From 8 to 11 May, 3,250 athletes with intellectual disabilities, accompanied by their teachers, their coaches and up to 2,000 volunteers a day, took part in the 32nd annual Special Olympics Belgium National Games in the Ghent area. As in the four previous years, BNP Paribas Fortis enthusiastically supported this major sporting event.

Brimming with passion and zeal, the athletes gave their very best in 19 disciplines over a period of four days. They excelled themselves and revealed their often remarkable talents, encouraged and applauded by their families, their teachers, the 1,200 coaches who train them every day in the various clubs, between 1,600 and 2,000 volunteers a day and hosts of supporters.

The smooth running of a large-scale event like the National Games calls for considerable logistic and human resources. These resources are provided by professional partners, but also by large numbers of volunteers.

“The devotion and skills of our volunteers, including about thirty members of staff from BNP Paribas Fortis, are essential for the success of the Games, as is the financial support provided by loyal partners such as BNP Paribas Fortis," stresses Zehra Sayin, head of marketing and sponsoring for Special Olympics Belgium. “They did a remarkable job, not least in preparing and distributing 5,000 lunchboxes at the various sites every day.

In fact, we needed all kinds of different people: receptionists, referees and umpires, journalists, electricians, photographers, security staff, nurses, logistics people, and that’s not all. Every job adds its mite to the whole.”

As regards the sport, an extra discipline was added to the Games this year: tennis. In the past two years, BNP Paribas Fortis had provided material and equipment for the organisation of demonstration matches. The experiment proved a success, and tennis officially became part of the Games. “Similarly, the contribution made by BNP Paribas Fortis was particularly useful in organising football competitions,“ says Zehra.

“We are especially grateful to BNP Paribas Fortis, its private Foundation and its staff for sharing the values of solidarity that uphold the Special Olympics movement in Belgium and throughout the world.“
 

See photos of the event in the gallery linked to this article: athletes, organisers,  volunteers.

Special Olympics is a worldwide organisation that aims to promote the social integration and well-being of people with intellectual disabilities through sport. It was found in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

The Belgian Special Olympics were first held in 1979. Special Olympics Belgium organises events and sports meetings all year round. The National Games, which are traditionally held during Ascension weekend, are the high point. This event is open to sportsmen and –women of all levels. Regular training is the main condition for taking part.

The 2013 National Games was sponsored by the City of Ghent and the province of East Flanders. The superb Blaarmeersen estate hosted 15 of the 19 disciplines: motor activities, adapted physical activities, athletics, badminton, basketball, bocce (a variant of bowls), floorball, football, gymnastics, sports games, judo, netball, tennis, table tennis and triathlon. The other competitions – bowling, cycling, horse riding and swimming – were organised at other sites with the required infrastructures in the Ghent area.

The Belgian athletes were particularly successful at international level during the Special Olympics World Winter Games held in PyeongChang, South Korea, at the start of the year, winning a total of 34 medals (12 gold medals, 8 silver medals and 14 bronze medals). The World  Games are held every two years, alternating between summer and winter games.

As the icing on the cake, the city of Antwerp will be hosting the Special Olympics European Summer Games in September 2014.
 

More information on www.specialolympics.be – Pictures published by Special Olympics Belgium.