Eligibility

Athlete Eligibility

A person is considered to have an intellectual disability for the purpose of determining eligibility to participate if that person satisfies any one of the following:

- The person has been identified by an agency or professional as having an intellectual disability as determined by their localities.

- The person has a cognitive delay, as determined by standardised measures such as intelligent quotient or ‘IQ’ testing or other measures which are generally accepted within the professional community in that Accredited Program's nation as being a reliable measurement of the existence of a cognitive delay.

- The person has a closely related developmental disability. A ‘closely related developmental disability’ means having functional limitations in both general learning (such as IQ) and in adaptive skills (such as in recreation, work, independent living, self-direction, or self-care). However, persons whose functional limitations are based solely on a physical, behavioural, or emotional disability, or a specific learning or sensory disability, are not eligible to participate as Special Olympics athletes, but may be eligible to volunteer for Special Olympics.

Volunteer Eligibility

All individuals are eligible to volunteer with Special Olympics Australia that meet registration and screening requirements. Individuals who are in Australia on a temporary basis (defined as holders of a valid visa including an asylum seeker on a bridging visa) are eligible to volunteer provided they do not breach their visa conditions.