Autumn Brings Harvest of SOEE Athlete Activity

— Welcome to the latest edition of the Special Olympics Europe Eurasia newsletter!

— This autumn we are celebrating a trio of powerful recent regional sports events:

— Special Olympics Sweden Invitational Games 2026 in Malmö (4-6 September)

— Special Olympics European Swimming Open Malta 2026 (10-14 September)

— Special Olympics Judo Open Sarajevo 2026 (25-26 September).

—- We are also looking ahead to some key regional gatherings, including the Special Olympics Europe Eurasia Leadership Conference and SOEE Regional Athlete Leadership Congress in Belgrade, Serbia (2-6 November) and the second annual Special Olympics European Union Day at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium (11-12 November).

All that, and much more. Let’s dive in!

🏃‍♀ REGIONAL SPORTS: History is Made at Special Olympics Sweden Invitational Games 2026!
A group of athletes with their arms around each other hold their medals in the air.
“It has meant everything!”

Amanda Orrbo, Judo athlete and Ambassador for the Special Olympics Sweden Invitational Games

History was made when the Special Olympics Sweden Invitational Games 2026 officially opened on 4 September in Malmö, marking the largest sporting event ever held in the country for people with intellectual disabilities.

2,000 participants from 26 nations came together to compete in 11 sports across three action-packed days. Supported by a range of national partners as well as international and regional partners, Coca Cola, Lions Clubs International, Toyota Motor Europe and UPS, the event showcased the immense power of inclusive sport to the people of Malmö, and the region.

This unforgettable event kicked off with a magical Opening Ceremony, featuring the official Games song Celebration4Life, which was beamed live across the world via the Games website.

🏃2,000 athletes

🌍 26 nations

🏌11 sports

TME at Invitationals

🏊REGIONAL SPORTS: ‘Beyond the Wave’ at European Swimming Open Malta 2026
A collage at people at a swimming competition.
“From Malmö to Malta, our movement is showing the strength, reach and spirit of inclusion through sport”

Sven Albrecht, President and Managing Director, Special Olympics Europe Eurasia

Just days after the Special Olympics Sweden Invitational Games brought athletes and supporters together in Malmö, the spotlight turned to Malta for the Special Olympics European Swimming Open.

Special Olympics Malta enthusiastically welcomed 250 Special Olympics swimmers from 35 countries across Europe and beyond for this exciting competition which ran from 10 to 14 September. Supported by Sport Malta, athletes competed across a range of races: including 25m, 50m, and 100m individual races, as well as 4 x 25m freestyle relay events for male, female, and mixed teams at the National Pool Complex, Tal-Qroqq.

The event also featured the largest Motor Activity Training Program (MATP) demonstrations held in Europe this year, as well as one of the most highly attended globally, supported by the Lions Clubs International Foundation.

🏊‍♂ 250 swimmers

🌍 35 nations

European Swimming Open

🥋REGIONAL SPORTS: Historic Step Forward for Adaptive Judo in Sarajevo
Two judokas in competition.
“We are proud that the International Judo Federation is now an integral part of [Special Olympics’] sporting pathway.”

Marius L. Vizer, President of the International Judo Federation

The athletes of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia (SOEE) just never stop! Less than 10 days after the European Swimming Open in Malta wrapped up, the Special Olympics Judo Open Sarajevo 2026 kicked off.

Hosted by SOEE and Special Olympics Bosnia and Herzegovina, in partnership with the International Judo Federation (IJF), the event welcomed 130 judokas from 20 countries to Sarajevo from 25 to 26 September 2026.

As the first international Special Olympics judo event held in collaboration with the IJF to include athletes across all five ability levels, and integrated into the IJF World Championships for Veterans and Kata, Sarajevo marked a historic step for the development of adaptive judo.

🥋130 judokas

🌍 20 nations

Judo Open Sarajevo

🏸PARTNER HIGHLIGHT: Special Olympics Supports the European Week of Sport and #BeActive
A collage of four photos featuring sports activities and the #Beactive hashtag.
“For Special Olympics Ireland, the message of #BeActive is one we strongly believe in … Our athletes demonstrate every day the confidence, friendships, health and sense of community that sport can create.”

Karen Coventry, National Director, Special Olympics Ireland

The European Week of Sport (EWOS) – an initiative of the European Commission now in its twelfth year – launched in Dublin, Ireland on 23 September. Special Olympics Ireland and Europe Eurasia representatives joined the European sports community to celebrate the journey so far for the campaign. Since its launch, EWOS and #BeActive have seen 118 million participants take part in over 433,000 activities across 40 countries.

Speaking via video at the launch event, Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, offered an encouraging message to the sports organisations gathered: “At a time when so much can pull people apart, sport creates a reason for people to come together, to play on the same team, to share the same space and cheer for each other. It has a remarkable way of turning strangers into teammates.”

European Week of Sport

ATHLETE FOCUS: Athlete Leader Steffi Weigel Celebrates 50 Years of UPS in Germany
A woman stands at a podium speaking with a man to her left.
Steffi Weigel, Special Olympics Germany Athlete Leader, and Sven Albrecht, Special Olympics Europe Eurasia President, were proud to join UPS regional and global teams at a recent celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of UPS in Germany.

Steffi, a Special Olympics Nordrhein-Westfalen spokesperson and member of the Special Olympics Germany Athlete Council, and Sven gave powerful speeches focused on the joint mission of our organisations: together we create inclusive communities with the human being always at the centre of our work. Thank you, UPS, for welcoming us to your celebration and for your ongoing focus on inclusion.

UPS 50 Year Celebrations

ATHLETE FOCUS: Leire Martínez Crespo Joins Partnership Signing with Olympic Channel in Madrid
A group of three people stand before signed contracts.
“I’m really happy that Special Olympics and the Olympic Channel Services are working together to share our stories and help more people understand what inclusion through sport can look like.”

Leire Martínez Crespo, Special Olympics Spain athlete

Special Olympics Spain athlete Leire Martínez Crespo recently joined Special Olympics International Chief Communications, Marketing and Development Officer Zehra Sayin and Olympic Channel Services (OCS) General Manager Kostas Karvelas, at the announcement of the new Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations in Madrid, Spain.

The collaboration will explore opportunities to share Special Olympics stories through the OCS’s platforms and global audience, highlighting the power of sport to create opportunities, challenge perceptions and advance inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities.

MoU with Olympic Channel

REGIONAL GATHERING: Key Special Olympics Europe Eurasia Convenings This Autumn
A group of people stand together with their hands in the air.
Preparations are well underway for a host of key gatherings and planning meetings for our region this autumn, chief among them is the Special Olympics Europe Eurasia Leadership Conference Belgrade 2026.

Leadership Conference: Belgrade, Serbia – 3-6 November
The conference, hosted by Special Olympics Serbia, will bring together representatives of National Programmes, Athlete Leaders, partners, mentors, facilitators, volunteers and other members of the Special Olympics community from across the Europe Eurasia region.

Under the theme “Inspired by the Past. Leading to the Future”, the conference will provide an opportunity to reflect on the achievements and legacy of Special Olympics in our region while looking ahead to the priorities, opportunities and leadership required to further strengthen inclusion through sport.

Leadership Conference
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Regional Athlete Leadership Congress: Belgrade, Serbia – 2-3 November
Approximately 40 participants will take part in the SOEE Regional Athlete Leadership Congress, including members of the Athlete Leadership Council and the Youth Leadership Council, as well our Sargent Shriver Global Messengers, Margaret Turley and Gilmour Borg, and Special Olympics International Board Member Kiera Byland. These, along with other athletes from Serbia and Switzerland, look forward to a rich exchange of ideas. Six of the athletes participating will represent the region at the Global Athlete Congress in Santiago, Chile in 2027.

Europe Eurasia Leadership Council (EELC) Meeting: Belgrade, Serbia – 2 November
The EELC is the representative leadership body for Special Olympics National Programmes across the Europe Eurasia region. It provides strategic guidance, represents the interests of the Programmes, and helps shape regional priorities, initiatives, and long-term planning to strengthen inclusion and opportunities.

Europe Eurasia Sports Committee (EESC) Meeting: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina – 14-16 October 2026
The EESC is composed of eight experienced sport directors or experts, representing seven SOEE Programmes. It is an advisory body to the SOEE Sports Team and EELC in the field of sports development, sanctioning and planning regional competitions and seminars. EESC makes recommendations for sport rule changes and event management improvements.

Unified Sports Expert (UNEX) Group Meeting: Cologne, Germany – 20-22 November
The UNEX group consists of nine experts from seven SOEE Programmes who support high-quality Unified Sports development across the region. Their work includes reviewing and submitting rules, developing educational resources, supporting education sessions and competitions, and collaborating with internal and external partners on Unified Sports initiatives.

Meet SOEE Teams
​

REGIONAL GATHERING: Athletes To Gather in Brussels for Second Annual SO EU Day
A large group stands in front of the European Parliament in Brussels.
The second annual Special Olympics European Union (SO EU) Day will take place on 11 and 12 November at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. Athletes from across Europe will gather at the Parliament to meet with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and other high level officials.

Throughout the two days, EU representatives will also have the opportunity to experience the power of Unified Sports on their doorstep through a Unified Sports Cycling Event and reflect on the breadth of our work through a powerful photo exhibition, hosted in the Parliament. Additionally, there will be a health and wellbeing learning space featuring Special Olympics Healthy Athlete and Athlete Leadership content. The event will culminate in the Closing Assembly, ‘A Strong and Inclusive Europe’ on 12 November.

SO EU Day 2026
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WORLD GAMES: Switzerland Uses 2029 Games Momentum to Focus on Inclusive Health
A large group of people stand and sit side by side facing the camera.
“The Congress was a first step toward a more inclusive Swiss health system and the beginning of a longer journey toward the Special Olympics World Winter Games Switzerland 2029 and beyond.”

Romain Fardel, Head of Health, Special Olympics Switzerland

On 24-25 September, 2026, Special Olympics Switzerland held its first annual Health Congress in Zug, bringing together people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), healthcare professionals, institutions, policymakers, public authorities, and national and international experts to exchange experiences, share best practices, and identify solutions to advance inclusive health.

Special Olympics Switzerland aims to continue convening and connecting partners to turn the momentum around the Special Olympics Switzerland World Winter Games 2029 into lasting change in the health system.

Health Congress in Zug

TRENDING ON SOCIAL: His Holiness Pope Leo XIV Welcomes Athletes of Special Olympics Italy to the Vatican
Screenshot of an Instagram post with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV embracing an athlete.
REGIONAL CALENDAR
See below for upcoming regional events from October to December 2026.

29 Oct – 2 Nov: European Kayaking Regatta,