Departing teams: The Hong Kong team, which was initially asked by the Irish Government not to attend the Special Olympics because of SARS, may be stranded in Dublin because of full flights.
The team cancelled its booking with British Airways to travel to Dublin when the SARS ban was put in place some weeks ago.
But the team is now finding it impossible to get a block booking for their return to Hong Kong after the Games on June 29th or 30th due to full flights. Direct flights from Hong Kong to Europe on all airlines are now packed thanks to post-SARs cheap tickets.
There are no direct flights from Hong Kong to Dublin and now, a week before 7,000 athletes descend on Ireland, connections to Dublin are full.
Cathay Pacific said yesterday it can get the team on a return flight from London to Hong Kong, but not from Dublin to London.
Special school principal and chairman of the Hong Kong Special Olympics, Mr David Ip, told The Irish Times this was another problem to beset the team.
Cathay suggested flying the team to London in small groups on different flights, but Mr Ip wants to keep them together.
He said many of the 22 mentally-handicapped youngsters have not flown before and need to be with their nine coaches, who double as chaperones. It would lead to hours of waiting.
The Hong Kong team is currently in quarantine in Macau, turning what was to be a 13-day trip into a 23-day one.
"That's very hard for our volunteer coaches and officials who have to take leave for the trip," Mr Ip said.
Palestine's Special Olympics team will be able to travel to Ireland in time for the Games despite the recent surge in violence in the region.
Members of the team feared they would be stranded in the Gaza Strip earlier this week, but Israeli authorities yesterday confirmed the team had permission to travel to the area.
The majority of the 17-strong delegation is due to arrive tomorrow in their host town of Kinsale, Co Cork, where locals have organised celebrations and activities before the Games officially open next week.
The Dublin-based delegate-general of Palestine, Mr Ali Halimeh, said he was delighted there was a happy outcome to the issue. "We're happy that they will be able to take part. It is an important symbolic step that the team can take part in the Games despite the obstacles facing them," Mr Halimeh said.
A small number of delegations from Africa and Asia have yet to officially confirm their travel plans, but organisers expect the 155 delegations staying in host towns around the country will arrive as scheduled.
The Olympic flame, meanwhile, will begin its journey to towns and villages across the island in advance of the opening ceremony in Croke Park on Saturday, June 21st. Hundreds of members of the Garda and the Police Service of Northern Ireland will help carry the torch on four routes across the country.