What Special Olympics Belgium does

Special Olympics Belgium (SOB) is a Belgian non-profit association (ASBL/VZW) founded in 1979 as the exclusive Belgian national program of Special Olympics International, an organization officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee. SOB serves approximately 20,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities across Belgium through ~500 affiliated clubs and facilities, offering year-round training and competition in 20 summer and 4 winter sports disciplines. Its flagship programs include the annual National Games (~3,000–3,400 athletes across ~20 sports over 3 days), the Healthy Athletes health-screening program delivered with Lions Clubs Belgium, the Play Unified inclusive-sports program, and the Special Olympics Cycling Series — launched in 2023, it integrates SOB athletes into 12+ professional cycling races alongside WorldTour events such as the Tour of Flanders. The organization also operates a separate Special Olympics Events VZW/ASBL entity for event delivery.

SOB is funded through a diversified mix: tiered corporate sponsorships (Diamond through Supporter levels, led by Lotto/Nationale Loterij), tax-deductible individual donations (€40+ qualifies for a 30% Belgian tax reduction, with €200/athlete/year cited as full programmatic cost), community memberships at €15/year, club affiliation fees, a Corporate Cycling Challenge B2B product (€1,250/team, €250 net to SOB), and municipal commitments under the Charte des Solidarités signed by 26 Belgian cities and communes in 2021. Its 45-person staff coordinates this work from Brussels (Woluwe-Saint-Pierre). Technology infrastructure is standard — a bilingual Dutch/French WordPress website, a Shopify-based webshop, and basic analytics — with no proprietary platform technology described.

SOB's go-to-market operates through two reinforcing motions: a community-led model where growth flows through club recruitment, municipal memoranda, and word-of-mouth within the athlete community, and an event-driven model where the National Games, Cycling Series, and Corporate Cycling Challenge serve as flagship demand-generation and corporate-engagement moments. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Christine De Keersmaeker and National Director Dominique Dehaene.

Name

Special Olympics Belgium

Legal name

ASBL Special Olympics Belgium

Website

https://specialolympics.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Special Olympics Belgium is a Brussels-based non-profit founded in 1979 that delivers year-round sports training and competition across 24 disciplines for approximately 20,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities, operating through ~500 affiliated clubs and funding itself via corporate sponsorships, donations, and municipal partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adaptive / Inclusive Sports Services

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability & Adaptive Sports Organizations (Paralympic, Special Olympics) (MPAKACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability & Adaptive Sport Governing Bodies (Paralympic & Sport-Specific) (MPAKAFAL), Adaptive & Para-Sport Event Organizers (MPAKADAM), Cycling Events (Road Races, Gran Fondos, Sportives) (MPAKAIAC), Amateur Event & Tournament Organizers (Meets, Invitationals, Opens) (MPAKACAL)

Keywords

• Adaptive sports programs
• Inclusive athletic training
• Special needs recreation
• Disability sports leagues
• Unified sports competitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Tax-Deductible Gifts: SOB receives direct financial contributions from individuals. Donors of €40 or more receive a fiscal attestation enabling a 30% tax reduction in Belgium. A 1% campaign targets sports sponsors to donate 1% of their sports sponsorship budget.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Companies sponsor SOB at tiered levels (Diamond, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Friends, Supporter). SOB also runs the Cycling Series as a branded B2B cycling engagement product where companies pay €1,250 per team (€250 of which goes to SOB). The 1% campaign specifically recruits companies to allocate 1% of sports sponsorship revenue.
3. Membership and Community Fees: Community membership is offered at €15 per year, providing an exclusive pin and belonging to the SOB community. The organization also collects membership/organization fees from clubs and partners.
4. Club and Partner Affiliation Fees: Clubs must meet eligibility criteria (minimum 5 athletes, regular training, supervised by qualified coaches) and are affiliated/organized under the SOB umbrella, contributing to the organization's member base and programmatic reach.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Special Olympics Belgium provides year-round sports training and competitive events for approximately 20,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities across 24 sports disciplines (20 summer, 4 winter), delivered through a network of ~500 affiliated clubs and facilities. Programs include the annual National Games (~3,400 athletes), the Special Olympics Cycling Series integrating athletes into WorldTour races, the Healthy Athletes free health screening program, Play Unified inclusive sports, Athlete Leadership, and the Unified Futsal Cup. The organization funds these programs through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, memberships, and B2B cycling event fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Special Olympics Cycling Series: Inclusive cycling series allowing athletes with intellectual disabilities to compete alongside professional cyclists in major Belgian races including Tour of Flanders and Tour de Bruges.
• Healthy Athletes Program
• Play Unified
• Unified Futsal Cup
• National Games (Jeux Nationaux)

Products and services

• Year-Round Sports Training and Competition Program Year-round sports training and competitive events for approximately 20,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities across 24 sports disciplines (20 summer, 4 winter), delivered through a network of ~500 affiliated clubs and facilities in Belgium.
• National Games (Jeux Nationaux / Nationale Spelen) Annual national multi-sport competition attracting approximately 3,000–3,400 athletes across 20+ sports disciplines over 3 days, supported by ~1,800 volunteers per day.
• Special Olympics Cycling Series Inclusive cycling series allowing athletes with intellectual disabilities to compete alongside professional cyclists in major Belgian races including Tour of Flanders, Tour of Bruges, Tour of Limburg, Brussels Cycling Classic, and Druivencross.
• Corporate Cycling Challenge (B2B Event) B2B cycling event for companies at €1,250 per team of 3–5 employees, with €250 going directly to SOB. Two formats: pure company team or hybrid team with employees plus SOB athletes.
• Healthy Athletes Program Program providing free health screenings for athletes with intellectual disabilities during National Games, delivered in collaboration with Lions Clubs Belgium. Surfaces health issues that often go undetected in this population.
• Play Unified Program Program promoting inclusive sports where athletes with and without intellectual disabilities compete together on the same teams.
• Unified Futsal Cup Unified sports futsal competition bringing together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities.
• Athlete Leadership / Athlete Ambassadors Program Program developing athletes into leadership roles and visible ambassadors (~25 ambassadors), with Michele Vander Elst as program contact.
• Community Membership Annual community membership at €15 per year, providing an exclusive pin and belonging to the SOB community under the "I am Special" program.
• SOB Webshop (Merchandise) Online merchandise shop at shop.special-olympics.be selling SOB branded items, powered by Shopify.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~20,000 athletes served annually across 24 sports disciplines
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered diamond partner (flagship), core, media partner, gold partner, bronze partner, silver partner and minor.

• Lotto (Nationale Loterij)diamond partner (flagship)GTM or Marketing PartnerLotto is the Diamond Partner of SOB and a key supporter of the Cycling Series. As CEO of the Nationale Loterij, Jannie Haek sits on the Cycling Series Patronage Committee.
• Flanders ClassicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlanders Classics is a founding partner of the Special Olympics Cycling Series (launched 2023) and opens its WorldTour events (Tour of Flanders, Tour of Limburg, Brussels Cycling Classic, Druivencross) to SOB athletes. Organizer Tomas Van den Spiegel sits on the Patronage Committee.
• GolazocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGolazo is a founding partner of the Cycling Series and opened the Tour of Bruges to SOB athletes. Director Christophe Impens sits on the Patronage Committee.
• Het Nieuwsblad / Mediahuismedia partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerNieuwsblad is a founding partner of the Cycling Series and serves as a media partner. Dries Vereecke (Marketing Director Mediahuis) sits on the Patronage Committee.
• Belgian CyclingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian Cycling joined as a partner from 2026, adding the Belgian Cycling federation's expertise and network to the Cycling Series. President Tom Van Damme sits on the Patronage Committee.
• Lions Clubs Belgiumgold partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerLions Clubs Belgium is a Gold Partner of SOB and collaborates on the Healthy Athletes program, providing volunteer support for health screenings at National Games.
• PwC Belgiumbronze partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPwC provides pro bono financial management and reporting expertise to SOB, including budget optimization, financial monitoring, and alignment between operational activities and financial planning.
• Beaulieu International Groupsilver partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerBeaulieu International Group is a Silver Partner of SOB.
• Coca-Colasilver partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCoca-Cola is a Silver Partner of SOB.
• Toyota Motor Europesilver partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerToyota Motor Europe is a Silver Partner of SOB.
• Kiwanissilver partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerKiwanis is a Silver Partner of SOB.
• Sofindevbronze partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerSofindev is a Bronze Partner of SOB.
• Hubobronze partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerHubo is a Bronze Partner of SOB.
• ASTbronze partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerAST is a Bronze Partner of SOB.
• Delawarebronze partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerDelaware is a Bronze Partner of SOB.
• Ricohbronze partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerRicoh is a Bronze Partner of SOB.
• Volkswagenbronze partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerVolkswagen is a Bronze Partner of SOB.
• Baristazbronze partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerBaristaz is a Bronze Partner of SOB.
• Eventicationbronze partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerEventication is a Bronze Partner of SOB and a volunteer/event management partner.
• LDVbronze partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerLDV is a Bronze Partner of SOB.
• Cemedebronze partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCemede is a Bronze Partner of SOB.
• Dyslexic DonkeyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDyslexic Donkey (AI creative studio) produced an AI-driven promotional video for SOB featuring athlete Lieven Mels ahead of the Cycling Series' Tour of Flanders participation. The film combines classical filming with AI-generated race sequences and authentic sports commentary.
• Justine GhekiereminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional cyclist (AG Insurance-Soudal) named godmother/meter of the Special Olympics Cycling Series to champion inclusion in cycling.
• Jenno BerckmoesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional cyclist (Lotto-Intermarché) named godfather/peter of the Special Olympics Cycling Series to champion inclusion in cycling.
• 26 Belgian Cities and MunicipalitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner26 Belgian cities and municipalities signed the Charte des Solidarités in 2021, committing to 6 pillars of local inclusion: youth, sport, education, equal opportunity, health, and communication. This is a broad municipal partnership network that anchors SOB's local impact.
• Barco KortrijkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBarco Kortrijk hosted the SOB Sponsor Summit on June 24, providing venue and hospitality for the partner event.
• Michele Vander ElstminorOthersMichele Vander Elst is listed as the contact for SOB's Athlete Ambassador program (~25 ambassadors).
• Vanheede EnvironmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVanheede Environment is described as a loyal regional partner of SOB, featured at the Sponsor Summit in Courtrai.
• Azerion BelgiumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAzerion Belgium is running the Brussels 20KM and donating per kilometer to SOB, inviting others to sponsor their runners.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Special Olympics International: Parent organization and global licensor of the Special Olympics brand and movement. Comparable because it operates the same inclusion-through-sport mission, sets the World Games framework, and grants SOB its exclusive Belgian mandate.
• Sport Vlaanderen: Flemish public agency funding and developing community sport. Comparable as a Belgian institutional partner/funding channel for SOB's Flemish operations and as an adjacent operator in the same domestic sport ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Move United: US national community-based disability sport organization delivering adaptive sports through chapters and community programs. Comparable operating model (community-led, club-based, volunteer-heavy) and mission, though serving a broader disability spectrum.
• Special Olympics Germany: Largest continental Special Olympics chapter; directly comparable in structure (national program under SOI, club network, corporate partners, donation-funded) and relevant as a benchmark for what scaled European SO operations look like.
• G-sport Vlaanderen: Flemish umbrella body for disability sport in Belgium. Directly comparable on domestic Belgian territory, serving overlapping athlete populations (disability sport) and competing for similar municipal funding and club affiliations.
• Special Olympics France: Sister Special Olympics national program in a neighboring market with a comparable athlete base and event-driven operating model. Same brand, similar funding mix, and analogous relationship to the French cycling and sporting ecosystem.
• Special Olympics Netherlands: Direct country-chapter peer operating under the same Special Olympics International framework in a neighboring market. Highly comparable in mission, athlete base, club network, and reliance on volunteer-driven sports delivery.

Regional players

• Fédération Française Handisport: French national federation for disability sport (predominantly physical). Comparable as a national disability-sport delivery organization with a club network, but operating in a different geography and disability category.

Broad incumbents

• Belgian Paralympic Committee: The official Belgian Paralympic body covering physical disabilities across elite competition. Comparable as a Belgian disability-sport governing body, but operating in a distinct (physical vs. intellectual) disability niche and a higher-performance tier.
• INAS (International Federation for Intellectual Disability Sport): Global governing body for elite sport for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Adjacent rather than directly competing — INAS focuses on high-performance/elite competition while Special Olympics emphasizes participation and inclusion at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SpecialOlympicsBE
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpecialOlympicsBelgium
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/special-olympics-belgium
• Instagraminstagram.com/sobelgium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Special Olympics Belgium