PRESS RELEASE
June 24, 2005

Back from Panama: Global Athlete Congress
Josh Anderson Returns

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(Great Falls, MT.)  Josh Anderson, Special Olympics athlete from Troy, Montana, recently returned from Panama City, Panama where he attended the 2nd Special Olympics Global Athlete Congress June 6-8, 2005. The event was the second Athlete Congress ever conducted, following the first Special Olympics Congress held in 2000 at the Hague in the Netherlands.

Josh Anderson joined 67 Special Olympics athletes from 35 countries who deliberated such topics as athletes' and coaches' code of conduct and whether there should be a minimum standard for athlete training and competition. Topics were determined before the event by the participants who ranked the top four issues from a slate of fifteen topics.

Loretta Claiborne, 2005 Special Olympics Global Athlete Congress Chair from the US, opened the event in the City of Knowledge, a lush and sprawling campus that was once a US military base in Panama City. In general session, athletes took turns to present powerful, straightforward arguments on the issues. Some information came from focus groups held with athletes in their home countries. Other presentations came from thoughtful research athletes had accumulated. They then moved into their small groups for athletes-only discussions to refine their recommendations and vote their positions by secret ballot. Their strategies will influence policy and procedures for the Special Olympics organization worldwide.

During the Congress, Josh Anderson was assigned to work on the issues with a small group of athletes from China, Jamaica, Kenya and the US, noting that even his small group did not always agree. Josh said the Athlete Congress is an important event because, "it lets different athletes around the world get their heads together to hear different viewpoints on issues." He said that while his thoughts were influenced when he heard from others, his position on the issues usually remained the same. Before adjourning, the group elected athlete Ephraim Mohlakane from South Africa to become the new Congress leader.

Josh said that the trip to Panama was "really awesome." He tried new sports like floor hockey and really enjoyed seeing Japanese and Norwegian ships go through the locks at the Panama Canal. "The people were really nice and the food was good, too," he said.

About Special Olympics
Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion between people with and without intellectual disabilities. Through year-round sports training and athletic competition and other related programming for 1.4 million children and adults with intellectual disabilities in more than 150 countries, Special Olympics has created a model community that celebrates people's diverse gifts. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and experience joy and friendship. There is no cost to participate in Special Olympics. Visit Special Olympics online at www.specialolympics.org

Contact:  Bob Norbie, President
bnorbie@somt.org

Vicki Dunham, VP Field Service
vdunham@somt.org

Special Olympics Montana
P.O. Box 3507
Great Falls, MT  59403
1-800-242-6876