Second West Asian Games

A Historical Survey

A Meeting and a Decision

The Islamic Republic of Iran is known to have hosted the first tournament during the period from 19-28/11/1997. The success of the first tournament gave impetus to the West Asian Games Federation (WAGF), which was established in 2/4/1996, taking the city of Tehran, IR of Iran, as its seat.    The WAGF tournaments were originally planned to be organized on a biennial basis. 

The first men tournament was organized in Tehran during the period from 19-28/11/1997, followed by a women tournament few weeks after the conclusion of the men tournament. Ten countries participated in the tournament, including IR Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Yemen. Fifteen games were involved in the tournament, including athletics, aquatics, badminton, basketball, wrestling, fencing, football, judo, karate, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo and weightlifting. The number of athletes amounted to 848, with 236 officials.

Kuwait Olympic Committee participated in the first tournament and achieved the following results:

The organization of the second edition of the games in 1999 was entrusted to the State of Qatar, but due to unforeseeable circumstances, Qatar withdrew and it was only possible to organize it in 2001. Lebanon was entrusted to the organization of the games and following its regret, Kuwait took the plunge and organized the games during the period from 20-30/10/2001. After nearly six years of waiting and uncertainty, Kuwait offered to host the games through Kuwait Olympic Committee. This happened in January 2001 when the General Assembly of the WAGF held its fifth meeting in Doha, State of Qatar, during which Mr. Samih Mudallal, Chairman of WAGF, presented his report on the organization of the games and the obstacles standing in its way since the organization of the first tournament in 1997. Mr.  Bahram Afsharzadah, WAGF Secretary General, submitted his report and asked the Lebanese Olympic Committee to define a date for organizing the second edition. He also called upon the Olympic Council of Asia to offer support to the games in terms of sponsorship and marketing domains. He also urged the Lebanese Olympic Committee to solicit the required funds through local partners. Nevertheless, Lebanon failed to comply with the requirements of organizing the games due to special circumstances. Here Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah, President of Kuwait Olympic Committee and representative of Kuwait to the meeting, declared the willingness of Kuwait to host the game during 2001. This offer was unanimously approved by the meeting and a date was set (20-30/10/2001) for the organization of the second edition of the games. The tournament was organized under the patronage of H.H the Amir Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah. Once again, and due to unforeseeable circumstances, it was not possible to organize the games as it was scheduled, especially after the 11/9 events, in addition to the medication trip of H.H. the Amir. At that time, Kuwait Olympic Committee made a statement in which it cited the reasons of postponement, though   relevant arrangements had already been accomplished for hosting 13 games, in addition to diving and water polo.

Kuwait Olympic Committee recognizes that a success in organizing such a tournament will be a success to WAGF and Organizing Committee at the sportive, technical, human and organizational levels. Thus it exerted sincere efforts to organize the tournament as it was scheduled. Political Conditions, however, acted against the plan and it was only in 2002 that the games were organized. The number of sports was crushed into 9 without any women games. Consequently, the second edition of the games was organized in Kuwait during the period from 3-12/4/2002. The consent of Kuwait to organize the games came after Lebanon's late regret. The Organizing Committee set on its administrative and technical preparation one year ahead of the organization date during which H.E. Sheikh Talal Al Fahad Al Sabah held a number of meetings with relevant sportive bodies.

Meetings concentrated on securing success for the games and achieving the best results. Invitations were sent to 13 countries affiliated to WAGF, including Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen. Iraq, however, did not participate in the games.

Great Tasks and Great Preparations

Kuwait was greatly honoured by hosting the second edition of the West Asian Games, thanks   to the steady and sincere efforts of H.E. Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah who made the games a great success through approaching the sportive federations to secure the required success. Several meetings were held during the period from 20-24/3/2001 with the top officials of the relevant federations and clubs to discuss the important matters, such as:

1-                 Games and competitions to be accredited and in which Kuwait is due to participate in.

2-                 Medals expected to be won in individual and team games.

3-                 Countries expected to compete on the first three positions.

4-                 The time duration for each competition.

5-                 The venue of each game.

6-                 The requirements of each federation/club in terms of (dedication, camps, equipment and installations).

   7.        Setting the rules and regulations for the games involved in the tournament.

In order to prepare and rehabilitate the sportive venues, relevant federations and clubs were addressed in connection with the courts and playgrounds and making up for any deficiencies in order to be able to receive the games.

In 3.4.2001, invitations were sent to the WAGF member countries to participate in the tournament which included 13 accredited games.

Compulsory and Optional:

The games accredited for the tournament fell into two categories: compulsory and optional as stipulated in WAGF Constitution. The compulsory games included athletics, swimming, diving, water polo and gymnastics. Optional games, however, were left to the discretion of the host country.

Kuwait Olympic Committee complied with the compulsory games as stipulated in the constitution, and in choosing the optional games; it depended on the technical standards of such games.

WAGF Secretaries-General Meeting

As a preliminary step towards organizing the games, Kuwait Olympic Committee convened a coordination meeting for the President and Secretary General of WAGF and member countries. This meeting was held on 6.6.2001 and attended by representatives of 11 countries, in addition to WAGF President and Secretary General. During the said meeting the 13-game program was approved.

The meeting was beneficial, especially when the chairman Mr. Samih Mudallal expressed pleasure over the organization of the second edition of the WAGF tournament. A third edition, he added, will be organized in Syria in 2003, and a fourth edition will be held in Qatar in 2005. He also thanked Kuwait for its initiative to host the games and the continuity of the tournament.

Coordinative and Preparatory Meetings

Kuwait Olympic Committee, under the chairmanship of H.E. Sheikh Talal Al Fahad Al Sabah, went ahead with the coordinative and preparatory meetings with the relevant federations and the ad hoe committees to make the games a success.

• On 3.4.2001 invitations were sent to the member countries to participate in the tournament.
• On 8.4.2001 clubs and federations were addressed in connection with the facilities to be used for the games.
• On 21.5.2001 urgent messages were sent to the member countries to respond to the invitation and to confirm the sports they wish to participate in.

Meetings continued for few days to allow the Organizing Committee to define the major objectives underlying the games, after which the federations would decide on their requirements, and requests and show   preparedness.

• On 8.7.2001, a coordinative meeting was hold with the secretaries-general of the relevant federations and clubs in which matters related to their participation were discussed.
• On 10.8.2001 a notice was circulated to all sportive federations and clubs requesting a complete halt of sportive activities during the games.
• On 14-15/7/2001 a coordinative meeting chaired by Sheikh Talal Al Fahad Al Sabah was held with the secretaries-general of the relevant federations and clubs to discuss matters related to the games.
• On 14-15/8/2001 a revision of the organization of the games was conducted to decide on the finals’ exact time and place.

Games Postponed but Preparations Continued

Preparations for the games were in progress when suddenly unexpected dangerous events took place, ahead of which the 11 of September attacks on the towers of the World Trade Center in New York. Consequently, Kuwait Olympic Committee decided to postpone the games. In 24.9.2001 an announcement to this effort was made, as follows:

Statement:

In view of the current circumstances and to secure success for the games, Kuwait Olympic Committee decided to postpone the 2^nd West Asian Games which was due to begin during the period from 20-30/10/2001 in the State of Kuwait to a fresh date to be announced later. This date will be defined in an extraordinary meeting of the WAGF General Assembly. On this occasion, Kuwait Olympic Committee wishes to express gratitude and thankfulness to all participating countries, ministries, governmental and non-governmental agencies and all working committees for the corporation and understanding.

We pray to Allah the Almighty to preserve H.H the Amir Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah and to grant him health and care and to see him back in Kuwait in full recuperation.

May Allah preserve Kuwait and protect it from all mishaps under the leadership of H.H the Amir and H.H the Crown Prince and to enwrap out martyrs with His mercy and set free our prisoners of war.

The above mentioned statement was circulated to the media and forwarded to the WAGF member countries which showed all understanding to the current situation and highly appreciated the efforts of Kuwait Olympic Committee which reflect a genuine interest in caring for all.

Accredited Games

The games were virtually postponed, but the activities of Kuwait Olympic Committee, and the Organizing Committee, and the sub-committees remained in operation. At the beginning of January 2002, the rate of work was accelerated following the decision of KOC regarding setting April 3 as the fresh date for organizing the games. The member countries approved the new date. All relevant meetings were chaired by H.E Sheikh Talal Al Fahad Al Sabah and the wheel of the work started to turn regularly and quickly.

To secure success for the games, KOC provided all human, technical and financial potentials after allocating the required budget.

With reference to the sports selected for the second edition of the games, they fell under the categories specified in WAGF constitution which include compulsory games such as athletics, swimming, diving, water polo and gymnastics, besides optional games which are left to the discretion of the organizing country.

Kuwait Olympic Country committed itself to the compulsory games such as stimulated by the law. Nevertheless, KOC cancelled the water polo, volley ball, table tennis, shooting, taekwondo. The tournament was opened on April 3, 2002 in Kuwait sportive stadium.

Emblem

Kuwait Olympic Committee approved the emblem of the second edition of the West Asian Games. It was designed to show first letter of Kuwait in English to indicate glory and grandeur and then number 12 corresponding to the number of the countries participating in the tournament.   In designing the emblem, various details were observed to represent the sports included in the official program.   The selection of colours came to reflect the flag of Kuwait. The emblem of the games nestles the emblem of the WAGF.

Participating Countries

WAGF includes the following member countries which are actually competing in the 2^nd West Asian Games hosted by the state of Kuwait during the period from 3-12/4/2002.

1- JOR                                            Jordan

2- UAE                                           United Arab Emirates

3- IRI                                              IR of Iran

4- BRN                                           Bahrain

5- KSA                                           Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

6- SYR                                            Syria

7- OMA                                          Oman

8- PLA                                            Palestine

9- QAT                                           Qatar

10- LIB                                           Lebanon

11- YEM                                         Yemen

12- KUW                                        State of Kuwait

Accredited Games

No. of sports                                   10

No. of competitions                          69

Accredited games

1-     Athletics

2-     Basketball

3-     Fencing

4-     Football

5-     Gymnastics

6-     Handball

7-     Karate

8-     Swimming

9-     Diving

10- Squash

Participation in the Games

Final Results

The first competitions of the 2^nd West Asian Games were kicked off on 4.4.2002. The first day witnessed the competitions of basketball, fencing, football, swimming and diving. The results were as follows:-

1- Football

Participating Countries: 5

Iran, Syria, Qatar, Palestine, Kuwait

Results

Classification

Medals

2- Basketball

Participating countries 5

(UAE, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Kuwait)

Results

Position

Medals

3- Handball:
 

6 countries

(UAE, Oman, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Kuwait)

Results

Classification

Medals

4- Athletics

400 m Hurdles

400m.

100m

1500m.

High Jump

Long Jump

4- Athletics

Shot Put