IPC unveils "The Coudenys Room"

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has renamed one of its meeting rooms at the IPC Campus in Bonn, Germany, the “Coudenys Room” in recognition of Leen Coudenys, the organisation’s longest-serving administrator and one of its most influential behind-the-scenes figures, who is retiring later this year. 

The dedication took place on Tuesday (22 September) as the IPC marked 37 years since its foundation in Düsseldorf, Germany, on 22 September 1989. Team IPC members gathered in Bonn with Leen and her husband, Patrick, to celebrate her extraordinary contribution to the organisation and the wider Paralympic Movement.

Dr Mike Peters PLY, IPC Chief Executive Officer, said: “Leen is part of the IPC's DNA. Since our earliest days, she has played a pivotal role in the organisation's transformation from a volunteer-led body into a global sports organisation. Her ability to provide continuity across generations of leadership, preserve institutional knowledge and uphold strong governance has left an enduring legacy.

“From housing the IPC's only functioning office in her spare room between 1997 and 1999 to the countless behind-the-scenes contributions she has made over nearly four decades, Leen has been at the heart of the IPC's growth and impact. Anyone who is close to our Movement will appreciate Leen’s quiet and critically important influence during her many years of service.

“As the IPC continues to evolve, it is important to remember the people whose dedication helped build the organisation we know today. By naming the Coudenys Room, current and future team members will be reminded of someone special whose contribution has been fundamental to our success.”

Leen Coudenys said: “I’m thrilled and grateful for this magical recognition which I am happy and honoured to accept. However, I only accept this on behalf of all the hard-working Paralympic sport administrators, whether they are working in a volunteer or a paid capacity, serving athletes nationally or internationally.

“I know how hard they are working and I know that their passion for the Paralympic Movement is often pushing them to their limits, and sometimes far beyond what anyone can reasonably expect from them. I have lived this passion for 37 years, first as a volunteer and then from 1997 onwards on a paid basis. It didn’t change anything to the core. When one works for the IPC and takes responsibility, they also remain a volunteer when paid, working many hours in their free time.

“I have been privileged to watch – with pride - the organisation grow and evolve and I can only feel gratitude. At the end of my career, I can say that the IPC has brought me more than I was able to give. It gave me a very rich and meaningful life.”

Leen joined the IPC shortly after its creation in 1989 as a volunteer supporting the newly elected Board. She quickly became central to the organisation’s operations, helping to build, professionalise and manage critical governance structures, including General Assemblies, executive and management committees, tribunals and other oversight panels. Her outstanding organisational skills, reliability and meticulous attention to detail earned her the reputation from the Founding IPC President Dr Steadward as “the glue of the organisation”.

In 1992, when the IPC was registered as a non-profit organisation under Belgian law, Leen assumed personal legal responsibility for the organisation. She later played a key role in the transfer of operations from Belgium to Germany when the IPC established its first headquarters on Adenauerallee in Bonn.

During this transition, from 1997 to 1999, the IPC's only functioning office operated from a spare bedroom in Leen’s home in Bruges. From here, she sustained the day-to-day operations of a rapidly growing international organisation, organising meetings, preparing official documentation, and managing communications with members.

After years of largely volunteer service, Leen became an IPC consultant in 1998. From 1999 to 2019, she served as Executive Assistant to the IPC Governing Board and a senior governance adviser, supporting member meetings and elections, constitutional reforms, and the development of IPC bylaws, regulations and policies. Widely respected for her expertise, she became one of the organisation’s foremost authorities on governance and an invaluable source of institutional memory. She was awarded the Paralympic Order in 2005.