Dr Jacques Rogge, Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee opened The British School of Brussels’ (BSB) new Sports Centre, named after him, at an official opening ceremony on the evening of 14 October 2016. "We were inspired by Dr Rogge and his achievements as an Olympian and Belgian national, to name the building after such a sporting hero", said Melanie Warnes, Principal at the school.
Dr Rogge officially opened the school’s Sports Centre after a two-year investment of €25 million. The Centre includes a 25 metre swimming pool with movable floor, allowing the pool’s depth to be adjusted.
The new pool has a significant impact on both the school's curricular and extra-curricular offerings. With the opening of this cutting-edge aquatics facility, BSB can now add swimming skills to its already impressive physical education curriculum.
Melanie Warnes stated that "the goal is that all BSB students will be capable swimmers when they graduate" and more than that, the facility will be a place "where the olympians of the future are nurtured".
The movable floor is a unique feature which allows more students of different abilities to be taught at the same time
The Sports Centre also includes fitness and dance studios, and impressive sports and gymnastic halls.
A member of the IOC since 1991, Dr Rogge has been a member of the Executive Board since 1998. Accepting that the building be named after him, he said he "was honoured and humbled" while commemorating the schools sporting ambitions and succesful completetion of the project.
Over two hundred members of staff, students, parents, governors and trustees, together with members of the local community gathered on Friday for the event.
J. Apelblat
The Brussels Times
