SPECIAL OLYMPICS IRELAND
ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS
Special Olympics Ireland training and competition programmes are open to every
person with an intellectual disability who is registered with Special Olympics
Ireland as required.
Note: The term mental handicap continues to be used by people in Ireland.
However, in recent years the term “intellectual disability” has become increasingly
popular. The Department of Health & Children, however, uses the term
“intellectual disability”. The preferred terminology of Special Olympics Ireland is
intellectual disability.
Age Requirements
 The minimum age requirement for participation in Special Olympics
competition is 8 years of age.
 Children who are 6 years of age are permitted to participate in ageappropriate Special Olympics training programmes or social activities
during the course of a Special Olympics event offered by a registered
Special Olympics club. However, no child may participate in a Special
Olympics competition or be awarded medals or ribbons associated with
competition before his or her 8th birthday.
 There is no maximum age limitation for participation in Special Olympics.
Definition of Intellectual Disability
Intellectual disability
 is a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex
information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence), with:
 a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning)
 starts before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development
Definition of Intellectual Disability in more detail
Intellectual Disability involves a greater than average difficulty in learning. A
person is considered to have an intellectual disability (ID) when the following
factors are present: general intellectual functioning is significantly below average;
significant deficits exist in adaptive skills and the condition is present from
childhood (eighteen years or less). (Inclusion Ireland (formerly namhi))
(www.inclusionireland.ie).
What is general intellectual functioning?
General intellectual functioning is defined as 'an intelligence quotient (IQ)
obtained by assessment with one or more of the individually administered
standardised general intelligence tests’. Significantly sub-average intellectual
functioning is defined as an IQ of 70 or below on an individually administered
test.
What are adaptive skills?
Adaptive skills are those everyday skills needed to live, work and play in the
community. They may include but are not limited to: communication, self-care,
home living, social skills, health and safety, basic reading and writing and
mathematical skills.
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SPECIAL OLYMPICS IRELAND
ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS
An individual who, as a result of an accident or illness, has below average
general intellectual functioning and where significant deficits exist in adaptive skill
may only participate in a Special Olympics programme when they comply with
the criteria identified in Article 6 section 6.01(d) of the Special Olympics General
Rules book (2003) as outlined below.
Section 6.01 Eligibility for Participation in Special Olympics
(a) General Statement of Eligibility: Every person with an intellectual disability
who is at least eight years of age is eligible to participate in Special Olympics.
(b) Age Requirements: There is no maximum age limitation for participation in
Special Olympics. The minimum age requirement for participation in Special
Olympics competition is eight years of age. An Accredited Programme (Special
Olympics Ireland) may permit children who are at least six years old to participate
in age-appropriate Special Olympics training programmes offered by that
Accredited Programme, or in specific (and age-appropriate) cultural or social
activities offered during the course of a Special Olympics event. Such children
may be recognized for their participation in such training or other non-competition
activities through certificates of participation, or through other types of recognition
approved by SOI which are not associated with participation in Special Olympics
competition. However, no child may participate in a Special Olympics competition
(or be awarded medals or ribbons associated with competition) before his or her
eighth birthday.
(c) Degree of Disability:
Participation in Special Olympics training and competition is open to all persons
with an intellectual disability who meet the age requirements of this Section 6.01,
regardless of the level or degree of that person's disability, and whether or not
that person also has other intellectual or physical disabilities, so long as that
person registers to participate in Special Olympics as required by these General
Rules.
(d) Identifying Persons with an Intellectual Disability:
A person is considered to have an intellectual disability for purposes of
determining his or her eligibility to participate in Special Olympics if that person
satisfies any one of the following requirements:
(1) The person has been identified by an agency or professional as having a
intellectual disability as determined by their localities; or
(2) The person has a cognitive delay, as determined by standardized measures
such as intelligent quotient or “IQ” testing or other measures which are generally
accepted within the professional community in that Accredited Programme’s
nation as being a reliable measurement of the existence of a cognitive delay; or
(3) The person has a closely related developmental disability. A “closely related
developmental disability” means having functional limitations in both general
learning (such as IQ) and in adaptive skills (such as in recreation, work,
independent living, self direction, or self-care).
However, persons whose functional limitations are based solely on a physical,
behavioural, or emotional disability, or a specific learning or sensory disability,
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SPECIAL OLYMPICS IRELAND
ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS
are not eligible to participate as Special Olympics athletes, but may be eligible to
volunteer for Special Olympics.
(e) Preserving Flexibility in Identifying Eligible Athletes:
An Accredited Programme may request limited permission from SOI to depart
from the eligibility requirements identified in subsection (d) above if the
Accredited Programme believes that there are exceptional circumstances which
warrant such a departure, and so notifies SOI in writing. SOI will consider such
requests promptly, but shall have the final authority in determining whether any
departure or exception is appropriate.
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