"Inclusive starts" were held in Moscow

"Inclusive starts" were held in Moscow. The swimming competition was attended by about 300 participants from all over the country. On March 21, Izvestia correspondent Kristina Morozova provided details about the competition.

The final preparations before the swim are a warm—up and parting words of support from the coach. Young athletes have proved that any diagnosis, even the most difficult one, is not a verdict.

"We've been competing since we were eight years old. The atmosphere at the competitions is always very friendly, festive, and very comfortable. The organization is always on top, so we try to come every year. It's like a holiday for us," said Natalia Arkhipova, the mother of one of the athletes.

The athletes tried their hand at six swimming disciplines: freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and backstroke.

This year's Inclusive Starts brought together 300 people — athletes and their parents, coaches and mentors. The geography is impressive: 22 regions of Russia, from the Moscow region to Sakhalin. And, of course, the main event is the unified relay race. This year, for the first time, the stars of Russian swimming, Olympic champions, joined special athletes at the same start.

"This is the first time such a relay race has been held, and I hope that the number of participants — Olympic medalists, Olympic champions, and world champions — will grow from year to year. Our competitions and joint interaction will have a certain effect, and we will show that there are no special children. We are one big family," said Sergey Fesikov, Head of the Swimming Directorate of the Russian Federation, Olympic bronze medalist, Honored Master of Sports of Russia.

In 2026, a lot of things happened at the All-Russian swimming competitions for the first time. "Inclusive Starts" is not just a game. Swims for people with Down syndrome have now been included in the unified calendar of physical education competitions. Special athletes have won the right to be a part of the country's professional sports movement.

"The inclusion in the calendar speaks to the importance that the state sees in what we are doing. Support for families who raise children with intellectual disabilities. It breaks down social barriers. Parents see that their children are involved in sports," said Olga Slutsker, president of the Russian Special Olympics.

Earlier that day, experts from the Naked Hearts Foundation, pediatric neurologist Svyatoslav Dobvnya and clinical psychologist Tatiana Morozova, told Izvestia that despite the high level of research on Down syndrome, there are still many persistent myths around it.

According to experts, the widespread opinion about the relationship of the syndrome with the lifestyle of parents is not supported by research. A child with this condition can be born in any family, and the only proven risk factor is the age of the mother over 35 years old. However, most children with Down syndrome are born to women younger than this age.

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