Funding issues for Special games

The Special Olympics GB 2009 starts on 25 July and runs until 31 July

Organisers of the Special Olympics in Leicester have said they are £800,000 short of the £2.5m funding needed to stage the games.

The city will host the event in July, after last staging it in 1989.

Despite the announcement of a £200,000 grant from Sport England on Tuesday organisers still face a budget deficit.

The games are held every two years and involve 2,500 athletes with learning disabilities who compete in more than 21 different sports over seven days.

Ted Cassidy, chairman of the games, said he was talking to the government and national sport governing bodies to help raise the necessary finance.

'Difficult year'

"We've got to make every effort and all our partners are working with us to still talk to sponsors.

"It's a very difficult year for sponsorship for sport at this particular time. But we're talking to donors, we're talking to charities, we're talking to local sponsors.

"We believe that we'll get the money to get these games going ahead."

The Special Olympics GB 2009 starts on 25 July and runs until 31 July with events taking place at 20 venues across Leicestershire and Rutland.

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