Op Ed-- Olympics Share Brand for Good Cause

This year marks the anniversary of an agreement struck 20 years ago with the IOC that has allowed Special Olympics to become a movement on its own. It’s the only sports event outside the Olympics allowed to use the “O” word.

The IOC risked looking like a bad guy back in 1988 when it could have blocked “Olympics” from the name of the group. The genie had popped out of the bottle in 1968 when Special Olympics was formed and the name used without IOC approval. Confusion about marketing rights and copyright infringement ensued for years.

Instead, President Juan Antonio Samaranch gave a green light to an agreement that made it possible for both the IOC and Special Olympics to co-exist to mutual benefit.

The agreement enabled the IOC to protect other elements of its branding, such as the Olympic rings, but still allowed Special Olympics to keep its name. While it avoided the ignominy of issuing cease and desist orders against a popular cause, the IOC still has been able to block other events from taking the Olympics name, whether Senior Olympics, Chef’s Olympics or Word Olympics.

But there would be no more “Special Olympics” under the IOC agreement: since 1991, the event held every four years is known as the Special Olympics Summer (or winter) World Games. From 1000 competitors in the early years -- nearly all from the U.S. -- the event drew 7200 athletes from 150 nations to Shanghai in 2007.

The Special Olympics movement, which is aimed at people with developmental disabilities, is now said to include 2.5 million people worldwide. Athletes range from the young to adults.

"Special Olympics actively promotes athlete leadership at all levels of the Movement and is educating students around the world about the detriments of discrimination and the value of sport,” IOC President Jacques Rogge is quoted on the Special Olympics website.

Olympians around the globe have lent their support to Special Olympics, from Yao Ming in China to Mia Hamm in the U.S. The World Olympians Association works with the Special Olympics movement on a country-by-country basis to support local programs.

Sitting on the board of directors for Special Olympics is IOC member Walther Troeger of Germany. Nadia Comaneci is vice chair. Her husband Bart Conner is a board member along with fellow Olympian Donna de Varona. Deng Pufeng, chair of China Disabled Persons Federation, himself a BOCOG board member, sits on the Special Olympics board.

Olympic connections are sometimes more oblique: actress Susan St. James, just honored with a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, is a long-time volunteer for Special Olympics -- and the spouse of NBC Olympics supremo Dick Ebersol.

Number one sponsor Coca Cola has been a supporter of Special Olympics for the past 40 years and last month renewed its international sponsorship through 2011. Not just cash and soft drinks, the Coke contribution also includes a top executive from the company to serve as president and chief operating officer of Special Olympics. Coke COO Muhtar Kent is a board member.

It’s only been since 2003 that the Special Olympics have been held outside the U.S. – in Dublin and Shanghai so far.

Nagano, 1998 Winter Olympics host, held the 2005 Winter World Games for the Special Olympics.

Perhaps 2011 is the year that will bring the most talk about the links between the Olympic Movement and the Special Olympics. The Special Olympics World Summer Games are scheduled to take place that year in Athens, Greece. It will be the biggest sporting event for the country since 2004.

Op Ed is a weekly column of opinion and ideas from Around the Rings. Comments, as well as guest columns are welcomed: comment@aroundtherings.com