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

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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.

5. Member Organisations

6. 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

7. 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

8. Competitive Opportunities
Organisations that provide competitive opportunities for athletes with Down syndrome
Special Olympics
Inas
SU-DS

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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

15. Projected Plans for: Regional Championships Americas Europe Asia

16. 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

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

18. Contact Information
Web:

19. Thank You