Genesis of organizational and methodological foundations for mentally disabled persons admittance to Special Olympics programmes

Abstract

Mental retardation assessment, being for a long time a medical, further – pedagogical and psychological concern, has now gained in importance for adaptive sport. Determination of correct criteria for the disabled persons’ admittance to the competitions held according to Special Olympic or Paralympic Games programmes might guarantee the advance of these particular aspects of the adaptive sport within international Olympic system. Impossibility of correct determination of the nosological status compelled Special Olympiad international organization to reject the quantitative assessment of the mentality level (intellect, adaptive behaviour) by means of standard psychodiagnostic methods and to apply other admittance criteria instead.