January 2, 2004

Irish sculptor John Behan has completed a sculpture to commemorate all of the volunteers who helped with the 2003 Special Olympics World Games in Dublin, Ireland.   

Some 30,000 names are listed on the sculpture which is located in the Dubh Linn Garden in Dublin Castle close to the Chester Beatty Library.

Behan also created a limited-edition (100 pieces) sculpture before the games to help support the games fundraising. 

Athletes missing from Special Olympics

July 2, 2003

Several athletes are missing from Dublin after the last day of the Special Olympic Games. Police are looking for three athletes and one coach from Niger and a coach from Pakistan.

No we're not the Paralympics!

July 2, 2003

The Paralympic movement has a long history of perturbation at being confused with the Special Olympics.

iranmania.com got it backwards this time, confusing the Special Olympics World Games in Dublin with the Paralympics, calling the Dublin games the 11th Irish Paralympic Games several times.

Dublin Concludes Successful Special Olympic World Games

June 30, 2003

After years of planning and preparation, the Special Olympics World Games opened and closed in Dublin, and left tens of thousands of athletes, volunteers, organizers and spectators with pleasant memories to last a long time.

Ireland's host city program worked very well, with cities and towns all across Ireland matched to host a delegation of suitable size from any one of the 166 nations represented at the games.

The SARS fears that had bothered organizers in the weeks leading up to the games were laid to rest. Some groups were quarantined, but the fears subsided. The delegation from Chinese Taipei, unable to visit prior to the games opening because of the quarantine, was able to visit their host city after the games.

The Opening Ceremony was celebrated in Croke Park stadium June 21, with the help of Irish President Mary McAleese, former South African President Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali. U2 helped provide musical entertainment.

Despite the SARS concerns prior to the games, by all reports there were no major controversies or political disturbances during the games. Organizers within the Special Olympics movement were pleased that the games could show once again what Special Olympians are capable of. Irish hosts were pleased that Ireland could pull of the games so magnificently.

A mild controversy in the week prior to the games occurred when Louis Walsh, manager of the band Westlife that was to appear in the closing ceremonies, made remarks that appeared to be insulting about the games and games organizers. Walsh told the Irish Times "It's a lot like a State funeral on television, you know, people will watch a bit here and there, but I don't think people are interested in it really. " Walsh continued, "I think some of the people up-front are definitely using it as a PR stunt......... it is definitely an ego trip for certain people involved in it." "They are going to get public attention for about 10 days or so, but what's going to happen to the tens of thousands of disadvantaged families who don't have the resources and for whom the Government have not done their duty? "These people are entitled to the same care every week and every year and they won't get it. A lot of public figures use the Special Olympics as a great photo opportunity and a PR stunt for them."

Despite an apology the next day, Walsh was not entirely forgiven. At the closing ceremony, actor Colin Farrell inspired the crowd to boo Walsh for his remarks.

Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern handed over the games flag to both the organizers of the next World Winter Games to be held in Nagano, Japan in 2005, and to the next World Summer Games host, Shanghai, China, scheduled to host the games in 2007.

Ireland's president, Mary McAleese closed the games with "We can be very proud. It was a week in which all of Ireland rose to the challenge. We have just witnessed our country at its very best."

Singapore a go for Special Olympics World Games

June 3, 2003

Singapore has been cleared from the World Health Organizations list of SARS affected countries, and athletes from Singapore will be permitted to travel to Ireland to participate in the Special Olympics World Games. The Singaporean team us scheduled to stay on Arklow, County Wicklow.

The games organizing committee is still waiting for the government, to allow athletes from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and certain athletes from the Toronto area to be allowed to come to Ireland for the Games.

Philippines Cleared for Special Olympics

May 21, 2003

The World Health Organization has removed the Philippines from the list of areas affected by the SARS virus. With the decision, the government of Ireland and Department of Health in Dublin has said that it will accept the Philippine delegation into Ireland to compete in the Special Olympics World Games.

Several days ago Ireland's Health Minister Micheal Martin requested that China, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Philippines stay away from the games. The World Health Organization had criticized the request stating that it was not consistent with WHO policy regarding the virus.

Iraqi Team Back in Special Olympics

May 21, 2003

Iraq will send a delegation of for athletes to the Special Olympics World Games in Ireland. The trip was canceled at the outbreak of the recent war. The British Government has announced that it will pay the expenses of the Iraqi team to travel to the games.

Quarantine for Special Olympics Athletes

April 30, 2003

Special Olympics delegations from Canada, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, have agreed with organizers in Dublin, to go into quarantine in an attempt to insure that the SARS virus does not impact the games.

The quarantine will occur prior to the delegations arriving in Dublin

The town of Clonmel had been set to host the delegation from Hong Kong, but due to fears over the virus, the local town council in has voted against hosting Hong Kong. Organizers are making other arrangements for the team.

Iraq team may skip Special Olympics in Ireland

April 9, 2003

Iraq's Special Olympians may not travel to the Special Olympic World Games in Ireland this summer, according to an early April announcement by Iraqi Special Olympic officials.

Iraqi officials sent a fax to their Irish hosts to say that they would not be traveling to the games. However, at the same time, the Iraqi's said that if the war in their nation was over, they might reconsider, a possibility that seems more likely each day.

Each visiting nation to the games in Ireland is to be hosted in one of 150 different Irish towns before the games. A minor protest took place over the sign that had already been put in place to welcome Iraq to the town of Ulster. Local authorities said that the signs would stay, and that the Special Olympians had nothing to do with what was going on in their country.

Iraqi teams preparing for Arab Games

March, 2003

An international coalition is building against Saddam Hussein and Iraq for twelve years of violations related to the agreements from the 1990 Gulf War.

Facing a possible war, Iraq's athletes are dutifully preparing for the Arab Games to be held later this year in Algiers.

South Korea and Iraq recently held a joint taekwondo training camp in Baghdad. with several practice matches.

Korean experts held two training and refereeing courses, and a Korean coach is to train the Iraqi team for the Arab Games.

Iraq's swimmers, tennis players, chess team and disabled athletes are also preparing for the games.