Special Olympics come north

Belfast will be the host city in June to an estimated 2,000 athletes taking part in the Special Olympic Ireland Games, accompanied by 500 coaches and 4,000 or more family members and supporters.

At a glitzy launch in Belfast on 10 January, Ulster and Ireland rugby star David Humphreys (left) appealed for 5,500 volunteers to help out at the games, which will be one of the biggest sporting events ever organised in Belfast.

See photographs of the event

Belfast City Council is an official partner of the Games with telecommunications company eircom, the main sponsors. But the total bill for the events is £1.7 million and the organisers are keen to attract more sponsors.

VOLUNTEER

Anybody interested in volunteering or sponsoring can ring the special telephone line 028 9089 9080 or go to www.2006Games-Belfast.com.

Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and Dermot Ahern, Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Republic, praised the athletes and offered their full support to the competitions.

Singers and other celebrities also supported the games in person or by video link at the launch, which was hosted jointly by Gerry Kelly from UTV and Des Cahill, sports commentator on RTE.

OLYMPIC FLAME

A joint team made up of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and An Garda Síochána will run from Cork to Belfast over four days carrying the Special Olympic torch, the flame of hope, to Belfast in time for the opening ceremony on 21 June.

Games in 14 events at 11 different venues will continue until 25 June and there will be coaching activities and events for family members.

The motto for the Special Olympics is: "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."