Special Olympics Maldives Criticises Athlete Insurance Scheme Exclusion

National Director of Special Olympics Maldives has criticised the government’s newly announced specialised health insurance scheme for athletes, saying it excludes athletes with intellectual disabilities.

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced the specialised health insurance scheme last Thursday. Later the same day, Special Olympics Maldives National Director Fathimath Fairooza Adam expressed concern in a post on Meta, stating that athletes under Special Olympics Maldives had been left out of both the insurance scheme and the recently introduced Sports Act.

“Special Olympics Maldives is not included in the athlete health insurance scheme. And it was not included in the new Sports Act either. That means a whole community of athletes has been left out, quietly, without explanation,” she wrote.

Fairooza said athletes with intellectual disabilities train year-round and participate in competitions in the same way as other athletes, including international events. She noted that Special Olympics Maldives athletes have represented the country in two World Games and four regional games, winning multiple medals.

She highlighted that many athletes with intellectual disabilities have additional health needs and said the absence of insurance coverage raises concerns about their protection and long-term well-being. She added that the exclusion was particularly worrying for families who rely on sport as a safe and inclusive space for their children.

Addressing a common public perception, Fairooza said Special Olympics and the Paralympic movement serve different athlete communities. She explained that Paralympic sport primarily caters to athletes with physical or visual impairments, while Special Olympics focuses on athletes with intellectual disabilities through a different development and participation model.

“By leaving Special Olympics Maldives out of the Sports Act, what we are really saying is that these athletes fall outside the definition of “athlete” in our legal framework. That is a hard message for families to hear,” she wrote. 

Fairooza said health insurance should be considered basic protection rather than a privilege, noting that many families already face significant medical and support-related expenses. She also highlighted that Special Olympics Maldives has operated structured training programmes, competitions, health initiatives and international representation for six years, in line with global standards.

She called for the issue to be revisited, stressing the need for national policies to reflect inclusion not only in principle but also in law and access to services.