After the end of the Special Olympics, the world sports games for the mentally handicapped and people with multiple disabilities, 14 people from seven delegations have not yet returned to their homes. Among them are members from the delegations of Algeria (1), Burundi (1), Cameroon (1), Lebanon (1), Senegal (1), Ivory Coast (8) and Guinea (1), like Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) on Tuesday said. According to initial information, it should mainly be about supervisors and less about athletes.
The whereabouts of the 14 people are currently unknown. “Obviously, the focus is clearly on finding them and making sure they’re okay,” Spranger said. There are currently no indications of accidents or the like. The State Criminal Police Office is investigating in all directions.
Around 7,000 athletes from 176 delegations attended the Special Olympics World Games, which took place in Berlin from June 17th to 25th. In addition, 3,000 coaches and carers and 9,000 family members traveled, as announced on the Special Olympics website.
Special Olympics 2025 in Turin
Meanwhile, Timothy Shriver, CEO of Special Olympics, has high ambitions for successful inclusion. “I want more inclusion in sport. I want every school in the world to be inclusive,” the 63-year-old told the inclusive editorial team, who wrote plain language texts during the World Games for the Mentally and Multiply Disabled, “I want every sports club in the world to be inclusive . If we don’t achieve that, we haven’t achieved anything. So not some, not many, not most – but all. This is what I want.”
To do this, the athletes would have to publish their stories in a way that would attract the public in order to gain any attention at all. “We have to get our athletes to share their stories so that inclusion can become the revolution our world needs,” said the nephew of John F. Kennedy, who wrote his famous words “Ich bin ein Berliner” 60 years ago in Berlin. had spoken.
Michael Reinsch, Berlin Published/Updated: , Michael Reinsch, Berlin Published/Updated: , Michael Reinsch, Berlin Published/Updated: ,
Shriver admitted an error in the execution of the games. Sugary drinks were also served with the athletes’ meals. Obesity is a major problem for the mentally handicapped in particular, with around 60 percent of the group suffering from obesity. “It’s definitely contradictory. We need to offer healthier foods,” Shriver said, promising improvement. In two years, the Winter Games will take place in Turin.
