Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (THFC) has announced that it has joined forces with Special Olympics to become the organisation's Global Team Ambassador for football.

The new partnership will see the Premier League club promote respect and the participation of young people and adults with learning difficulties as part of the Special Olympics Global Football scheme. Special Olympics Global Football aims to create a network of 10 teams by the end of 2010, with 300,000 registered players with learning difficulties. It is hoped that THFC will help increase that number to nearly 500,000.

Ossie Ardiles, former THFC player and co-chair of Special Olympics Global Football, said: "There are millions of people with learning disabilities and they are often a forgotten group. The partnership will help create opportunities for Special Olympics athletes and transform the way communities and groups think and act in regard to disability." Image: THFC manager Harry Redknapp (right) at the launch of the partnership