Cairo is hosting meetings of the managing directors of Special Olympics, being held outside the United States and Europe for the first time. Abeer Anwar reports After adopting the idea of decentralisation in 2001, the world, according to Special Olympics for the disabled, was divided into seven continents each with a managing director. Cairo is currently hosting the seven MDs, the city being the headquarters of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The meeting, held on an annual base, is discussing the 2001-2005 strategic plan results and ways of executing the 2006-2010 plan. The seven MDs are John Dow from Africa, Troy Griesen from Asia Pacific, YP Tsin representing East Asia, Mike Smith Europe-Eurasia, Dennis Bruggeman for Latin America, Ayman Abdel-Wahab of the Middle East and North Africa and Bob Geborich in North America. The meetings were opened by Mohamed Sameh deputising for Minister of Shura Council Affairs Mofid Shehab, and headed by Bruce Pasternack, president and CEO of Special Olympics. In his welcoming address, Abdel-Wahab thanked the MDs for choosing Egypt to be the first place to meet in outside the United States and Europe. "This reflects the confidence and respect of Special Olympics in our country, Egypt and our MENA region." Special Olympics is an unprecedented global movement which through quality sports training and competition, improves the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. On 1 January 2006, the global Special Olympics family -- athletes, family members, volunteers, staff members, sponsors and fans around the world -- joined together in triumph: 2,256,733 Special Olympics athletes were competing in the world's greatest movement of sports, joy and human dignity. The movement doubled from one million to two million. In 2000, Special Olympics set out to reach two million athletes by 2005, doubling the number of athletes served. This five-year growth plan (2000- 2005) transformed the organisation into a truly global entity. Special Olympics is now represented in over 160 countries and more than 70 per cent of the athletes live outside North America. Quoting Timothy Shriver, Special Olympics chairman: "You can measure success by the numbers, but it's what you learn along the way that really counts. "When the athletes of Special Olympics are on the playing field, are on the boards of directors, are coaching a skill, are speaking at the podium, everything changes." As of 31 December 2005, Special Olympics exceeded the most optimistic expectations: 2,256,733 athletes actively participated in training sessions and athletic competitions across the world. Between 2000 and 2005 participation grew at a 129 per cent rate with Special Olympics programmes reaching out to 1,270,760 new athletes. Explosive growth took place in Africa and East Asia, throughout Asia Pacific and the Middle East. As of 2005, the Special Olympics athlete population in Africa was 17.5 times larger than in the year 2000. The East Asia region grew almost six-fold, while the Asia Pacific and Middle East/North Africa regions currently serves, respectively, 5.2 and 4.2 times more athletes than five years ago. Special Olympics remains a very young organisation -- 67 per cent of its athletes are under 22. Special Olympics Africa is now currently home to more than 70,000 athletes participating in aquatics, athletics, basketball, figure skating, floor hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, softball, table tennis and volleyball. Currently, Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa is home to more than 107,447 athletes participating in aquatics, athletics, badminton, basketball, bocce, cycling, equestrian, gymnastics, golf, football, floor hockey, powerlifting, table tennis, team handball, sailing, volleyball, skiing (Alpine and cross country), softball, snowshoeing and motor activities. The Special Olympics East Asia region has more than 580,000 athletes in five programmes (China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Korea and Macau). This figure surpasses the 2005 goal of 545,000, making it home to one-quarter of the world's Special Olympics athletes. Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia is home to more than 385,000 athletes who participate in all 26 sports offered by Special Olympics. With help from local offices and participants, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia hopes to increase the number of athletes participating in the region to 334,000 in 2005. Special Olympics Latin America has more than 140,000 athletes within the region. Participants are involved in a variety of sports, including Alpine and cross country skiing, aquatics, athletics, badminton, bocce, basketball, bowling, equestrian, figure skating, floor hockey, football, gymnastics, powerlifting, roller skating, softball, speed skating, table tennis, team handball, tennis and volleyball. Special Olympics Latin America hopes to increase the number of athletes in the region to 195,800 in 2005. Special Olympics North America has 552,499 athletes participating in all 26 sports offered by Special Olympics. According to Pasternack, however, there are many people with intellectual disabilities that are still neglected, socially isolated, overlooked and perceived as less capable than they actually are. "That is why in our new five-year plan (2005-2010) we are going to pursue new goals and continue the changes we have started." In order to realise success in creating this new plan, Special Olympics consulted with athletes, family members, programme leaders and external leaders. These insights provided the basis for the new 2006-2010 strategic plan. It has five goals: to build a movementwide, diversified and sustainable revenue stream of $300 million per year by 2010; to expand and engage key audiences with a compelling message to inspire new levels of support and change global attitudes toward people with intellectual disabilities; to enhance the quality of the local athlete experience, recognising individual motivation and aspirations for sport performance; to become a unified and integrated global movement; and to grow to at least three million athletes. China will host the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games.
