Special Olympics Africa >World Winter Games 2005

Special Olympics continued its Olympic sports legacy, as Nagano, Japan — site of the 1998 Olympics and Paralympics — hosted 2005 Special Olympics World Winter Games 26 February through 5 March 2005. The first Special Olympics World Games held in Asia drew more than 1,800 athletes and 650 coaches from 80 countries around the world, as well as thousands of family members, volunteers, spectators and journalists from every continent.

"Japan's world-class facilities are the ideal venues from which to focus the world's attention on the heroics of Special Olympics athletes from every corner of the globe," said Timothy Shriver, Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics. "The enthusiastic support of the Japanese people, government, and sponsors will create a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our athletes to compete at many of the same arenas as those Olympic greats in 1998."

In Nagano, the first city in the world to host the Olympics, Paralympics and Special Olympics World Games, athletes competed in Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowboarding and speed skating. In addition to inspiring competition, the World Games offered a variety of educational and social events.