Countdown to the 2009 Special Olympics GB Summer Games has begun. Host city Leicester has announced that the games will take place from July 25th to 31st.

 

More than 4,000 people will head to the city to be part of the games, which are set to feature around 21 sports in a wide range of sporting venues.

 

City council leader Ross Willmott said: "It is thanks to the successful partnership working between the council, the university and local sporting organisations that our bid to host the 2009 Special Olympics was successful. "Now that we have set a date, I’d like to call on everyone in Leicester to get behind the games and start to think about how they can be involved and how they can help to make the event a big success for all concerned".

 

Karen Wallin, Chief Operating Officer for Special Olympics GB said: "Our athletes, volunteers and families are thrilled that the Games are being hosted in Leicester in 2009. Many still remember the fantastic event they experienced 20 years ago when the city hosted the third national summer games in 1989 - an event which left not only a lasting legacy for disability sport in the region but a benchmark to which all other host cities have since aspired to".

 

The opening ceremony for the games will take place at the Walkers Stadium on July 25th, 2009.

 

Leicester City Chief Executive Tim Davies said: "We are delighted to lend our support and backing to the 2009 Special Olympics here in Leicester, and to provide our first-class facilities at the Walkers Stadium for the official opening ceremony. "As a football club we have always attached a great deal of importance to providing opportunities for people with learning disabilities and our commitment to the 2009 Special Olympics reinforce that philosophy. "We will do our utmost to help make the Games an enjoyable event for everyone involved."

 

Leicester is the only city in the country to have hosted the games twice. The 2009 games will take place on what will be the 20th anniversary of the National Summer Games in Leicester. All of the competing athletes will be based at Leicester University’s new halls of residence in Oadby.

 

Professor Robert Burgess, Vice-Chancellor of Leicester University said "The University of Leicester strongly supports the Special Olympics and looks forward to welcoming the athletes to Leicester and to the University's accommodation. It is a tremendous opportunity for the City of Leicester".

 

Special Olympics GB currently serves over 8,000 athletes who take part in year-round sports training and competition programmes.

 

Special Olympics Great Britain National Summer Games are held every four years. The last National Summer Games were held in Glasgow in 2005.

 

The Leicester Games Office will be officially open for business in January 2008. In the meantime, anyone wanting more details about the 2009 Special Olympics can ring Steve Humphries on (0116) 238 5000.