Special Olympics event in jeopardy

BOISE – The invitational games planned for February as a forerunner to the 2009 Special Olympics World Games might not be possible following the loss of $8 million in federal money, an official said.

“Everything is up in the air at this point,” said Chip Fisher, a Sun Valley entrepreneur and the games’ new chief executive officer.

“When you get $8 million pulled out from under you, you have to think about everything. At the end of the day, what we want is a successful 2009 games. That’s my focus.”

President Bush’s veto of a large budget bill has stopped more than $8 million for the 2009 Special Olympics World Games, which will be held in Idaho.

The president vetoed the Labor, Health and Human Services bill last week.

But Fisher said the 2009 games will be held.

“These are games that are 16 months away,” he said. “We look forward to seeing Idaho support these games.”

Gary Dyer, who is being replaced by Fisher, said officials might have to raise $1.5 million by the end of the year to hold a smaller version of the games planned for February as a practice run for Idaho.

On another front, the couple who brought the games to Idaho has stepped down as co-chairs of the group organizing the games to take other board positions to raise money.

Jim and Pirie Grossman, of Sun Valley, since 2005 have served as the games’ main public organizers. Jim Grossman said he has talked to the international organization for the Special Olympics.

“The changes that we have gone through and the struggles we are facing, we think we are alone in that, (but) they have confirmed to us many times this is par for the course in the organization of world games,” he said. “They said the changes we have gone through are really similar to what other games have gone through in the past.”

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig and Rep. Mike Simpson, both Republicans, say they and other lawmakers will try to get the money approved again after Thanksgiving.

The money could be attached to another spending bill when Congress meets in December.

Local organizers must raise $28 million to hold the games in 2009.