January

2003 gets started with the second Stockholm Winter Games, Jan. 3-6 in Stockholm, Sweden. Stockholm has invited youth for friendly sports competitions in athletics, bandy, basketball, gymnastics, handball, floorball, indoor soccer, shooting and ultimate frisbee.

Sydney, Australia, picks up the torch with the second edition of the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, January 8-12. (The first in 2001 was named the Sydney Youth Olympic Festival) 

In 2003,  1400 elite junior athletes, from ages 14-19 from 15 nations are expected to compete in 14 Summer Olympic sports. The games are to provide high-level competition for developing athletes. 

The FISU Winter World University Games open the following week in Tarvisio, Italy, Jan 16-26. Organizers are expecting a record number of nations, as many as 49, for the games.

Youth will take the stage again the following week with the winter version of the European Youth Olympic Days, in Bled, Slovenia, Jan. 25-31. 

The Alps-Adriatic Winter Youth Games are also reportedly scheduled for January, but no specific dates are available.   

The seventh edition of the Winter X Games return to Aspen, Colorado January 30 - February 2.

Sports will include, snowboarding, skiing, snowmobiling,  moto X  and ultracross.  Winter X Games VI in Aspen last year drew a crowd of close to 40,000 spectators over the four-day event.

February

The 2003 winter games schedule continues with the Asian Winter Games from Aomori, Japan, Feb. 1-8. North Korea, following their participation in the Asian Games in October 2002, have also agreed to participate in the winter games.

A new competition sponsored by the US Olympic Committee, the Titan Games, will be held in San Jose, California, February 13-15. The games will feature "combat sports" such as fencing, wrestling, boxing, judo, taekwondo and karate, as well as weightlifting and a shot put contest.

The 18th International Police Winter Games, an annual cozy gathering for police officers, return to Lake Tahoe, California, Feb 23-28. Ice Hockey will be held in Anaheim, California, March 16-20.

The CISS (Conseil International Sports des Sourds or International Deaf Sports Council), will host its 15th Winter World Games for the Deaf, now known as the "Deaflympics" in Sundsvall, Sweden from February 27th to March 9th. 

March

The Federation of British International Schools in East Asia ( FOBISSEA), will host their annual games for secondary schools in Bangkok, Thailand March 7-9. (FOBISSEA games now postponed )

The 22nd annual Windsor Classic Indoor Games in Windsor, Ontario Canada are scheduled for March 28-30.  The games are for athletes with disabilities and consist of athletics, swimming, sledge hockey, tennis and standing volleyball.

The South Asian Federation Games, postponed and rescheduled several times since the 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, are now scheduled to be held March 29th to April 2nd in Islamabad, Pakistan. 

April

The CARIFTA Games, which in the past have been held as a multisport competition, but in recent years have been held as separate events, with athletics and swimming in separate cities, are scheduled to be in Port of Spain, Trinidad, April 19-21. (presumably athletics only)

The FOBISSEA Games for juniors are scheduled for Phuket, Thailand April 30-May 3. (FOBISSEA games now postponed )

May

The SELL (Suomi, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia) Games, will be held in Kaunas, Lithuania, May 15-18.  The games were held from 1923 until 1938, and then not again until 1998. The games were suspended during the Soviet occupation of the Baltic nations.

The games are for university aged students, and are now open to whomever wishes to travel to the games.

The Arafura Games, held on a bi-annual basis each May since 1991, will host their seventh edition, May17-24. 

June

The World Medical and Health Games, formerly the World Medical Games, have expanded their eligibility criteria to include individuals from the health professions and will be held in Stirling, Scotland, June 21-28. This will be the 24th edition of the games.

One of the largest competitions of the year will be the Special Olympics World Summer Games, in Dublin, Ireland from June 21-29th.  Over 7000 athletes from over 150 nations are expected to participate.  Over 150 cities and villages are serving as hosts for each nation represented, and in the week before the games cities will host many of the athletes in their homes.

This will be the eleventh edition of the Special Olympics World Summer Games since the games began in 1968, and the first ever to be held outside of the United States.

The European Corporate Sport Federation will host its 14th Summer Eurofestival, June 25-29. The games are for corporations and businesses in Europe. 

The 35th International School Children's Games will be held in Graz, Austria June 28-July 3. The games have been held since 1968, sometimes, two or three editions per year. Another edition will be held later in the summer in Greece.

The Island Games, with participation form such far flung islands as Alderney, Cayman Islands, Falklands, Faeroes Islands, Gibraltar (considered an island for these games),  Guernsey, Isle of Man, Prince Edward Island, Rhodes and numerous other islands, will gather in St. Peter Port, Guernsey for the 10th edition of the island games, held every two years since 1985.

One of the major IOC sanctioned games of the year will be the South Pacific Games, scheduled for Suva, Fiji, June 28-July 12. This will be the 12th edition of the South Pacific Games. Suva served as the original host in 1963, and also as host for the 1979 edition of the games.

July opens with the Stockholm Summer Games, in Stockholm, Sweden, July 2-6 2003. This will be the 8th annual Stockholm Summer Games.

The 10th European Maccabi Games will be held in Antwerp, Belgium, July 4-11. Antwerp hosted the 5th European Maccabi Games in 1983.

The tenth Pan-American Maccabi Games were scheduled for July17-28 in Caracas, Venezuela. However, current political instability in Venezuela has forced organizers to move the games to Santiago, Chile. The dates for the games have been changed to December 2003-January 2004.

Nancy, France hosts the World Transplant Games July 19-27. The games for athletes that have had life-saving organ transplants should attract at least 1500 participants from over 50 nations.

The FISEC (Fédération Internationale Sportive de l'Enseignement Catholique) Games, for Catholic youth, are on the calendar for July 19-25 in Salamanca, Spain.

The Moscow-Utah Youth Games will be held in Moscow, Russia. July 19-26. The games came from an agreement made during the Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games between the governor of Utah and Mayor of Moscow to have youth sports exchanges between Utah and Moscow.

Winter Games are planned for Utah in January 2004.

Police and Firefighters from around the world will congregate in Barcelona, Spain for the 10th World Police and Fire Games from July 27- August 3. 

France welcomes youth from the nations of the European Economic Community and Israel, in Paris for the European Youth Olympic Festival, July 29 - August 4. This will be the 7th edition of the biennial games that were begun in Brussels in 1991.

The Koninkrijkspelen, or Dutch Commonwealth Games are scheduled for Aruba in July.

The Aalborg Youth Games, Aalborg, Denmark, July 30 - August 4, invite athletes from Aalborg's sister-cities to an international games.

August will open with the Pan-American Games in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, August 1-17. Santo Domingo is slowly finishing facilities and preparations for the games, now just seven months away.

Three editions of the JCC Maccabi Games will be held in mid-August in the United States. St. Louis and Houston host games between August 10-15 while Palisades, New Jersey will host games the next week, from August 17-22. 

Extreme Games athletes will display their skills in Los Angeles August 14-19. The Staples Center and Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will host most of the festivities.

Daegu, Korea will welcome the world's university student-athletes to the World University Games, August 21-31. This will be the first summer World University Games in Korea. Chonju-Moju, held the winter version of the games in 1997. 

The Indian Ocean Island Games are scheduled for Reduit, Mauritius, August 29 - Sept. 7.

The second International School Children's Games of the summer will be held in Patras, Greece, August 28-31.

The major competition of September will be the Arab Games, Algiers, Algeria, September 1-15. Algiers has never hosted the Arab Games, but previously hosted the Mediterranean Games in 1975 and African Games in 1978.

The third Military World Games will be hosted by Madrid, Spain, September 13-23.

Abuja, Nigeria, is preparing to host the 8th All-African Games October 4-18. Nigeria hosted the games of 1973 in Lagos.

The African Games are to be immediately followed by the Afro-Asian Games, which are once again tentatively rescheduled for Delhi, India in October.

The annual Huntsman World Senior Games, will once again be held in St. George, Utah, USA. The Games will be the seventeenth edition of these games for senior-aged athletes.

The World Wheelchair Games will again be held in Christchurch, New Zealand, October 25 - Nov. 1, 2003. The games were once a tradition held at the Stoke Mandeville hospital in England, but are being held in Christchurch for the second consecutive time.

The Pan-American Games for the Deaf, are scheduled for Buenos Aires, Argentina this month.

2003 should end on a high note when Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi, Vietnam, share host duties for the South East Asian Games,  December 5-13.

The tenth Pan-American Maccabi Games were scheduled for July17-28 in Caracas, Venezuela. However, current political instability in Venezuela has forced organizers to move the games to Santiago, Chile. The dates for the games have been changed to December 2003-January 2004.

News

Asian Games Torch on its way to Aomori

The torch relay for the 5th Asian Winter Games began Sunday, January 26th.

The torch will be carried for six days in the region before arriving in Aomori to open the games February 1st.

2007 World University Games hosts announced

FISU has announced the hosts for the 2007 University Games, both summer and winter, at meetings held during the current Winter University Games in Tarvisio, Italy.

Another Italian city, Turin was named host for the 2007 Winter University Games. Turin is hosting the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, and this will be the first time that the World University Games have been held in the Olympic City the year after the games.

Turin will become just the second city to host the both the summer and winter university games. Sofia, Bulgaria has had the privilege of hosting two summer and two winter universiades.

For the 2007 Summer University Games, Bangkok, Thailand was chosen.

Thailand won the bid over Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Poznan, Poland and Monterrey Mexico.

Turin and Bangkok are both logical choices. Turin will have the established facilities of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games already in place, Turin has hosted summer university games in 1933, 1959 and 1970 and the ISF Gymnasiade in 1980.

Bangkok, has a long history of hosting regional games having hosted the Asian Games in 1966, 1970, 1978 and 1998, the FESPIC Games in 1999 and the South East Asian Games in 1959, 1967, 1975 and 1985. Facilities should not be a problem for Bangkok either. This will however be the first games drawing from outside the Asian continent.

With these selections, FISU maintains the tradition of the winter games being held mainly on the European continent. Of the 21 games held after the establishment of FISU, in 1959, until 2003, eighteen have been held in Europe, two in Asia, and one in North America. Canada has never hosted the Winter University Games. This years bidder, Saskatoon, was forced to drop out over lack of support from the city government.

As for the summer games, it seems a new tradition is being established. Prior to Beijing in 2001, of the 20 games held since 1959, (1959-1999), Europe had hosted thirteen games, North America three, Asia three and South America one. Beijing hosted the 2001 games, Daegu, Korea is the chosen host for the 2003 Summer University Games; Izmir Turkey (on the Asian continent in Turkey) is the 2005 host. Bangkok 2007, will make four in a row for the continent of Asia.

Neither Australia or New Zealand, nor any nation in Africa have ever hosted a summer or winter World University Games.

East African University Games "Badly Organized"

January, 2003

According to The East African newspaper in Nairobi, the East African University Games at the University of Dar-es-Salaam in December were not well organized.

Penninah Kabenge, the secretary of East African University Sports Federation (EAUSF), was reported to have said, "The organization of the university games was the worst ever." "Even the organizers of the games conceded, not living up to the expectations."

The EAUSF executive committee met at the end of the games to prepare to write a letter of protest to the vice-chancellor of Dar University to express their dissatisfaction.

Medals were not awarded on time, results were not available, there were not enough officials to run the events, transportation was lacking, and there was not enough equipment in some sports. In the case of soccer, some games were moved when, after arriving at certain venues, the teams were told by the owners that they had not granted permission for their fields to be used for the games.

In addition there was controversy over the eligibility of some of the athletes from Kampala International University.

Thirty universities from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania took part in the games. Burundi, was not able to participate.

Medals Will be returned to Rani

India's double medallist Sunita Rani has weathered the doping storm that had encircled her since the Asian Games in October, and is scheduled to receive her medals back.

Rani won the gold medal in the 1500 meters and the bronze medal in the 5000 meters, but had been penalized for a supposed positive dope test.

After a protest by the Indian track and field authorities, and a review by the Olympic Council of Asia it was determined that serious irregularities in the testing procedures had been to blame. The lab used for the 2002 Asian Games was the same as the lab set up in Seoul to handle the drug testing for the 1988 Olympic Games.

A large celebration is planned in India to physically return the medals back to Rani.

One writer to an Indian paper wrote "it is shocking to know that dope tests are done casually even at prestigious international sports meets like the Asian Games." The writer proposed that if athletes can have their medals taken away for using drugs, that the lab personnel who make errors in the drug testing should be punished as well.

There is an accreditation process that all laboratories worldwide must pass in order to be allowed to test at IOC events. Labs must keep their accreditations current. However, we've never heard of a lab being suspended for a faulty test (it does bear on the accreditation process however we believe. We'll look that up and report back.)

Qatar plans to drop 7 sports from 2006 Games

In a draft proposal revealed earlier this month, the organizers of the Asian Games for 2006 to be held in Qatar, have decided to drop seven sports.

Baseball, bodybuilding, canoeing, modern pentathlon, rowing rugby and softball have been stricken from the draft competition schedule, while chess and triathlon have been added. Neither chess nor triathlon have been on the schedule of any previous Asian Games.

The proposal has been submitted to the Olympic Council of Asia, but has not yet been approved.

Japan in particular, has voiced protest over the plan to drop baseball and softball from the games. "We have to take their draft plans into consideration, but I told them baseball and softball are very important sports in Asia," said Japanese Olympic Committee president Tsunekazu Takeda.

President Mejia replies to Pan-Am concerns

President Hipolito Mejia told reporters in the Dominican Republic, that there is nothing to worry about concerning funding of the Pan American Games.

"If more money is needed, there will be more money," the President said.

Mejia has predicted that the Dominican Republic will be very successful at the games, stating "many people are going to have to hold their tongues." "The pessimists will not have to throw themselves over a bridge, but will suffer embarrassment for having partaken in such absurd anti-games campaigns."

Trying to get Titan Games Tickets?

The Short Quick Answer? Call USA Boxing at 719 866-2323 and order tickets directly from JoAnn.

Details at http://www.usaboxing.org

The Titan Games, scheduled for February 13-15, 2003 in San Jose, California, are a great idea. The games will be in a reasonable sized arena, with competition in several sports over three days. But, trying to get tickets is a combat event all its own. 

Why?

The USOC web site mentions that Titan Games Tickets, can be purchased via Ticketmaster, or through the National Governing Bodies of the sports involved in the games.   Prior to Jan. 15 tickets through Ticketmaster were being advertised at $4.00 off, and a "Free USA Olympic Team beret" with each ticket order.

There were several problems with the Ticketmaster situation.  The Ticketmaster web pages had two links, one saying "Titan Games FAQ" and another reading "For more information on the Titan Games click here"  Unfortunately, no additional information was available on either link.

The big issue, prior to our letter to Ticketmaster, was that there was no option to purchase tickets for all four sessions, or any combination of sessions, or to purchase a "Season Pass" for all sessions, in one order.  A season ticket option was added Shortly after the International Games Archive sent an email to Ticketmaster.

To order tickets for all four sessions through Ticketmaster, one must, create four separate orders, entering personal, mailing and credit card information each time. (Unless I presume you "create an account" with Ticketmaster.) 

When ordering a ticket, there was no indication that any $4.00 discount per ticket was being applied. Essentially ticket prices went up by $4.00 on January 16.  Tickets were $20.00, $24.00 and $50.00, and are now $24.00, $28.00 and $50.00. Also, after the first page, no mention on the order form that the US Olympic Team beret was part of the order. They were all the rage
in Salt Lake, and now they're giving them away?

The handling charge for the $20 and $24 dollar tickets is $6.25, the handling charge for the $50.00 ticket is $8.00, (are those tickets a little bit heavier?) and a handling fee of $3.35 per order. Anything other than standard mail, which is no additional cost, costs between $1.75 and $25.00. 

So, before the "Season Pass" option was added, for two $24.00 tickets to each of the four sessions, one would have paid, $48.00 for the tickets to each session, $192.00 total, $ 6.25 per 8 tickets, or $50 more for "convenience charges", and $3.25 per order or $13.00 more dollars for "handling." Plus mailing fees, if chosen. $192.00 in tickets becomes $255.00. 25% of your costs
in fees.

One had to go through the ordering process four times. A convenience charge? Make the customer do the work, by ordering off the website, no employee time is spent during the transaction, and a "convenience charge" is tacked on?

The Season Pass option has three prices, $60.00, $75.00 and $150.00. (The $75.00 tickets are currently not available.)  The catch here is that the first session of Feb. 13th is not included in the season pass option. That's another $32 per ticket, including fees.

For three sessions, two tickets are 60.00 each, $120.00 total, with $8.25 per ticket "convenience charge" and $3.35 for handling. $19.85 in fees for $120.00 in tickets. 

For the $150.00 seats; $12.00 per ticket convenience charge, total of $27.35 in fees for  a $300.00 order.
 
Looking for tickets on the web sites of the sports involved in the games proved to be almost as frustrating.

Wrestling, judo, karate, taekwondo, fencing, boxing, and athletics, (shot put) are scheduled for the games.

Unfortunately there is either no information at all, or just a bit of
information on any of the National Federation web sites on the Games themselves or on ordering tickets for the games. USA Boxing is the exception, with great information on tickets on their home page at http://www.usaboxing.org/

Pan Am Venues still behind schedule

More concern over delays in the construction for the Pan-American Games facilities has prompted the president of the Organizing Committee Jose Joaquin Puello, to express concern. The deadline for preparing the venues has been set as May, 2003, but budget difficulties, Dominican Republic has yet to pass a budget for 2003) have frozen the money needed for the work.

The remodeling project for the games main stadium has reportedly "just begun," and marketing of the games is also said to be behind schedule.

The organizing committee recently announced that Dominican company called Grupo Market S.A. has replaced Meridian as the company to market the games.

Some have suggested that the games be postponed until October. Organizers say that the United States and Canada have refused that option as it posed severe scheduling difficulties with other events.

President Hipolito Mejia said there is no reason that the Pan American Games will not be held in the Dominican Republic and gave another promise that the Dominican Republic would meet all the commitments it has made in connection with the Games. 

Vietnam SEA Games Construction picking up

In Vietnam, the government has quickened the pace of construction of facilities for the South East Asian Games.

The construction of the National Sports Complex in Hanoi, with a 40,000 seat stadium, three swimming pools, a gymnasium, and a shopping center, as well as venues at the Quan Ngua and Long Bien sport centers are being made a priority.

1500 people are working round the clock to have the venues completed by the middle of this year.

Pakistan Ready for March SAF Games

After several postponements, Islamabad, Pakistan, has reached a state of near readiness for the 9th SAF (South Asian Federation) games. Islamabad is about 95 percent ready, according to organizers.

The games are scheduled to open March, 29th.

Jinnah Stadium has a brand new track, and other facilities have been renovated and cleaned.

Since the postponement, the South Asian Games Federation has followed the lead of the IOC and Olympic council of Asia and accepted Afghanistan for membership. Afghanistan has never before participated in the games and joins Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indian, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka as members in the SAF Games Federation.

There will be several events in the next two month to publicize the games. Organizers say that there has been a "visible loss of interest among the people after two postponements."

Gay Games court case just beginning

It may take a long time to unravel the debts from last years Gay Games. The issue is now in the Australian courts, with the loss now estimated at around $1.6 million.

The issue has become murkier with finger-pointing that there may have been 62 different creditors that may have received preferential treatment before the organizations assets were frozen.

Games for the rest of  2000