International Games News April 2003

The 2009 World Police and Fire Games have been awarded to Vancouver/Burnaby, Canada.

The cities of Vancouver and Burnaby, Tourism Vancouver and the 2010 Winter Olympics Bid Committee worked together to win the bid.

The 2010 Olympic Winter games bid organizers supported the World Police and Fire Games bid in hopes of having an event that would help them test their systems prior to a 2010 Olympics, if they win that bid.

The 2003 World Police and Fire Games are scheduled for Barcelona, Spain, the 2005 Games for Quebec City, Quebec, and the 2007 Games for Adelaide, Australia.

Despite several weeks of comments that indicated, "the games will go on" the Northern Territory government has very quickly reversed course and announced the cancellation of the 2003 Arafura Games. Some sources indicate that this may be a postponement and new dates for the games may be announced, but this has yet to be confirmed.

The games have been held every other year in May without a break since 1991 when they were first known as the Arafura Sports Festival.

The SARS epidemic had put a damper on games preparations, with registrations falling below expectations. The Malaysian delegation had already canceled, and two sports, judo and surf lifesaving had been dropped from the schedule. This is the first international event in Australia to be canceled due to SARS.

The decision was difficult for games organizers, and will negatively impact the economies of Darwin and the Northern Territory. The 2001 games had an estimated 5.13 million Australian dollar impact on Darwin's economy.

Several health authorities and health workers had recently expressed strong concerns over hosting the games in Darwin.

The Arafura Games, Special Olympics World Games and South East Asian Games are all dealing with the effects of the worldwide SARS virus epidemic

The Arafura Games organizers have stated for several weeks that the games will be closely monitored, but there are no plans to cancel the games.

However, in the April 23 Northern Territory newspaper (already posted on the 22nd), a retired doctor in Darwin is suggesting that the games be postponed and that inviting athletes from any effected nations is not a wise thing to do. Health workers in Darwin have also expressed their concerns.

The Malaysian team has already pulled out of the Arafura Games and the sports of surf-lifesaving and judo have already been canceled as their levels of entries had been affected by the virus.

Organizers of the Special Olympics World Games, to be held in Dublin, Ireland are also monitoring the situation closely, with Dublin health experts gathering to discuss the issues involved.

Some athletes from affected countries may be asked to stay home, but Special Olympics Chief Executive Mary Davies said "There is no threat that the games will be canceled or postponed."

Though much further out, there has already been talk of postponing the SEA Games which are currently scheduled to be held in Vietnam in December because of the number of participating nations that are experiencing SARS cases.

Mike Metzger has reached all of his goals in Freestyle Moto X and will now turn his energies to racing. Metzger has accomplished stunning feats in backflips over the past year.

Metzger does not intend to participate in the Global X Games, Summer X Games or Gravity Games this year, but along with racing, has plans to exhibit some of his art work in a Los Angeles gallery during the X Games in Los Angeles.

Yet another new international games looks to be added to the schedule. The West African Orphanages Games (called by the organizers the West African Orphanages Olympic Games) are scheduled to be held in August of this year in Kumasi, Ghana.

The games are a project of Orphanages International Ministry, which is holding fundraisers to raise money for the games.

Hmm. We're a little late on this one but........ The Transplant Games have expanded to a new region. The first Middle East Transplant Games were held in Kuwait City in 2001. A second Middle East Transplant Games are scheduled June 20-23 in Ankara, Turkey.

Four nations, Australia, Italy, Malaysia and Poland have submitted bids for the next World Air Games. Cities have not been specified as the events are usually spread out among several cities in the host nation.

The games were scheduled to be held in 2003,but the world governing body the Federation Aeronautique International has had trouble finding a host.

The bids will be evaluated by the World Air Games Coordinating Committee and a decision made this month as to which cities will go on to the next stage of the bid.

Cuba has once again mentioned possibly entering the race for the 2012 Olympic Games with Havana as host.

Cuba has talked of bidding off and on several times over the past two or three years and over the past decades so the news does not come as a surprise.

Havana has been an official Olympic bid candidate one time, in 1920. Havana's highest profile games to date has been the 1991 Pan American Games, but Havana has also hosted the Central American and Caribbean Games twice, in 1982 and way back in 1930, the Central American and Caribbean University Games in 1986 and the Latin American University Games in 1962.

Several smaller competitions have also been held in Havana over the years, including the boxing events of the 1984 Friendship Games, the SCFA Summer Spartakiade of 1977, the 1999 Pan American Games for the Deaf and the 1949, 1951 and 1953 Havalanta Games, a short-lived games alternating between the youth of Atlanta and Havana.

Most recently Havana was said to have hosted and "International Corporate Games" in October of 2002, but very little information has been available on the conduct of those games.

Cuban sports authorities say any planned Olympic bid would focus on Cuba's sporting achievements and not its economic limitations.

Chess, after a long effort from the international chess federation, has been accepted into the Asian Games.

Chess has made recent inroads into being included as a sport in multi-sport games. The discipline was included in the 1999 Arab Games in Amman and is on the schedule for the African Games later this year.

Chess has been an infrequent activity in international games but has been included as far back as the 1928 and 1932 Tailteann Games and the 1951 Bolivarian Games. The discipline tends to be popular in the Middle East and Israel, Russia and South America.

New Zealand has donated several X-ray machines to Fiji to be installed for use during the South Pacific Games, at Fijian ports of entry, primarily airports.

The machines will be just a small part of the security efforts being put in place to make the games safe. Screening for possible terrorists is a priority.

New Zealand and Fiji have an ongoing relationship to share information relating to international crime and terrorism. Placing the X-ray machines at the airports during the Fiji Games is part of this agreement.

Under normal circumstances, you aren't allowed to shoot a gun or a bow and arrow in Reno's San Rafael Regional Park, one of the venues for July's ESPN Great Outdoor Games.

After discussions between ESPN and Washoe County, the Washoe County commissioners agreed to suspend the regulations for the four-day duration of the games, July 10-13.

At the temporary shooting and archery ranges, a 120 foot long, 16 foot high wall filled with sand will be built in front of a hillside to make sure no bullets or arrows go astray.

While some games are being postponed, fierce bidding continues for games in 2007 and beyond.

Hamilton, Canada and New Delhi, India are in the running for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games Federation will choose a host in early November 2003. Canada has held the games on four occasions, India has not yet held a Commonwealth Games.

Singapore has dropped out of the race for the 2010 Asian Games leaving Guangzhou, China; Kaoshiung, Taiwan; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Hong Kong in the race.

Pescara, Italy was chosen over 10 other Italian cities, as the Italian candidate for the 2009 Mediterranean Games. Rijeka, Croatia and Patras, Greece are also competing.

The Mediterranean Games site selection commission will send a report to the General Meeting of the Comité International Jeux Méditerranéens on its observations regarding the candidates in this month. The winner will be announced at meeting in Almeria, Spain this coming October.

The Arctic Winter Games Committee has established a new rotation and are looking well into the future. Bidding will only be between cities and towns in the territory or state being considered that year.

In 2008, the rotation will take the games to the NW Territories. In 2010, Greenland, 2012 Yukon Territory, 2014 Northern Alberta, 2016 Alaska, 2018 Nunavut and 2020 NW Territories.

Rome, Italy is officially bidding for the 2006 Special Olympics European Games. If Rome decides it does not want the games, Austria has said that it is interested.

Copenhagen's official tourist web site has mentioned an interest in the 2009 World Masters Games.

Tokyo, Japan and Burnaby, B.C. Canada are speculating on bids for the 2009 World Police and Fire Games.

The World Games organizers have kept their candidate cities close to the vest, only mentioning that one city in Europe, two in Asia and three in North American have submitted bid. News articles in Singapore and Rotterdam have mentioned that those cities are in the running for the 2009 World Games.

San Antonio, Texas, after losing the bid to Rio de Janeiro for the 2007 Pan American Games, mentioned possible interest in the 2009 World University Games. There have also been flickers of interest from Germany for 2009 and the Netherlands for 2009 or 2011.

Great Britain and Kentucky are considering bids for the 2010 World Equestrian Games. Kentucky staged a strong bid for the 2006 games but lost out to Aachen, Germany.

The 2010 host is scheduled to be chosen at FEI (Federation Equestre International) meetings in April 2004.

India, China and South Africa have all mentioned possible bids for the 2007 World Military Games

Rhodes and the Isle of Wight are bidding for the 2007 Island Games. The host should be named next month.

The Supergames entry numbers have been adversely affected due to the war in Iraq.

Around 2500 entries had been expected, but days before the games only about 700 intend to participate in the games according to the organizers.

The Supergames are for participants from the armed forces, emergency services and law enforcement agencies around the world.

The 2003 Arab Games scheduled for September came under discussion in late March for possible postponement, due to the war in Iraq.

The suspense is over. Pakistan will not hold the 2003 South Asian Federation Games. The games, postponed three times, have finally been cancelled.

Colombo, Sri Lanka has been named as host for the next games, scheduled to be held in 2005.

The games have been trouble for several years. The last successful SAF Games were in 1999 in Kathmandu Nepal, though those games were scheduled for 1997.

Alaska's Kenai Peninsula has been awarded the 2006 Arctic Winter Games. Kenai won over, Juneau, and previous two-time host Fairbanks.

A report in Melbourne's The Age, newspaper has disclosed friction over the cost of the village for the Commonwealth Games.

According to opposition Liberals in the government, a site in Parkville will cost 85 million (aus), while a site in Jolimont will cost only 40 million (aus), and the Parkville site will be a waste of taxpayers money.

The Victoria State Government is reportedly budgeting $144 million to build the Parkville village. The houses will be sold after the games, with hopes that the sales will gain back some 60 million.

The contracts between the organizers for the 2006 Gay Games and the Federation of Gay Games have not yet been signed according to the Sydney Star Observer.

The federation has asked Montreal to “evaluate very prudently and conservatively the projected income of the event”, avoid a "temptation to excess" and only count guaranteed sources of income.

The Federation wants to avoid at all costs a repeat of the Sydney 2002 Games that ended up several hundred thousand dollars in debt, and will be in the bankruptcy courts for some time.

Federation of Gay Games director Charlie Carson, in a letter to the Sydney Star Observer, said that " thankfully members of Sydney 2002 have been blunt enough to tell Montreal they’re crazy.”

Perfect vision, or far-sighted? South Africa's Independence Online announced that South Africa's Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour announced to parliament that South Africa will be making it a priority to bid for international sporting events, starting with the 2010 World Cup, the 2014 Commonwealth Games and, the 2020 Olympic Games.

Other 2020 speculators are Kuala Lumpur, Prague, Halifax, Canada and a private initiative for Birmingham, Alabama.

Numerous sports events, including the Women's Ice Hockey World Championships have been canceled in light of the SARS epidemic spreading to various parts of the world.

Organizers of the Arafura Games in Darwin, Australia, have said that they are monitoring the system very closely.

So far, they have decided to go forward with the games, but the games may be reduced to limit participation from areas heavily affected by the SARS outbreak.

Very little news has been made available regarding the status of the West Asian Games which were to be held in Damascus, Syria, April 7-17.

The Syrian Olympic Committee reportedly sent out invitations to the Olympic Committees of West Asian nations, inviting them to a meeting to be held Feb. 19-20. The main item on the agenda was to discuss the possibility of postponing the games.

Given the lack of information, and the recent instability in the area, we're assuming the games have been postponed for now.

Sri Lankan Olympic Committee Officials have denied reports coming from Pakistan that they have been contacted to host the 2003 SAF Games in Colombo.

"I cannot say whether the Pakistan officials have any such idea. But we have not yet been informed of it," said Sri Lanka's NOC Chairman Hemasiri Fernando.

Fernando stated that there was no possibility of Sri Lanka hosting the games on short notice. At least 18 months would be needed to prepare.

Iraq's Special Olympians may not travel to the Special Olympic World Games in Ireland this summer, according to an early April announcement by Iraqi Special Olympic officials.

Iraqi officials sent a fax to their Irish hosts to say that they would not be traveling to the games. However, at the same time, the Iraqi's said that if the war in their nation was over, they might reconsider, a possibility that seems more likely each day.

Each visiting nation to the games in Ireland is to be hosted in one of 150 different Irish towns before the games. A minor protest took place over the sign that had already been put in place to welcome Iraq to the town of Ulster. Local authorities said that the signs would stay, and that the Special Olympians had nothing to do with what was going on in their country.

Conflicting information is coming out of the Pakistan and Indian press regarding the participation of India in meetings, and the dates of the meetings to discuss the future status of the SAF Games.

Initial reports said that meetings would be held April 1. A report from Pakistan on March 29th stated the "Indian Olympic Association had assured its participation" in meetings to reschedule the games, and those meetings would be also be rescheduled to April 10-11.

On March 30, the day after the story from Pakistan, an Indian paper reported that Indian representatives would not attend the meetings.

Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi said "there is no point in attending the meeting under present circumstances." Referring to the war in Iraq.

The games were originally scheduled for October 6 to 15,2001, in Islamabad, but cancelled after the terrorist attacks on the United States. The games were postponed to March 30-April 8, 2002, and then postponed again to March 29-April 7.

One current option being discussed now is the possibility of moving the games to Sri Lanka, which would be the next host in the SAF Games alphabetic rotation.

Parade for SEA Games in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City held a walk and parade over the weekend with some 50,000 marchers. The parade was to show Vietnam's spirit for the South East Asian Games to be held in December. Samsung Electronics Company has donated about US$16,500 (or 254,925,000 Vietnamese Dong) to help Vietnamese athletes train for the games.

The Papua New Guinean government has pledged almost half a million US dollars to support athletes training for the upcoming South Pacific Games in Fiji in June.

The money will be raised from businesses who contribute to the games and lottery funds. Tax breaks will be given to the companies supporting the games.

Colonial Life and Health Insurance has presented a check to assist Team Tuvalu in preparations for the South Pacific Games. The money will go towards uniforms and equipment.

Tuvalu's Sports Minister, Dr. Alesana Kleis Seluka, hopes that other organizations will follow Colonial's example and support Tuvalu's teams.

The International Olympic Committee's Olympic Solidarity program has awarded $75,000 to Nigeria for training athletes for the African Games in October.

Nigeria's National Olympic Committee president, Habu Ahmed Gumel announced that the money will be distributed to of the national federations, stating, "Before the NOC requested for this money from the IOC, the Secretariat wrote to all these Federations to apply, but only 14 sports responded."

San Francisco's sfgate.com has reported that organizers were so pleased with the success of the Titan Games, that it is growing more likely that the games will held again next year.

Dean Munro, executive director of the San Jose Sports Authority, reported that the sport federations involved " were so extraordinarily enthused about the event they want to have it again next year."

Meanwhile, the Titan Games concept may not have been as unique as we first thought. The 1919 Paris Inter-Allied Games official report states that "Parisian sportslovers had a difficult problem in choosing where they wished to go the witness the Inter-Allied Games. The track and field. boxing and wrestling bouts, and a major portion of the other competitions were held in Pershing stadium." "Spectators at Pershing Stadium faced an added difficulty in determining their preference in sport as several events were conducted simultaneously, though games of the type of baseball, soccer and basketball were usually halted between periods to permit a track race to be run.

By the way, ESPN's coverage of the Titan Games on March 29-30, failed in any way to capture the intensity and excitement that was found in the arena those days. Instead of covering the event as it happened, ESPN went for the packaged approach, with lots of non-action up close interviews and other filler. Completely missed in the telecast was the frenzy of activity that occurred in the arena, though small glimpses could be had while the big screen happened to come into view on the telecast.

The 10th Pan American Maccabi Games, (or X Juegos Macabeos Panamericanos) that were moved from Caracas Venezuela to Santiago Chile, have now set their dates. The games will be held from December 24th to January 5th, 2004. (just the 5th games to extend over two years of the western calendar) The games were moved out of Venezuela due to political and economic turmoil there.

A world-wide contest to choose the mascot for the 2006 Olympic has begun. The deadline for proposals is May 20, 2003, with the winner chosen in October. Details at www.torino2006.it

A ceremony is scheduled for April 8th to dedicate the new African Games stadium in Abuja, Nigeria.

The completion of the stadium is seen as a good indication that preparations of facilities for the games are on schedule.

The Winter World Transplant Games, traditionally held every two years and last held in 2001, were not held in 2003. The Games were originally held in the even years, beginning in 1994, with the second games following in 1996.

This regularity was set aside when the games were hosted in Salt Lake City in 1999 instead of 1998. The US chose to host World Games that year, instead of their scheduled traditional US games.

The World Transplant Games Federation then decided to hold games in 2001, but is now attempting to put the games back on the original schedule in the even years.

Games are tentatively on the calendar for 2004, but no host city has been named.

Meanwhile, there several competitions in Europe causing some confusion on the Transplant Games schedule.

It seems that "European Transplant Games" have been held, in Athens in 2000 and in Balaton, Hungary in 2002. The Games have also been called the "European Transplant and Dialysis Games." The distinction of including dialysis patients in Transplant Games is not agreed to by all nations, so perhaps this is in part, some of the impetus for these games.

The 9th European Heart and Lung Transplant Games were held in Klagenfurt, Austria in 2002.

In the past, we've also seen references to "Euro-Transplant Games" and "Eastern European Transplant Games" with cities and dates different from the previous named games. In one instance "European Heart and Liver Games" has been determined to be a mistaken translation for "European Heart and Lung Transplant Games."

Using the reasoning of some sports enthusiasts who claim that medals won at other "almost or para olympic" games are equal to medals won at the Olympic Games, we think we've found the world's greatest athletes.

John Palmer, and his wife Helen, together recently collected twenty-two (22!) medals, in nine different sports! at the New Zealand Masters Games.

John won seven gold, two silver and one bronze medal in canoeing, stair racing, duathlon, indoor and outdoor rowing and the 10km road run.

Helen won six gold, three silver and two bronze medals in canoeing, the 10km run, the duathlon, road cycling, swimming and indoor rowing.

The versatility, the skill, the longevity! Frankly, we're shocked that these two haven't been making the world-wide morning show talk circuit, had their faces pasted on several cereal boxes, or, been showered with prize money and training funds to bring more glory to their country!

Alphabetical List of Games
Iraq, Asian sports power?	Games in April
Iraq, Asian sports power?	Supergames, Auckland, New Zealand April 4-6
More confusion over disabled athlete inclusion	South Pacific Corporate Games, Auckland, New Zealand April 4-6
	South Asian Federation Games, Islamabad, Pakistan Mar 29-April 7 postponed
	West Asian Games, Syria, April 7-17
Games in Africa	CARIFTA Games, Port of Spain, Trinidad April 19-21
Games in Asia	Games in May
Games in Asia	SELL Games, Kaunas, Lithuania, May 15-18
Games in Europe	Arafura Games, Darwin, Australia, May 17-24
Games in North America	X Games Global Championship, San Antonio, USA and Whistler, Canada, May 17-24
Games in South America	Interreligious Peace Sports Festival, Seoul, Korea, May 21-25 postponed until July
Games in Oceania	International ASA Games, Tel Aviv, Israel, May 22-28
Games for Disabled Athletes..
Masters/Seniors Games	Full 2003 Schedule
Winter Games
Games for Youth