Olympics / Paralympics / Special Olympics – what’s the difference and why does it matter?

Olympics, Paralympics and Special Olympics are

three different international sport competitions.

Especially the Olympics and Paralympics are very

similar as they are held in the same locations and

organized together. But let me explain some more:

The Paralympics take place about three weeks after

the Olympic Games and include almost the same

competitions. The only difference is that it is for

disabled athletes. Many think that the disabled cannot

perform as “able-bodied” athletes but it’s not true!

Disabled athletes perform and work just as much, if

not more physically, the difference is that many use

more tools, e.g. a sprinter doesn’t need anything but

apparel and a start block for his competition while a

disabled sprinter may need a prosthetic.

Briefly putting the social and economic factors to one

side, from a sports aspect, what are the benefits?

Well, the Olympics are undoubtedly a fantastic

international proving ground for athletes. It gives

them the opportunity to compete against athletes of a

similar level on an international stage. This gives

them the opportunity to compare themselves against

each other and to determine how good they are

internationally. This is only achievable through the

sheer scale of the Olympics and the number of

countries and sports involved.

As athletes continually strive to do better, events such

as these are vital as they serve as a proving ground

for the athletes and a chance to try and beat personal

or world records. Factors such as these are vital to the

athletes as records and results from events all play a

part in future selection processes and sponsorship

deals.

It’s possibly a clichéd phrase but the Olympics are

truly a ‘stadium of dreams’, it’s a place where

athletes and aspiring youngsters alike have the

chance to see their idols perform and gives them

something to aspire to.

The ‘Olympic Effect’ and the ‘Inspire a Generation’

slogan is something that’s been reported a lot in the

press lately. Aided immensely by campaigns run by

Sport England, statistics clearly show that in the lead

up to the Olympics there has been an increased

interest in sport and an increase in the number of

people participating in sports on a leisure basis. The

amount of youngsters interested in sport has also

increased and seeing all the publicity about the

Olympics has given many future Olympic hopefuls a

spark in life and provided them with something to

aspire to. The most important thing in the Olympic

Games is not winning but taking part!

Amended Constitution and By-Laws

Under the terms of the “Olympic Charter” there

is hereby constituted and ordained the

“Philippine Olympic Committee” hereinafter

referred to by its abbreviated title “POC” under

the Constitution and By-Laws herein

promulgated.

PREAMBLE ARTICLE I - AIMS

Section 1. The POC shall have the

following aims:

a. To develop and protect the

Olympic Movement in the

Philippines in accordance with the

Olympic Charter.

b. To propagate the fundamental

principles of Olympism at the

national level within the framework

of sports activity and otherwise

contribute, among other things, to

the diffusion of Olympism in the

teaching programmes of physical

education and sport in schools and

universities.

c. To see to the creation of

institutions that devote themselves

to Olympic education, such as the

National Olympic Academy,

Olympic Museum and cultural

programmes related to the Olympic

Movement.

d. To ensure the observance of the

Olympic Charter in the Philippines.

e. To disseminate among young

people an interest in sports and a

sporting spirit.

f. To encourage the development of

high performance sports as well as

sport for all.

g. To help in the training of sports

administrators by organizing

courses and ensure that such

courses contribute to the

propagation of the Fundamental

Principles of Olympism.

h. To guard and take action against

all form of discrimination and

violence in sports.

i. To fight against the use of

substances and procedures

prohibited by the International

Olympic Committee or the

International Sports Federations, in

particular by approaching the

competent authorities in the

country so that all medical controls

may be performed in optimum

conditions. To adopt and

implement the World Anti-Doping

Code, thereby ensuring that the

Philippine Olympic Committee’s

anti-doping policies and rules,

membership and/or funding

requirements and results

management procedures conform

with the World Anti-Doping Code

and respect all the roles and

responsibilities for NOCs that are

listed within the World Anti-Doping

Code.

j. To safeguard its absolute

autonomy and to resist all

pressures of any kind, including

those of political, religious or

economic nature that may prevent

it from complying with the Olympic

Charter.

k. To organize, together with the

respective National Sports

Associations, the preparation and

selection of athletes, thereby

ensuring that the Philippines is

represented at the Olympic Games

as well as at regional, continental

and intercontinental games having

the patronage of the International

Olympic Committee.

l. To undertake the organization of

these Games when they are held in

the Philippines. It shall have the

exclusive authority to select and

designate the city which may apply

to organize Olympic Games in the

Philippines.

m. To submit proposals to the IOC with

regard to the “Olympic Charter”,

the Olympic Movement in general

as well as the organization and

conduct of the Olympic Games.

n. To work in concert with private or

governmental bodies concerning

the promotion of a sound sports

policy. However, it shall not

associate itself with any activity

which would be in contradiction

with the Olympic Charter.

o. To help in the training of sports

administrators and athletes’

coaches by organizing courses to

ensure the further development of

sports in the country and the

uplifting of the level of

performance of Filipino athletes in

international competitions.

The approved budget will augment the National Sports Development Fund, roughly P50 million monthly and which bankrolls the training and international exposure of PH athletes.

The Philippine Sports Commission will operate on a P187-million budget next year.PSC chair Richie Garcia said the appropriation would be intended for the government agency’s various sports programs such as the Batang Pinoy and

the expanded version of the Philippine National Games beginning 2015.

-inquirer