International Games News

December 1998

Beijing, China outbid Belgrade, Yugoslavia and Kaoshiung, Chinese Taipei for the right to host the 2001 World University Games. Belgrade was bidding for the games after having to give up the 1975 games after the nations political and economic reorganization in 1974.

The bid enhances China's visibility in the race for the 2008 Olympic Games, but may also draw fire from groups concerned about China's current humans rights record. In 1973 Moscow hosted the World University Games, hoping to impress the IOC and to be awarded the 1980 Olympic Games. Spectators booed and jeered the team from Israel at the Opening Ceremonies and Israeli spectators were attacked in several instances at the games. When the time came to award the 1980 Olympic Games there were no other bidders and Moscow was given the games. Beijing on the other hand will have competition from a long list of bidders.

Beijing has two and a half years to prepare for the University Games but should not have much difficulty. The facilities prepared for the 1990 Asian Games, which consisted of twenty-nine sports, will be used. The University games generally schedule ten to twelve sports.

Womens Global Challenge Cancelled

The Women's Global Challenge sponsored by the Women's Sports Foundation has been cancelled for 1999. Adequate sponsorship for the 1999 event could not be secured. The WSF hopes to launch the event in Washington DC in 2001.

Bid News

The 2001 summer World University Games host is set, but the site for the 2001 Winter University Games, which would normally take place six months before the summer games, has yet to be chosen. Secretary General of FISU, Roch Campana has stated that so far there have been no firm candidates for these games.

Cordoba, Argentina was selected as host for the 2002 South American Games at PASO meetings on December 5th.

New Events

The Winter Goodwill Games are becoming more of a reality. Harvey Schiller, President of Turner Sports recently updated the press on details of the games which are scheduled to be held in Lake Placid in the year 2000. Along with the traditional winter sports of skiing, skating and bobsled, the Winter Goodwill Games will borrow a page from the Winter X Games and include events from the "extreme" side of winter sports, such as ice climbing, snow mountain biking and super modified shovel racing.

Groups from Australia and the United States are pondering bids to host the first ever edition of the World Indigenous Games in 2003, for sportsmen and women of native populations from around the globe. Australian aboriginal activist Charles Pekins heads the Australian committee, as well a group that is working to make certain that Australian aboriginal peoples are included in the events of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney

Schedule for 1999

A very full slate of games is scheduled for 1999 (Dates subject to change and/or revision)

Winter World Transplant Games, Salt Lake City USA January 10-15

Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, Bangkok Thailand January 10-16

X Games (Winter), Crested Butte United States January 14-17

World University Games, Winter Poprad Slovakia January 22-30

Asian Winter Games, Kangwon Korea Jan. 30-Feb. 6

Palm Springs International Senior Olympics, Palm Springs USA February 12-21

Winter World Games for the Disabled, Solloftea, Sweden March 5-13

European Youth Olympic Days Winter, Poprad-Tatry Slovakia March 6-12

International Police Winter Games, Blackcomb/Whistler Canada March 7-12

Deaf Games Winter, Davos Switzerland March 8-14

Winter World Corporate Games, Seefeld Austria March 26-28

Women's Global Challenge, Washington DC USA April 28-May 2 CANCELLED

SELL Games (Summer), Kaunas Lithuania May 11-17

Arafura Games, Darwin Australia May 22-29

Games of the Small Countries of Europe, Vaduz Liechtenstein May 24 -29

South Pacific Games, Agana Guam May 29 - June 12

X Games Summer (Extreme Games), San Francisco United States June 25 - July 3

Island Games, Gotland Gotland June 26 - July 2

World Medical Games, Saint Tropez France June 26 - July 3

Special Olympics World Games, Raleigh-Durham USA June 26 - July 4

Summer World University Games, Palma de Mallorca Spain July 2- July 13

Pan-American Maccabi Games, Mexico City Mexico July 8-20

European Youth Olympic Days, Summer Esbjerg Denmark July 10-16

Gorge Games, Hood River USA July 10-17 CANCELLED

World Police and Fire Games, Stockholm Sweden July 16-24

Pan-American Games Summer, Winnipeg Canada July 24 - Aug. 8

North American Indigenous Games, Fargo USA July 29-Aug. 6

Military World Games, Zagreb Croatia Aug. 8-17

South East Asian Games, Bander Seri Bagawan Brunei August 8-14

Arab Games, Amman Jordan August 15-31

Pan-American Games for the Deaf, Havana Cuba August 16-26

World Transplant Games, Tilburg Netherlands Aug.29-Sept. 4 Moved to Budapest Sept. 4-13, 1999

Pan-Armenian Games, Erevan Armenia Aug 28-Sept 5

Black Sea Games, Samsun, Turkey Sept. 3-14

African Games, Johannesburg South Africa Sept. 10-19

South Asian Federation Games, Kathmandu Nepal Sept. 25 - Oct 4

World Corporate Games, Paris/Ile de France France Sept. 25 - Oct. 2

Australian Masters Games, Adelaide Australia Sept. 25- Oct. 3

Pacific Ocean Games, Santiago Chile Oct. 6-17

South Pacific Corporate Games, Suva Fiji Oct. 23-25

Other Games dates to be confirmed

African Scholar Athlete Games Johannesburg South Africa July (tentative)

Australia/Pacific Rim Scholar-Athlete Games Gold Coast Australia

Australian Corporate Games Sydney Australia

Central Asian Games Bishkek Kyrgystan

International School Children's Games Hamilton Canada

PNG Corporate Games Port Moresby Papua New Guinea

UK & Ireland Corporate Games Limerick Ireland

West African University Games Cotonou Benin