Doha first in the Gulf to host Pan-Arab Games
bron: gulf times
DOHA will host the 12th Pan-Arab Games in 2011, the first time the quadrennial multi-sport event being held in a Gulf state, the Qatar Olympic Committee said yesterday.
Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) secretary general Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman pledged that the state “will put all its capabilities to support the event and ensure its success”.
The games were last held in Cairo in 2007.
HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who is the chairman of QOC, has received a letter from Prince Sultan bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, the chairman of the Arab Federation for Sports (AFS), conveying the federation’s agreement to Qatar hosting the games.
AFS secretary general Othman al-Saad, who delivered the message, said that Qatar’s hosting of the Pan-Arab Games would give the event “more momentum and significance in light of the huge capabilities and world-class sports facilities which Qatar owns”.
Al-Saad, in a statement, also said that he was confident that the games would be a success in Qatar.
“We are delighted with the preparations which Qatar has already made to host the Pan-Arab Games and also because this is the first time that a Gulf state is hosting the event. Qatar enjoys great experience in organising internal and regional sports events,” he said.
This the first time the games would be held under the umbrella of the Arab Federation for Sports rather than the Arab League as has been the case.
Al-Saad hoped that all Arab countries would prepare their athletes well for the event, saying that achieving good results in it would reflect on their participation in the next Olympic Games.
The official also hailed the Qatar’s school Olympic Day as a “means for promoting sport as part of daily life for people as well as for identifying promising talents among schoolchildren”.
The first Pan-Arab Games were held in 1953 in Alexandria, Egypt. Women were first allowed to compete in 1985.
DOHA will host the 12th Pan-Arab Games in 2011, the first time the quadrennial multi-sport event being held in a Gulf state, the Qatar Olympic Committee said yesterday.
Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) secretary general Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman pledged that the state “will put all its capabilities to support the event and ensure its success”.
The games were last held in Cairo in 2007.
HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who is the chairman of QOC, has received a letter from Prince Sultan bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, the chairman of the Arab Federation for Sports (AFS), conveying the federation’s agreement to Qatar hosting the games.
AFS secretary general Othman al-Saad, who delivered the message, said that Qatar’s hosting of the Pan-Arab Games would give the event “more momentum and significance in light of the huge capabilities and world-class sports facilities which Qatar owns”.
Al-Saad, in a statement, also said that he was confident that the games would be a success in Qatar.
“We are delighted with the preparations which Qatar has already made to host the Pan-Arab Games and also because this is the first time that a Gulf state is hosting the event. Qatar enjoys great experience in organising internal and regional sports events,” he said.
This the first time the games would be held under the umbrella of the Arab Federation for Sports rather than the Arab League as has been the case.
Al-Saad hoped that all Arab countries would prepare their athletes well for the event, saying that achieving good results in it would reflect on their participation in the next Olympic Games.
The official also hailed the Qatar’s school Olympic Day as a “means for promoting sport as part of daily life for people as well as for identifying promising talents among schoolchildren”.
The first Pan-Arab Games were held in 1953 in Alexandria, Egypt. Women were first allowed to compete in 1985.
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