Turin, Italy – The Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025 in Turin came to a close, marking yet another remarkable milestone in the world of sport and inclusion. The Games brought together thousands of athletes from over 100 nations, competing in a variety of winter sports, each embodying the spirit of inclusion and showing true bravery in the attempt. Special Olympics continues to set itself apart with initiatives that go beyond the playing field. Among them, the groundbreaking Healthy Athletes Program, which has provided over 2 million free health screenings to athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) since its inception, supported by more than 36,000 healthcare volunteers dedicated to ensuring that every athlete receives the care they deserve.
Bridging the Healthcare Gap for Athletes with Disabilities
Launched in 1997, the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Program is a pioneering initiative dedicated to providing free health screenings, education, and medical referrals for athletes with IDD. This program actively addresses the significant disparities in healthcare access between individuals with and without disabilities, ensuring that every athlete has the opportunity to thrive, both in competition and in everyday life.
At its core, Healthy Athletes offers a comprehensive range of medical services across seven key areas, each tailored to the unique needs of Special Olympics athletes. These services provide both immediate interventions and long-term health solutions:
- Strong Minds – Helps athletes develop coping strategies through relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises and meditation.
- Sensory Room – Provides a calm environment for athletes to regulate emotions, build confidence, and alleviate stress.
- Vision (Opening Eyes) – Offers free eye exams and prescription glasses to ensure athletes have the corrective eyewear needed to perform at their best.
- Fit Feet – Identifies foot abnormalities and provides orthotics to improve mobility, reduce pain, and enhance athletic performance.
- Fun Fitness – Focuses on strength, flexibility, and balance training, customized to each athlete’s physical needs.
- Healthy Hearing – Conducts hearing assessments and provides referrals for undiagnosed hearing impairments.
- Special Smiles – Offers dental screenings, fluoride treatments, and oral hygiene education to address widespread dental concerns among athletes with IDD.
Access to quality healthcare can be transformational for many Special Olympics athletes, as individuals with IDD often face greater barriers in obtaining medical support. Good health is not just about competition, it directly impacts an athlete’s ability to train, perform, and lead an active, fulfilling life.
Kiera Byland, Special Olympics Global Athlete Congress Chair and Board Member of Special Olympics International and Special Olympics Great Britain, said:
The Healthy Athletes screening program is so important. It can truly change and save our athletes lives, by giving them a personalised treatment so they can perform on an equal playing field as their peers. I have attended as an athlete in 2 previous world games Healthy athletes screening, and this time having gained experience I was able to co-lead 2 tours in Turin, which I really enjoyed.
(Photo by Carlo Pozzoni/AIPS Media)
A Real Impact
For athletes like Alexander Pang, a dedicated figure skating athlete from Special Olympics Canada, the Healthy Athletes Program has been a game-changer. Struggling with foot pain and imbalance, Alexander received customized orthotic skate inserts through Fit Feet, which dramatically improved his performance and well-being. As a result, Alexander went on to compete in multiple Special Olympics World Games, with this year’s being his fourth in Turin.
(Photo by Special Olympics)
During each Special Olympics World Games, Healthy Athletes operates as a large-scale health hub, setting up dedicated stations across venues to provide screenings, education, and treatment. Turin 2025 was no exception. UTS President Stephan Fox and CEO Julia Govinden had the privilege of witnessing the program in action, seeing firsthand the profound impact it has on athletes, families, and the broader community.
Julia Govinden remarked on the program’s significance:
“For the second consecutive year, we are astounded by the level of attention, support and care given to the athletes. We are witnessing particularly athletes from lower socioeconomic backgrounds get access to support they have never experienced. Simply incredible!”
The numbers speak for themselves. At the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin 2023, the Healthy Athletes Program conducted over 15,000 screenings, benefiting approximately 5,000 athletes. These efforts, made possible by dedicated volunteers, medical professionals, and advocates, continue to drive meaningful change in global healthcare accessibility.
UTS President Stephan Fox emphasized the importance of this initiative:
“I have been to countless international events during my career in sports spanning over decades, I have never seen this exceptional attention and resources towards athlete wellbeing. We can all learn from the athlete centred approach of the Special Olympics. Our respect to the leadership for their visionary approach.”
With its unwavering dedication to athlete well-being, Special Olympics is redefining what it means to support athletes. No other sports organization in the world offers this level of commitment to healthcare and inclusion, proving once again that Special Olympics is truly in a league of its own.
