SPECIAL OLYMPICS chief Mary Davis has acknowledged many of her supporters are encouraging her to stand for the presidency next year but says she is too busy to consider becoming a candidate.
Ms Davis did not rule herself out, however, and said she perceived a “huge well of support”.
Best-known for leading the 2003 Special Olympics in Ireland and currently chief of the European/Eurasian branch of the Special Olympics, Ms Davis is one of several prominent figures mooted in recent weeks as potential candidates.
She is also a member of The Irish Times Trust.
In Brussels yesterday, she met European Council president Herman Van Rompuy to greet the arrival of the “Flame of Hope” en route to the start of the European Special Olympics in Poland at the weekend. “Life is hectic for me at the moment,” she told reporters when asked if she might become a candidate when the second term of President Mary McAleese comes to an end next year.
“Yes, a lot of people have approached me that would have worked with me in the past . . . obviously when I organised the games in 2003 with 30,000 volunteers, many of whom stay in touch and are all texting me, encouraging me all the way but we’ll see. I’m busy at the moment.”
She went on: “It’s early days yet, we have a wonderful president in place at the moment in President McAleese. I think she has done a tremendous amount for Ireland, in Ireland and abroad, and I wish her well for the remainder of her term, which is a full year, or over a year now.”
Ms Davis was mooted as a possible Labour candidate six years ago but ruled herself out.
When it was put to her yesterday she was not ruling herself out now, she said: “I never rule myself out of anything . . . I’m just a go-getter through and through.”
A busy schedule meant it was difficult to find time to consider whether she might become a candidate, she said, “but I know that I have a huge well of support in the public, let’s say, so, you know, let’s get all these events over and we’ll see.” Some 2,000 athletes will participate in Poland, 38 from Ireland, as well as 5,000 volunteers.
Mr Van Rompuy paid tribute to the Special Olympics movement.
“This is about dignity and respect . . . about reconciling action and philosophy as it was the case for the great philosophers.”
