World Special Olympic Games Dublin 2003 

Happy times for Uri Schiller who was placed first in Judo group MP02  and Liat Rachlewski who came third in FP1 Judo group from Israel on June 26 , who have made plans to marry after taking part at the Judo demonstration section at Sportslink, Santryin of the World Special Olympics held in Dublin 2003.  They have arranged there wedding on there return to Israel after the Games.

View of the crowds attending the Closing Ceremony of 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games at Croke Park, Dublin on June 29.

As an international sports programme, Special Olympics has created the rules based upon the International Judo Federation (IJF) and National Governing Body (NGB) Rules. IJF and NGB rules shall be employed except when they are in conflict with the Official Special Olympics Sports Rules. In such cases, the Official Special Olympics Sports Rules of adapted judo shall apply.

In addition to gender, age and ability, athletes will be divisional by weight class. The individual skills assessment test will encompass techniques such as Ukemi-waza (break falling) from different angles, Toketa-waza (liberation of a holding technique) and Kaeshi-waza, one takeover throwing technique. During the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games judo will be held in Sportslink, Santry, Dublin.

A total of five levels of competition will be on offer for the 2003 Games to Special Olympics programmes in Europe/Eurasia who have developed the sport. The following task force has devised a set of rules governing judo for Special Olympics: Designed by:

How Judo can help special needs players.

• Increased periods of concentration as training progresses.
• Enhanced personal awareness through the use and actions of their own body and that of their opponents in a contest.
• Improvement of motor and sensory experiences and social development through working with others.
• Appreciation of values, becoming more assertive, channelling of aggressive or violent behaviour.

Studies have also shown that people with behavioural problems have become less likely to take out their aggression in the family or school environment as a result of releasing their anxiety/stress in a controlled fashion in a formal judo session. Wheelchair users have welcomed the opportunity to participate in the sport using the Newaza techniques.

A total of five levels of competition was on offer for the 2003 Games to Special Olympics programmes in Europe / Eurasia who have developed the sport. The following task force has devised a set of rules governing judo for Special Olympics:

• Roy Court, Great Britain
• Ben Van den Eng, Netherlands
• Edwin Goedhart, Netherlands
• Alain Duerick, Belgium
• Marjo Duijf, Netherlands
• Yossef Lev, Israel

As an international sports programme, Special Olympics has created the rules based upon the International Judo Federation (IJF) and National Governing Body (NGB) Rules. IJF and NGB rules shall be employed except when they are in conflict with the Official Special Olympics Sports Rules. In such cases, the Official Special Olympics Sports Rules of adapted judo shall apply.

In addition to gender, age and ability, athletes will be divisional by weight class. The individual skills assessment test will encompass techniques such as Ukemi-waza (break falling) from different angles, Toketa-waza (liberation of a holding technique) and Kaeshi-waza, one takeover throwing technique. During the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games judo will be held in Sportslink, Santry, Dublin.

Special Olympics Links