Through the EU’s Erasmus+ programme, which finances education and training across Europe, funds totalling €6 million (£5.2 million/$6.4 million) have been granted to Special Olympics and the Organising Committee of this year’s Games in a bid to ensure the success and ongoing positive legacy impact of the event.  

Commenting on the significance of the EU’s support, Special Olympics chief executive Mary Davis drew parallels between the two organisations' determination to promote equality and tolerance across the 28 member states.

"Special Olympics embodies many EU goals including delivering social inclusion, human rights, the right to participate in sport, opportunities for volunteering and the right to healthcare on a daily basis," she said.

"We are incredibly grateful and thankful for the very generous and continued support of the European Union to help us change the image that the public has around people with intellectual disabilities.

"Their support around our Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria will allow us to raise the profiles of all European athletes as they participate in this major global sporting event and introduce many Europeans to experience full inclusion."

The EU is a long-standing supporter of Special Olympics, providing financial support to Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, which encompasses the 28 EU member states, since 2009.

Funds given have been used on a variety of sport and health-focused projects, which it is claimed have all helped to significantly improve the health and well-being of European citizens with intellectual disabilities.

Many major Special Olympics Games have benefited from EU funding, including the 2010 Special Olympics European Games in Poland’s capital Warsaw, the 2014 Special Olympics European Games in Belgian city Antwerp, and the 2010 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Greece’s capital Athens. 

"The European Union is very happy to provide financial support from Erasmus+ to the Special Olympics, an important event which contributes to social inclusion and underlines the importance of sport for everyone," Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, said.

"For 30 years, the Erasmus programme has been enriching the lives of Europeans, and this event is proof of it."

In response to the EU’s support, joint Austria 2017 managing directors Marc Angelini and Markus Pichler said: "The whole of Austria is excited to host the Special Olympics World Winter Games for second time.

"Over the past number of years, the Games Organising Committee, together with Special Olympics International, have worked tirelessly together in order to ensure that we deliver an event that will not only open hearts and minds across Styria and Austria, but will leave an everlasting impact felt around the entire European Union and beyond.

"The tremendous support from the European Union and the Erasmus+ programme means that these Games will deliver on those promises."

The 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games are being billed as one of the largest humanitarian and sport events anywhere in the world this year.

A total of 2,700 athletes, including more than 1,200 from the EU, will compete at the event which takes place in Graz, Schladming-Rohrmoos and Ramsau.

In all, 107 nations have sent delegations with athletes arriving to experience the host town cultural programme in locations across Austria from Tuesday (March 14).

More than 3,000 volunteers will help towards the effort of ensuring the smooth running of the Games.

The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow in Schladming and signals the commencement of sporting competition.

Athletes aged between eight and 68 years will compete in nine sports including Alpine skiing, figure skating, floorball, floor hockey, Nordic skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, speed skating and stick shooting.