(ATR) The Qatari capital plays host from December 9 to 23 to its biggest sports event since the 2006 Asian Games. More than 5,000 athletes from 21 nations will compete in 29 sports at most of the venues from the 2006 Asiad. Competition already started in some sports ahead of the Friday night opening ceremony.
Directed by David Atkins, veteran of Sydney as well as other Olympic ceremonies and the 2006 Asian Games, the ceremony will be held at Khalifa Stadium, the showpiece 40,000-seat venue that was built for the Asian Games. Next week it will also be the venue for athletics.
With a new bid in the hopper for the 2020 Olympics, Qatar will add these games to its resume, now the latest in a long string of sports events that already includes the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In the wake of the Arab Spring rebellion, the 2011 Arab Games will perhaps be a more poignant event than recent editions.
Egypt, always the dominant nation at the Arab Games, is likely to continue at the top, despite months of unrest.
Syria, usually second in medals, won't be here because of its civil turmoil. That means Tunisia, birthplace of the Arab Spring, could take over number two on the medals table.
Arab Games chairman Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, downplayed any political overtones at a press conference Thursday.
"The Arab Games have nothing to do with politics. It’s about sports and sports alone," he said
"The Arab world is a very important part of the world and the Arab Games offers a platform for the athletes from the region to showcase their skills and talents in a very peaceful and competitive atmosphere," said Saoud, also secretary general of the Qatar Olympic Committee and a leader of the Doha Olympic bid.
Doha organizers are playing host to 15 IOC members for the ceremony – including nearly all members from Arab nations, as well as international federation leaders such as Lamine Diack of the IAAF. IOC vice president Thomas Bach may be the highest-ranking IOC member to attend the ceremony; he is in Qatar on a trade mission from Germany led by President Christian Wulff.
The roster of nations in Qatar includes:
Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia, the UAE and Yemen.
"The contingents of all participating teams have arrived, all preparations are complete and Doha is poised to host a memorable Games," said Saoud.
Since the first Arab Games 58 years ago, Doha is the 12th edition of the quadrennial event. During the 60s and 70s, the games fell into an 11-year hiatus due to the Arab-Israeli war. It’s the first time for the Arab Games to be held in the Gulf States region. Doha edged Beirut to host this edition.
These will be the first Arab Games to offer prize money to athletes. Breaking an Arab Games record or winning a gold medal is worth $10,000. Silver medalists earn $6,000 and a bronze comes with a $2,000 prize.
Written and reported in Doha by Ed Hula
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