2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games

The bid was presented in 2021 by the Government of Italy, the Piedmont Region, the City of Turin, the Italian National Olympic Committee, the Italian Paralympic Committee and Angelo Moratti [it], president of Special Olympics Italy.^[4] The original scheduled dates were between 29 January to 9 February 2025. According to the bidding, the ceremonies were planned to be held at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, which had been renovated for the 2006 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. It is expected that there would be around 3,125 athletes, 3,000 volunteers, and 100,000 spectators.^[4]

On 16 July 2021, Turin was awarded the World Games by Special Olympics International.^[5][6] At the conclusion of the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, it was officially announced that the next Winter Games will take place in Turin from 8 to 16 March 2025.^[7]

Second lady of the USA Usha Vance led the United States presidential delegation to the games.^[8]

The following venues were used:^[9]

• Inalpi Arena - opening ceremony, floorball
• Palasport Tazzoli - figure skating, short track speed skating

• Melezet, Bardonecchia - snowboarding
• Palazzo delle Feste, Bardonecchia - dancesport
• Pragelato Plan - cross-country skiing
• Via Lattea, Sestriere - closing ceremony, alpine skiing, snowshoeing

The following eight sports were held:^[3][5][10]

•  Alpine skiing (details)
•  Cross-country skiing (details)
•  Dancesport (details)
•  Figure skating (details)
•  Floorball (details)
•  Short track speed skating (details)
•  Snowboarding (details)
•  Snowshoeing (details)

All times and dates use Central European Time (UTC+01:00)

OC

Opening ceremony

●

Event competitions

1

Gold medal events

CC

Closing ceremony

March 2025		March								Events
		8th Sat	9th Sun	10th Mon	11th Tue	12th Wed	13th Thu	14th Fri	15th Sat
Ceremonies		OC							CC	—N/a
Alpine skiing					●	27	32	●	42	101
Cross-country skiing				●	●	21	30	32	17	100
Dancesport					●	●	12	9		21
Figure skating						6	9	5		20
Floorball					●	●	●	11	3	14
Short track speed skating					●	●	30	30		60
Snowboarding					16	9	8	3		36
Snowshoeing					●	●	46	35	22	103
Daily medal events					16	63	167	125	84	455
Cumulative total					16	79	246	371	455
March 2025		8th Sat	9th Sun	10th Mon	11th Tue	12th Wed	13th Thu	14th Fri	15th Sat	Total events
		March

Unlike the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Special Olympics do not provide an official medal table, since there is supposed to be no competitive pressure among the nations. Apart from the medals and placement ribbons, participants who were disqualified or did not finish their competition were also awarded with participation ribbons in order to promote sportsmanship.

  *   Host nation (Italy)

Gerhard Kirnbauer (Austria), aged 66, made history as the oldest competitor at the Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025, participating in snowshoeing events. Kirnbauer represented Special Olympics Austria in the 100m and 200m races.^[12]