Special Olympics research: 42% drop in sport participation by people with learning disability due to Covid-19
- Published
The 2019 Special Olympics World Games took place in Abu Dhabi
New research by Special Olympics shows nearly three million people with a learning disability stopped participating in sport in 2020 because of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The figures, released on International Day of Disabled Persons, show almost 3.9 million people took part in the charity's global programmes.
That was down from record high figures of 6.7 million in 2019 - a drop of 42%.
There was also a 44% drop in coaches, and 74% fewer competitions took place.
"The Covid pandemic has deepened the isolation and marginalisation of our athletes and individuals with intellectual disabilities globally," said Special Olympics president David Evangelista. "Many have lost a vital lifeline to sport.
"People with intellectual disabilities are six times more likely to die from Covid than the general population, so a 'return to play' strategy is not a simple proposition for a population subset at this level of risk - but through their leadership our movement perseveres, thrives and is ready to get back in the game."
Special Olympics is maintaining online opportunities for its athletes with a Faces of Basketball scheme across Europe which provides a "virtual hub" to connect with players and coaches.
It plans to stage both a Winter and Summer World Games in 2023.
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