Gold Medal Experience

Wouldn’t it be encouraging to know that the care and welfare of your elite athletes was being entrusted to thorough professionals with appropriate experience? Northern Ireland offers just such peace of mind.

The region regularly hosts international sporting events including rugby, football, motor cycling and golf. The following events exemplify the skills and experience that Northern Ireland brings to hosting world class events:

International Rugby Board, Under-19 Rugby World Cup

The International Rugby Board (IRB) Under-19 Rugby World Cup is the premier tournament for male rugby union players under the age of 19. The 2007 championship was awarded to the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and was hosted by the Ulster branch. The tournament took place in Belfast and Bangor in April and was split into two divisions of twelve teams from countries as diverse as Fiji, South Africa, New Zealand, Romania, Argentina and Japan.

UEFA Under-19 Football Championship

The European Under - 19 Football Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport’s European governing body, UEFA. The 2006 competition, which was hosted in Northern Ireland, featured teams from countries throughout Europe.

Special Olympics

In the Summer of 2006, Belfast played host to the biggest sporting event of the year – The Special Olympics Ireland Games. 2,000 athletes, 500 coaches and delegates, 4,000 families, friends and guests visited Belfast to participate in the Games.

World Amateur Boxing Championships

The Men’s World Amateur Boxing Championship was held in Belfast in June 2001. Almost 400 boxers from a record 67 countries took part at the Odyssey Arena, including six reigning world champions, four current European champions and 23 medallists from the Sydney Olympics (2000). All were impressed by the warm welcome they received.

IAAF World Cross Country Championship

This international sporting event attracted over 1,100 athletes from 70 countries to Northern Ireland in March 1999. The Championship was ranked as one of the most high profile international sporting events to be hosted by Northern Ireland. Heralded by the late Dr Primo Nebiolo, the former president of the IAAF, as the ‘best ever Championships’, the organisation and management of the event attracted widespread acclaim.