you will never forget! For additional information, please contact our Co-Senior Directors for Media Operations: • Pat Harris DiLeva: [email protected] Tel: (213) 805-6506 • Rich Perelman: [email protected] Tel: (213) 805-6503 7,000 Athletes | 177 Countries | 25 July - 2 August 2015 www.LA2015.org/media .