March 22, 2002

True to his pledge of over a year ago, President Hipolito Mejia of the Dominican Republic has ordered the creation several new parks to make up for the construction of Pan-American Games venues and resulting loss of green space in Santo Domingo's Mirador del Este Park. 

The new parks created will be: 430 hectare Mirador Oeste; 150 Hectare Manantiales del Norte; 545 hectare Mirador del Norte; Parque Nacional Humedales del Ozama and Gran Parque Mirador Las Americas.

Together these five parks will preserve wetlands, natural springs, swamps, lagoons, mangroves, rivers and caves.

Pan-Arab Games Preliminary Dates Set

March 22, 2002

The Arab nations Ministers council of youth and sports has set September 1 to 15, 2003 as the dates of the next Pan-Arab games to be held in Algiers, Algeria.  The Arab Games for the Disabled or Arab Paralympic games will follow.

Dominican Republic Medal Hopes for Pan-American Games

March 18, 2002

The Dominican Olympic Committee has forecast that the Dominican Republic could win as many as 50 medals in the 2003 Pan Am Games to be held in Santo Domingo. The Dominican Republic press is very skeptical. The DR has been participating in the Games since 1955. The following table presents the medals won over the years. 

When DR President Hipolito Mejia was asked about whether he was concerned with the number of medals the DR would win in the Games, he joked, "People say we are not going to win many medals. Well, that is not my problem. With my stomach and at my age, I can't play anything."

Pan-American Games Construction Resumes, but not without controversy.

March 18, 2002

Construction of venues has resumed in Santo Domingo's Mirador del Este Park, but the controversial clearing of hundreds of trees for the project has prompted an investigation by Attorney General for Environmental Affairs, Jose Antonio Trinidad.  

According to the Listin Diario newspaper some 600 trees were either sprayed with lethal chemicals or burned to make way for the new sports venues. The controversy began well over a year ago when Dominican Republic President Mejia said that he would replace as many trees as would have to be removed and more, but that the facilities would be built in Mirador del Este Park. Urban planners, ecologists, and Minister of Environment Frank Moya Pons all opposed the plan a year ago.

City of Manchester Stadium nearing completion

March 15, 2002

The main stadium for the Commonwealth Games, Manchester City Stadium, is nearing completion, but in what is becoming a commonplace approach, the stadium will be "temporary", with 38,000 seats, for the Games and will undergo extensive remodeling and completion after the games close. 

April 16th has been announced as the date the stadium will open. The stadium will be only partially enclosed, and the track will only be used for three or four track and field meetings, including the Games, before being torn out immediately after the Games.  The stadium will also be used for  Rugby sevens and the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

 The Stadium is to be turned over to the Manchester City Football Club who will increase the capacity of the Stadium to 48,000 by removing the track and lowering the field some 10 meters. 

Athens 2004 mascot to be revealed soon.

For the mascot fans out there, impatiently awaiting the unveiling of the mascot for the 2004 Olympic Games, the Athens Organizing committee has announced the mascot will be revealed some time in April. 

Paralympic wrap-up

Germany finished atop the medals, US second and Norway third at the Salt Lake Paralympic Games. Four years ago in Nagano it was Norway, Germany and the United States with Japan fourth with 12 gold, 16 silver and 13 bronze medals, 41 total. In 2002, Japan dropped all the way to the bottom of the table with just 3 bronze medals.

Plans slowed for first African Games for the Deaf

The Confederation of African Deaf Sports (CADS) has been planning to stage the First African Games for the Deaf, but have lost their office space at the National Institute for Sports in Nigeria and plans for the games have been put on hold.

CADS had been sharing space with the secretariat of the Nigerian Deaf Sports Federation but both have been evicted along with all other tenants from the gymnasium at the NIS.

Salt Lake City has passed the Olympic flag to Turin, and several cities have lined up to be the city to which Turin passes the flag for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games (and Paralympic Games). Several of the declared candidates have games experience.

Andorra, Andorra hosted the 1989 International School Children's Games, the 1991 Games of the Small Countries of Europe with 650 athletes from 8 nations in 8 sports; and the 1995 Winter European Youth Olympic Days with 447 participants (both athletes and officials) from 40 nations.

Vancouver, Canada welcomed the 1989 World Police and Fire Games with 4373 athletes from 18 nations in 43 sports; the 1990 Gay Games, 7400 athletes, 29 nations 23 sports and 1993 World Transplant Games 30 nations, 800 athletes 4 sports.

Much less recently the 1954 "Miracle Mile" British Empire and Commonwealth Games with 789 athletes from 24 nations in 9 sports.

Harbin, China hosted a well run Asian Winter Games in 1996 with 494 athletes from 16 nations competing in 9 sports.

Jaca, Spain has Winter World University Games experience hosting the 1981 and 1995 editions. (1981, 583 athletes, 28 nations; 1995, 765 athletes, 41 nations, 8 sports.)

Salzburg, Austria together with Schladming in 1993 hosted the Special Olympics World Winter Games with 1600 athletes from 50 nations in five sports. Salzburg will host the summer Eurofestival in 2003.

Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the only prior Olympic host in the field, Sarajevo hopes to restore past glory and show the world that peace can be restored to the area by hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The 1984 games had 1274 athletes from 49 nations in 8 sports. As recently as 1992 Sarajevo hosted the Winter Eurofestival.

Bern, Switzerland has yet to host a major games.

Salt Lake Sweeps up. Prepares for next party.

While the papers are congratulating Salt Lake City, and reporting on an "Olympic hangover" and airport crush, it really isn't over just yet. Lost in the hubbub of the Olympic Games is the Paralympic Games which begin March 7th. A torch will be carried around Utah from March 2-7th. Stevie Wonder is scheduled to headline the Opening Ceremony. The games close March 16th.

European Youth Olympic Festivals named for 2005

Monthey, Switzerland will host the 2005 European Youth Olympic Festival (Formerly the European Youth Olympic Days).

The summer Festival Olympique de la Jeunesse Europeenne (the VIIth European Youth Olympic Festival) will be held in Lignano, Sabbiadoro, Italy.

Strike cancels BOLESWA Games

The games between the Universities of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (BOLESWA) have been postponed indefinitely due to a students' strike at the University of Swaziland (UNISWA). The games of solidarity and friendship are held annually.

The games were to begin February 25th, but students at the University of Swaziland went on strike over a dispute with University authorities regarding the running of certain academic programs.

Cuba to hold International Corporate Games

The World Trade Center Association (WTCA), has announced that Cuba is to host the first International Corporate Games, October 21-25, 2002. The WTCA was created in 1970 to promote international trade, tourism and cultural relations. The games will include 16 sports: track and field, chess, baseball, softball, cycling, golf, swimming, soccer, volleyball, beach volleyball, softball, tennis, table tennis, carting, beach and indoor soccer, and pelota. Bridge is also being considered.

In addition, the 1st International Conference of Sports Tourism, with the participation of interested tour operators and companies will be held during the games.

Gravity Games to Cleveland

The 2002 Gravity Games will move to Cleveland this summer, scheduled for July 27 - August 4. Providence, Rhode Island had served as the host since the inauguration of the annual event in 1999.

This year, Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will be the main venue area for the games.

The Gravity Games were created by NBC television in response to ESPN's hugely successful X Games. NBC will show ten hours of coverage from the games featuring Freestyle BMX, Freestyle Motocross, Street Luge, Skateboarding, and Wakeboarding.

Qatar Sports International 2002

Qatar has scheduled a sporting trade show and sports event to be held in Doha December 9-12, 2002.

The goal is to develop links with the Asian Games community, which will be hosted by Qatar in 2006.

The event includes a business-to-business international trade show at the Qatar International Exhibition Center, and teams and individuals for an international sports festival.

Arab Games leaders inspect venues in Algiers

Arab sports leaders are visiting Algiers, Algeria from February 26th to March 1st to inspect venues to be used for the 2003 Pan Arab Games and Arab Games for the Handicapped.