The capital of Tatarstan was chosen by the International Coordinating Council.
“Hosting the World Winter Special Olympics in 2022, Kazan has added to the list of cities around the world working on the adaptation and integration of people with intellectual disabilities into a full-fledged life in society,” said Mary Davis, president of the Special Olympics.
Competitions will help create additional opportunities for social adaptation of approximately three million people with developmental characteristics living in Russia.
This will be the first international event sponsored by Special Olympics International in Russia.
The program will include seven types - skiing, snowboarding, floorball, skiing, figure skating, short track and snowshoeing. The Games will bring together two thousand athletes and unified partners (athletes without intellectual development) from 108 countries.
The project will receive support from the government of Russia and the Republic of Tatarstan.
“Holding this prestigious and extremely important event gives us the opportunity to show Russia and the world that people with intellectual disabilities are able to compete at the highest sports level, and our movement is not only a strong sports organization, but also a leader in the quest for an inclusive world” - said the president of the Special Olympics in Russia Olga Slutsker.
Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, for his part, said that sport knows no boundaries, and the holding of the World Winter Special Olympics is a vivid confirmation of this.
As the head of the region added, the republic always approaches with high responsibility the organization of events that have been entrusted to us, the Games in 2022 will not be an exception.