Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in Special Olympics District of Columbia, you must:

• Be identified by an agency, school, or professional as having one of the following conditions: intellectual disability, cognitive delays as measured by formal assessment, or significant learning or vocational problems due to cognitive delay that require or have previously required specially designed instruction.

• Be at least 5 years of age. There is no maximum age limit for participation in Special Olympics.

Can individuals with profound disabilities participate in Special Olympics? Yes, through the Motor Activities Training Program (MATP), developed by physical educators, physical therapists and recreation therapists. MATP emphasizes training and participation rather than competition.

Can individuals with physical disabilities participate in Special Olympics? To qualify as a Special Olympics athlete, a person must have some type of intellectual disability. Those individuals that have a physical disability but do not have an intellectual disability can participate as either a volunteer or as a Unified Sports® partner in select sports.

To Get Involved as a Special Olympics Athlete:

Download the Athlete Application for Participation (medical form) and instructions. In order to train and/or compete in Special Olympics, an athlete must be examined by a medical professional and have a current Application for Participation (medical form) on file. Completed applications are valid for three years from the date he/she receives a physical exam.

To Get Involved as a Volunteer or Unified Sports® Partner:

Download the Class A Volunteer Application Form.