The Special Olympics Flame of Hope in Croke Park, which was supposed to remain alight throughout the duration of the Games, was extinguished yesterday.
Workers in Croke Park said the gas-powered flame, which was lit during the climax of the spectacular opening ceremony in the stadium on Saturday night, did not appear to be lighting yesterday morning.
However, an emergency flame is kept in reserve by Special Olympics officials to ensure the symbolism of the Games is always kept alight, according to officials.
The flame was taken on a 15,000km journey from Athens, where it was lit in a traditional ceremony, across Europe and to more than 130 towns and villages around Ireland.
It was planned that a three-foot flame would light in a steel cauldron in Croke Park, which was designed by students from the National College of Art and Design.
It is not known how the flame went out and a spokesperson for the Special Olympics organising committee was unavailable for comment on the matter last night.
Meanwhile, the organisers of the Games yesterday warned that if delegations refuse to play against each other, as happened yesterday when the Saudi Arabia soccer team refused to play Israel, disqualification would be the direct result.
"If an individual refuses to play against a team or another individual, for political or whatever reasons, they will forfeit that game," Mr Julian Davis, a spokesman for the Games organising committee, said.
A situation where Saudi Arabia refused to play against Israel in a soccer event was resolved by moving Israel into another ability group, he added.