Drenthe is a candidate for the Special Olympics National Games 2028.
All twelve Drenthe municipalities and the province have jointly expressed their ambition in a Letter of Intent and handed over the bidbook to Special Olympics Netherlands. This expresses Drenthes desire to bring the largest sports event in the Netherlands for people with intellectual disabilities to Drenthe.
Deputy Bart van Dekken: “The Special Olympics National Games perfectly match what Drenthe stands for. We want to be a province where everyone can participate and where talent, fun, and meeting others are central. This event shows how sport connects and how people with intellectual disabilities get all the space here to shine. It is great that the province and the Drenthe municipalities are working together on this.”
Major sports and inclusion event
The Special Olympics National Games bring together about 2,500 athletes and 1,000 coaches from across the country every two years. In dozens of sports, they showcase their talents. The event is not only about winning but especially about participating, fun, and meeting others. Besides the sports competitions, there is an extensive cultural and social program.
Joint effort of municipalities and province
Together with the municipalities, the province, through SportDrenthe, has developed Drenthes candidacy in the bidbook ‘Space to shine’. In this bidbook, Drenthe shows how athletes get the space to develop and fully participate. Before the Sport Gala Drenthe, the bidbook was officially handed over to Special Olympics Netherlands.
Broad support from Drenthe society
The organization counts on broad support from society. From Drenthes neighborliness and hospitality, hundreds of volunteers have already registered to support athletes, coaches, and visitors. In total, about 1,000 volunteers are needed. Those who want to stay informed about the latest developments or want to register as a volunteer can visit the website of SportDrenthe (links to another website). The Drenthe business community also contributes. Several companies financially support the bid and encourage employees to volunteer. Rabobank and Landal have committed as two of the main partners to the event, underscoring the broad social support for Special Olympics Drenthe 2028.
Follow-up
The candidacy follows the motion ‘Bring the Special Olympics to Drenthe’, which was submitted to the Provincial Council in July 2024. After submitting the bidbook, the assessment process by Special Olympics Netherlands follows. The Provincial Council is expected to decide on provincial involvement in July 2026.