Mission

Athletes Without Limits helps athletes with intellectual disability
integrate and accelerate in sport and life.

Mission
To promote inclusivity 
in sport for all, especially those with intellectual disability.

National Programs
Athletes Without Limits began with one athlete who wouldn’t let intellectual disability stand in the way of his quest to become a world champion. In two years, we’ve grown to five sports and an ever-increasing number of athletes with a shared dream to reach the highest levels in sports. Here in the US, Athletes Without Limits helps athletes identify coaching and training and competition opportunities at the national, regional and local level with a focus on the integration of athletes with intellectual disability into mainstream sport. Our goal is to be the healthiest group of athletes and supporters in America, and we invite our athletes, friends and family to take the President’s Fitness Challenge with us to prove it!

International Opportunities
The startup of Athletes Without Limits in 2009 as the sole US member organization of INAS made it possible for US athletes with intellectual disability to compete for the first time in open international competition including the INAS Global Games World Championships and International Paralympic Committee events, including the London 2012 Paralympics. In addition to administering INAS/Paralympic Eligibility, Athletes Without Limits also oversees the selection process, registration and travel arrangements for US teams traveling to INAS competitions, including the Global Games World Championships.

Classification
Athletes Without Limits is the US organization responsible for classifying elite athletes with intellectual disability as eligible for Paralympic and other international competition, as selected by INAS, the international governing body for athletes with intellectual disability. Since 2009, we have worked with nearly 40 of the top athletes with intellectual disability in the US and countless others who they inspire.

Advocacy
Additionally, we actively advocate and educate on behalf of people with intellectual disability and stood in strong support of the 2009 international vote to re-include athletes with intellectual disability in Paralympic competition. We are excited that one of our athletes (Michael Murray, pictured below) was the first athlete with intellectual disability to be included on the U.S. Paralympic team, and we look forward to many of our athletes competing in the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Five Sports and Growing
Athletes Without Limits currently supports athletes in cycling, track and field/cross country, swimming, table tennis and rowing, with increasing opportunities in other sports. Our model promotes excellence in sport through inclusion and integration of athletes with disability into mainstream training and competition. Our efforts to improve opportunities for athletes with intellectual disability have engaged, inspired and involved athletes of all ability and background, including armed services veterans and active duty members, professional athletes, novices and high schoolers. We focus on the athlete, not the disability.

 

Related Organizations

The International Federation for Athletes with Intellectual Disability, or INAS, is an association of 87 countries that manages eligibility requirements for athletes with an intellectual disability and organizes 10-15 regional and world championship events yearly including the Global Games. INAS is a founding member of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and is worked with the IPC on the re-inclusion of athletes with intellectual disability into Paralympic competitions including the 2012 London Paralympics.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is “the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for nine sports, for which it supervises and co-ordinates the World Championships and other competitions. The IPC is committed to enabling Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and to developing sport opportunities for all persons with a disability from the beginner to elite level. In addition, the IPC aims to promote the Paralympic values, which include courage, determination, inspiration and equality.”

U.S. Paralympics is a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the US member of the IPC. U.S. Paralympics oversees Paralympic training, programs and competitions in the United States as well as Team USA selection and travel to IPC competitions abroad —including the Paralympic Games. Currently there are new Paralympic opportunities for athletes with intellectual disability in four sports: Swimming, Track & Field, Table Tennis and Rowing.

NOTE: Any athlete with intellectual disability who wishes to compete in Paralympic competition should begin by working with Athletes Without Limits to complete the INAS eligibility application as it is a requirement for any US Paralympic or IPC competition.