sports union for athletes with down syndrome dr. geoff smedley chief executive su-ds
TRANSCRIPT
SPORTS UNION FOR ATHLETES WITH DOWN SYNDROME
DR. GEOFF SMEDLEYCHIEF EXECUTIVE
SU-DS
Sport has long been recognised by parents, teachers and coaches to be an activity which people with Down Syndrome can enjoy for recreation.
SU-DS promotes the opportunity as one in which they can also be competitive.
Purpose of SU-DS
People with Down Syndrome
In the 50 years I have been Directly involved with people With Down Syndrome:There is generally more Advice about what they CANNOT do .....Than there is general advice about what people with Down Syndrome CAN DO
What is SU-DS?
SU-DS was created as an umbrella organisation to bring together all the Sports Organisations that provide opportunities exclusively for athletes with Down syndrome.
SU-DS, using a Generic Registration Form processes the Registration of all athletes across all the SU-DS sports
This enables athletes to compete in many sports with the same Registration.
Member Organisations
With the help and support of-
Parents Teachers Coaches
Athletes with Down Syndrome CAN
Train with serious commitment Compete with high ambitions Succeed to high expectations
Train very hard to make their National Team
Establish National, Regional and World Records
Win medals that say they are the best in the world
So can Down syndrome athletes
So can Down syndrome athletes
So can Down syndrome athletes
Athletes with Down syndrome
Competitive Opportunities
Organisations that provide competitive opportunities for athletes with Down syndrome
Special Olympics
Inas
SU-DS
Competitive Opportunities
Special Olympics Has a policy of ‘Divisioning’ so there are many
‘winners’ in a single event.There are no holders of National, Regional or World
Records.
Inas Classification is for all swimmers so those with Down
syndrome compete against all those with an Intellectual Disability.
Inas
Inas is an IPC member and its athletes compete in the Paralympics.
Very, very rarely does an athlete with Down syndrome meet the entry standard even for Regional Championships
SU-DS
S U - D S r e c o g n i s e d t h a t a t h l e t e s w i t h D o w n sy n d ro m e w e re b e i n g o u t c l a s s e d i n c o m p e ti ti o n fo r p e o p l e w i t h i n t e l l e c t u a l d i s a b i l i t y.
S u c h a t h l e t e s g e n e ra l l y d o n o t h av e t h e s a m e f u n c ti o n a l d i s a b i l i ti e s t h a t a re o ft e n a s s o c i a t e d w i t h D o w n S y n d ro m e .
H o w e v e r, S U - D S fo l l o w s t h e O l y m p i c a n d
Pa ra l y m p i c i d e a l . I t s C h a m p i o n s h i p s re c o g n i s e o n e Wo r l d C h a m p i o n .
Development
Because Down syndrome athletes were being disadvantaged, DOWN syndrome specific sports organisations were created to give these athletes a fair and equal opportunity to be successful.
This was a view we found was quickly recognised Worldwide.
EUROPE
Austria
Great Britain
Denmark
Spain
Estonia
Gibraltar
Croatia
Romania
Ireland
Italy
Portugal
Sweden
ASIA
Hong Kong
India
Japan
Macau
Taiwan
AUSTRALASIA
Australia
New Zealand
AFRICA
South Africa
Cameroon
AMERICASGuatemalaDominicaCosta RicoColumbiaUSACanadaNicaraguaArgentinaChileCubaVenezuelaMexicoBrazilPuerto Rico
SU-DS now has 41 member countries:
Norway
France
Russia
Finland
Turkey
Turkmenistan
World Championships
7 Swimming2 Athletics1 Futsal1 Gymnastics1 Judo1 Table Tennis
UKPortugalIrelandMexicoTaiwanBrazilAzoresItaly
South Africa
Projected Plans for: Regional Championships
Americas Europe Asia
REGISTRATION
All athletes must Register with SU-DS with
Personal InformationPhotoMedical Evidence of Down Syndrome
(T21 or Mosaic)Consent for SportMedical AAI certificate for some sports
Forms can be downloaded from the SU-DS Website www.SU-DS.org
sUDsSPORTS UNION FOR ATHLETES WITH
DOWN SYNDROME
Athletics Swimming Gymnastics Table Tennis Judo Futsal
2016 Trisome GAMES
Thank You