Golisano (pictured top, far right) will donate $12 million (£7 million/€9 million) to the Special Olympics to help its health services, including the creation of a new initiative called Healthy Communities.

It is a hugely significant contribution from the former owner of the Buffalo Sabres hockey team, who has also been a gubernatorial candidate for New York three times.

The new Healthy Communities programme is to launch in Mexico, Peru, Romania, Malawi, South Africa, Malaysia and Thailand, as well as in six US states.

Healthy Communities expands free health screenings to disabled athletes competing during the Special Olympics.

It will build on the work of the Healthy Athletes scheme, which has provided screenings and products to athletes for the last 15 years.

The Special Olympics provides sport competition for intellectually disabled athletes, reaching more than four million people who participate in events every single day.

Special Olympics works every day to improve the health of athletes with intellectual disabilities worldwide

"This unprecedented gift by Tom Golisano is going to impact lives worldwide, and we are honoured to have the opportunity to share this incredible news at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting," said Special Olympics Chairman and chief executive Timothy P Shriver.

"The stories of health disparity and need we hear are unbelievable.

"We know athletes with previously undiagnosed cancers, extremely low bone density, and a multitude of other ailments that were overlooked until they came to a Special Olympics Healthy Athletes event.

"This new funding opens the door to reach many more people in need, and we hope that others join us on the journey to provide health care to a community of people that so desperately need it."

Tom Golisano (far right) announced his commitment of $12 million to Special Olympics for its Healthy Athletes programme

Golisano added: "This gift comes with my deep admiration for the work of Special Olympics over the ten-plus years since Healthy Athletes was founded.

"To have harnessed the power of its global sports organisation to deliver critical frontline healthcare to over one million athletes is nothing short of remarkable.

"We must do even more to eliminate the health disparities that people with intellectual disabilities face.

"I am dismayed that people with intellectual disabilities and their health needs and status remain largely invisible to practitioners, systems, Governments and larger global health community.

"We must leverage Special Olympics network, brand and organisational assets to the fullest extent possible, as well as seek other partners and organisations to bring sustainable, systemic change."

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