Unified sports is a separate category of various sports with different rules. Athletes with and without intellectual disabilities play together in one team. Victory does not only mean winning the game, but also the social inclusion of mental disabled players through sports. Special Olympics believes strongly in social integration and inclusion through sports. Enhancing mutual respect and understanding by training and playing on the same team. The problem?

In Belgium “Unified Sports” is still very unknown. Next to the problem of being unknown, we knew that people and sports clubs are afraid to include athletes with a mental disability into a training or match. Our special athletes didn't get the chance to experience Play Unified.

Objective: we not only needed to inform people about Play Unified, but also convince them to go and play their first unified game, not out of pity, but out of mutual love for the game.

September 30th: the official press conference for the selection of the national soccer team. National coach Martinez reads the names of the players to the gathered Belgian press. When the selection is over, he surprises everyone by adding unannounced 8 unknown players to the team.

During the following 3 days, the spotlight is on Play Unified. #playunified becomes a hot topic.

3rd of October, the Unified game between our national football players and special athletes takes place under massive media and public attention.

From the official press conference, the spotlight was on #playunified, and we kept it there. During, before and after the game we got coverage in national newspapers, the big television journals and radio stations. #playunified was a hot topic on social media, and everyone could witness the joy of Playing Unified.