Spectators look on as law enforcement volunteers and Special Olympics athletes carry the Flame of Hope in Bardonecchia, Italy on the final leg of the torch run ahead of the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin. (Simone Castrovillari/Special Olympics International)
For the first time in eight years, athletes with developmental disabilities from around the globe will come together to compete in skiing, figure skating and other winter sports.
The Special Olympics World Winter Games will begin Saturday in Turin, Italy.
The week of competition will draw about 1,500 athletes with and without intellectual disabilities and over 1,000 coaches from 101 nations.
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Athletes will compete in alpine skiing, cross country skiing, dancesport, figure skating, floorball, short track speed skating, snowboarding and snowshoeing.
“These games are more than a sporting event for our athletes. They are the single largest humanitarian event the world will see this year,” said Mary Davis, CEO of Special Olympics.
The games will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and ESPN3. In addition, ABC and ESPN+ will air the one-hour program “Best of Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025” on April 6 at 1 p.m. ET.
Special Olympics World Games typically occur every two years, alternating between summer and winter sports.
However, the winter games were last held in Austria in 2017. The 2022 winter games were originally postponed due to COVID-19 before ultimately being canceled after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The event was supposed to be held in Kazan, Russia.
The last summer games were held in Berlin in 2023. Upcoming summer games are planned for Santiago, Chile in 2027 followed by winter games in Switzerland in 2029.
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