Shriver gives Ireland perfect 10

SPECIAL OLYMPICS CEO Tim Shriver has given the movement he heads the challenge of trying to live up to the example set by Ireland this week in future World Games.

Shriver, son of Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver and successor to his father, Sargent Shriver, as the movement’s chief executive officer, was visiting the AUL complex at Clonshaugh in north Dublin yesterday to watch Ireland take on South Africa in football. He spoke of Ireland’s hosting of the Games, the first staging of the event outside the US, in glowing terms.

“I give it a perfect 10,” Shriver said. “Without a doubt, it’s not just about the decision to move the games away from the States, it’s about the decision to have it owned and loved by people all over the world with the Irish showing the way that this is not just an American movement but a global movement. Any people who care, who have an open spirit of acceptance, can host these games.

“The example’s been set and I expect to be able to say for many, many years to come that if you want to know what to look for in a country when you want to learn about the acceptance of people with learning difficulties: ‘go to Ireland, you’ll see it there’.”

Although Shriver added that he expected nothing less from the Irish, he admitted there were some aspects that took him by surprise.

“My expectations were very high and I have to say I expected almost all of what we’ve seen. But there’s no question that the volunteering that has covered the island and the willingness to help is, I think, the first time in the history of humankind that an entire country has turned its eyes towards, and opened its heart to, people of learning difficulty. I don’t think in the history of the world that there’s ever been such a united response.”

Shriver said he had seen many things this week that could and should be applied in years to come.

“We’ve seen some great, great innovations here; a great commitment to the integrity of sport; great commitment to the integrity of young people’s inclusion; and a great commitment to the host town movement which is such an integral part of the experience of the games. So we’ll be debriefing and trying to learn from this for many months to come.”