SPORTS UNION FOR ATHLETES WITH DOWN SYNDROME SU-DS SPORTS UNION FOR ATHLETES WITH DOWN SYNDROME Dr. Geoff Smedley Chief Executive

Purpose of 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.

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

Athletes with Down syndrome 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

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 SU-DS recognised that athletes with Down syndrome were being outclassed in competition for people with intellectual disability. Such athletes generally do not have the same functional disabilities that are often associated with Down Syndrome. However, SU-DS follows the Olympic and Paralympic ideal. Its Championships recognise one World Champion.

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.

SU-DS now has 41 member countries: EUROPE Austria Great Britain Denmark Spain Estonia Gibraltar Croatia Romania Ireland Italy Portugal Sweden AMERICAS Guatemala Dominica Costa Rico Columbia USA Canada Nicaragua Argentina Chile Cuba Venezuela Mexico Brazil Puerto Rico ASIA Hong Kong India Japan Macau Taiwan AUSTRALASIA Australia New Zealand AFRICA South Africa Cameroon Norway France Russia Finland Turkey Turkmenistan

World Championships UK Portugal Ireland Mexico Taiwan Brazil Azores Italy South Africa 7 Swimming 2 Athletics 1 Futsal 1 Gymnastics 1 Judo 1 Table Tennis

Projected Plans for: Regional Championships Americas Europe Asia

REGISTRATION Personal Information Photo All athletes must Register with SU-DS with Personal Information Photo Medical Evidence of Down Syndrome (T21 or Mosaic) Consent for Sport Medical AAI certificate for some sports Forms can be downloaded from the SU-DS Website www.SU-DS.org

sUDs SPORTS UNION FOR ATHLETES WITH DOWN SYNDROME Athletics Swimming Gymnastics Table Tennis Judo Futsal 2016 Trisome GAMES

Contact Information E-Mail: info@SU-DS.org Web: www.SU-DS.org

Thank You