The Special Olympics World Summer Games will be held in Ireland in June 2003, when Ireland will play host to an estimated 7,000 athletes, 3,000 coaches and delegates along with 28,000 relatives and friends. This will be the first time the games will be held outside the US and it will be the largest sporting event in the world in 2003.
The Games Organising Committee, GOC, under the chairmanship of Mr. Denis O'Brien, has overall responsibility for the planning, organising, and financing of the games. The GOC has formed a number of sub-committees to address specific tasks and functions associated with delivering a successful games.