Special Olympics Rhodes

The Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011 will be held from 20 June to 24 June 2011, and hosted by the Island of Rhodes before the Games are started in Athens. During their stay in Rhodes, the delegates from 185 countries will be entertained with the beautiful and magnificent ambiences of Rhodes, as well as to enjoy the artistic events, local cuisines and cultural experiences. Around ten thousands athletes, officials, and coaches will be hosted in thirty villages and islands in Rhodes. This program is supported by thirteen Greece regions for their accommodations and the host event.

Nearly 7.500 delegates will participate in 27 Olympic disciplines divided into venues as follows:

• OAKA (Athens Olympic Sports Complex) : Athletics, Swimming (Aquatics), Basketball, Powerlifting, Tennis, Volleyball
• Hellinikon Olympic Complex : Badminton, Handball, MATP (Motor Activity Training Program), Young Athletes, Cycling, Softball, Gymnastic Artistic, Gymnastic Rhythmic, Football 5-aside, Football 7-aside
• SEF (Peace and Friendship Stadium) : Beach Volleyball, Bocce, Roller Skating, Table Tennis
• Independent Venues : Bowling, Equestrian, Football 11-aside, Golf, Judo, Kayaking, Aquatics “Open Water Swimming”, Sailing, Athletics Marathon, Half Marathon, Unity Sports Event.
The schedule of the Olympic Sports will be opened on June 25, 2011, and the closing is on July 4, 2011. The opening and the closing will take place at Panathenaikon Stadium of Athens. The first game to be started on Day-1 (25 June) is Basketball at OAKA Olympic Indoor Hall. On Day-2 (26 June), the games to be initially played are Athletics at OAKA Olympic Stadium, Aquatics at the indoor pool of OAKA Olympic Aquatic Center, Basketball at OAKA Olympic Indoor Hall, Tennis at Olympic Tennis Center, Volleyball at G. Kasimatis Hall of Olympic Stadium, Badminton at Hellinikon Fencing Hall 1, Handball at Hellinikon Fencing Hall 2, Cycling at Hellinikon Olympic Softball Venue, Gymnastic Artistic at Hellinikon Olympic Indoor Hall, Football 5-aside at Hellinikon Olympic Hockey Venue, Football 7-aside at Hellinikon Olympic Baseball Venue, Bocce at SEF Sport Training Hall, Roller Skating at SEF Main hall, Table Tennis at SEF Sport Training Halls 2 and SEF Main Hall, Bowling at Blanos Sports Park-Spalta, and Football-11 aside at Ag. Kosmas Sports Center. The Powerlifting will be started on Day-3 (27 June) at OAKA Olympic Velodrome, Young Athletes on Day-8 (2 July) at Hellinikon Fencing Hall 2, MATP to be held on Day-9 (3 July) at Hellinikon Fencing Hall 2, Softball to be initially competed on Day-3 (27 June) at Hellinikon Olympic Softball Venue, Gymnastic Ryhthmic on Day 3 (27 June) at Hellinikon Olympic Indoor Hall, Gymnastic Rhythmic on Day-6 (30 June) at Hellinikon Olympic Indoor Hall, Beach Volleyball on Day-5 (29 June), Equestrian on Day-3 (27 June) at Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Center, Golf on Day-3 (27 June) at Glyfada Golf Course, and Sailing Day-3 (27 June) at Sailing Academy Schinias as well as Judo at the American College of Greece, and Kayaking which are on the same date at Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Center. Athletics is performed on Day-9 (3 July), while Open Water Swimming will be performed on Day-7 (1 July).