The Paralympics and Special Olympics Are Not The Same. The Distinction Matters.

Scroll through a few posts on the Paralympics’ social media pages and you might notice some interesting discourse in the comment section. Among excitement over athlete success and emojis conveying country pride, some commenters are getting called out for referring to the current competition as “special Olympics.”

There’s nothing offensive or controversial about the term “special Olympics” itself, it’s just that it’s an entirely different organization than the Paralympics. And it’s probably time we all understood the difference – allow me to elaborate.

What’s the Difference between Paralympics and Special Olympics?

To state it quite plainly, Paralympics focuses on individuals with physical disabilities, while Special Olympics is for people with intellectual disabilities (or ID, term used when a person has limitations in cognitive functioning and skills).

In fact, their only overlap is the fact that both the Paralympics and Special Olympics are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and focus on sport for people with disabilities. But that’s pretty much where their similarities end.

According to the resources provided by Special Olympics, the two organizations differ in three main categories: athletes’ disability categories; participation criteria and philosophy; and the organization structure.

As of the Paris 2024 games, Paralympics welcomes athletes with physical disabilities, from ten categories of impairment, including classifications like impaired muscle power, limb deficiency, vision impairment, and vision impairment, among others. The Special Olympics, however, welcomes all athletes with ID (causes might include Down syndrome, birth defects, or injury, among other reasons), of all ability levels, as long as they’re over the age of 8. These athletes have the opportunity to train and compete in over 30 sports. Some of these athletes may also have a physical disability.

Philosophy-wise, these organizations are also pretty distinct. While both are expanding access to sport and providing opportunities for athletes of all abilities, the Paralympics is about elite performance sport and only the highest qualified are able to compete at the Games (parallel to the Olympics).

Special Olympics, on the other hand, works a bit differently. “We create divisions for our athletes based on their ability level, age, and gender – with the idea that regardless of ability level, if we provide you with a thrilling competition experience, it’s going to be fulfilling,” says Jon-Paul St. Germain, Vice President of Sport Development for Special Olympics International, while speaking on a panel for Nike’s Coach The Dream initiative. “Ultimately, we’re focused on providing a safe environment and creating a welcoming atmosphere.”

Why Is It Important To Use the Right Language?

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I didn’t personally give the distinction much thought until, within the same week, I attended the Paralympic games in person and then had the privilege of hearing from a Special Olympics rep during a panel discussion. When I learned more about the two orgs, it got me thinking. While mixing up the two may be an innocent mistake, taking the time to better understand both orgs is crucial – not only to be a generally mindful and knowledgeable human, but also because perpetuating ignorance dilutes their individual missions. Allow me to elaborate.

The Paralympic Games have existed since 1960, and have represented the pinnacle of athletic achievement among those with physical disabilities. These athletes are not “participants” but competitors performing at the highest level (as someone who attended the games in person, I cannot emphasize this enough). The word “Paralympic” derives from the Greek “para” (which means beside or alongside). “Its meaning is that Paralympics are the parallel Games to the Olympics and illustrates how the two movements exist side-by-side,” states the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) website. As PS’s senior health and fitness editor Alexis Jones writes: “These competitors deserve our utmost respect and support. Not because they’re ‘defying the odds,’ but because just like every Olympian you watched compete over the last few weeks, these athletes have had to work tirelessly just to even qualify for this level of competition.”

The mission and purpose of the Special Olympics is different, but similarly important: It was founded back in 1968, with the goal to end discrimination against people with ID. “Our organization is dedicated to using sport to change societal attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities,” says St. Germain. He also notes that some recent research identifies that, for people with ID, low expectations from others is one of “the most disabling factors they face.”

That’s why, one of the unique strategies of this the Special Olympics organization is how it intentionally involves people with and without ID, allowing them to come together through sport. “This gives our athletes with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to interact with similar-age peers,” says St. Germain. Not only does this help normalize unified and inclusive play, but those individuals without ID can then go on to become champions of inclusion. “Within our community we have great advocates from family members to special education teachers – but we’re trying to reach a larger audience, and have more people involved in the work that we do.”

So yes, both of these organizations center individuals with disabilities, but the way in which they support the community and foster inclusivity is pretty distinct. Both groups are deserving of support and attention – and that all begins with taking the time to listen, learn, and care about the language we use.

Kristine Thomason is a lifestyle writer and editor based in Southern California. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at Mindbodygreen and the fitness and wellness editor at Women’s Health. Kristine’s work has also appeared in PS, Travel + Leisure, Men’s Health, Health, and Refinery29, among others.