Kortrijk (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Kortrijk hosts the Special Olympics Belgium National Games (May 28-31, 2025) for 3,500 athletes in 20 sports. KV Kortrijk supports with special jerseys, auctions, and volunteering. Brecht Dejaegere and Bauwe Dezeure emphasize athlete recognition. 2,000 daily volunteers are needed.
Kortrijk will host the Special Olympics Belgium National Games from May 28 to 31, 2025. This is the 3rd time the city has hosted the games, which were previously held there in 1997 and 2008. The games are for athletes with intellectual disabilities. About 3,500 athletes will compete in 20 different sports. There will also be 1,200 coaches and many spectators.
The games will start with an opening ceremony on May 28, 2025. The games will be held at different places in Kortrijk. Officials mentioned that the city is also doing something special to welcome the athletes. They are putting up 3,500 flags with messages from people in the city, schools, and businesses.
How is KV Kortrijk supporting the 2025 Special Olympics?
According to the officials, the Special Olympics Belgium National Games need volunteers. They require around 2,000 volunteers per day to assist with such activities as leading athletes, organizing things, and assisting in ceremonies. In order to get people to volunteer, KV Kortrijk’s Guldensporenstadion has an “I’m Special” sign and a QR code. The QR code leads individuals to the volunteer registration page.
According to the community manager Bauwe Dezeure, they need a lot of volunteers and the club wanted to help. He mentioned that this is a great chance to help out and be part of something special. People can find more information and sign up on the Special Olympics Belgium website.
We hear that a lot of helping hands are still needed and we wanted to do our bit,
says community manager Bauwe Dezeure.
According to Bauwe Dezeure, KV Kortrijk is helping the Special Olympics Belgium National Games in another way. On Saturday, when they play Oud-Heverlee Leuven, they will wear special jerseys with the National Games logo.
Brecht Dejaegere says,
They are athletes who are very involved in sports and train a lot. It is also nice for them when their hard work is highlighted. Hopefully, if we win on Saturday, then the shirts might be worth more. The more money for them and the more points for us, the better!
According to the officials, the club is thinking of giving each athlete a special gift, like a scarf or a keychain, to appreciate their hard work. They might also have a special event at the stadium for the athletes.
The club will decide what to do with the money based on how much they raise. KV Kortrijk wants to help the National Games and the athletes in a way that lasts, and they want to show that everyone is welcome at the club.
