The third Muslim Women's Games were held in Tehran, Iran October 24-31, one of the only international games to go on after the September attacks on the United States of America. Teams and representatives from Britain, the United States and Germany were expected to participate at the games for the first time.

Women athletes from Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Sudan, Yemen, Britain, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Oman, Pakistan, Senegal and Zaire were scheduled to take part. Sports representatives Bahrain, Yemen, United States, Egypt, Bosnia, Qatar, Algeria, Kuwait, Pakistan, Oman, Morocco, Germany, India and Malaysia were also to be in attendance.

Halfway through the games the host contingent of Iran had won the team championships in futsal, basketball, and badminton, and gold medals in shooting, taekwondo and athletics.

ASEAN Paralympic Games

The newly formed ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) Para Sports Federation (APSF) held its first ASEAN Paralympic games October 26-30 for blind, wheelchair and cerebral palsied athletes with over 400 athletes from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia and the Philippines taking part.

Host Malaysia with 75 percent of the athletes participating won 143 gold, 136 silver and 92 bronze medals. Thailand finished second with 119-65-20 with Myanmar third 36-18-20.

According to APSF president Zainal Abu Zarin, the countries that will be organizing future South East Asian Games will also be the future hosts for ASEAN Paralympic Games. This means Vietnam will host both games in 2003 and the Philippines will host both games in 2005.

Central American Games

Everything is ready for the 7th Central American Games to be held in Guatemala City, Guatemala from November 23rd until December 3rd. Guatemala will host athletes from Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras Nicaragua and Panama. 36 sports from chess to triathlon to beach volleyball are on the schedule.

Guatemala also hosted the 1973 (Ist) and 1986 (IIIrd) editions of the Central American Games as well as games in 1921 with Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras as guests.

South Pacific Mini Games

The South Pacific Mini Games go to Norfolk Island in December and will be the largest single event ever held on the island. Up to 1200 athletes, officials and guests are expected to visit.

Eleven sports will be held at this years games. Archery, Athletics, Bodybuilding, Clay Target Shooting, Golf, Judo, Lawn Bowls, Netball, Squash, Tennis and Triathlon.

Nations expected are American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Marianas, Palau, Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia, Tonga, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna and Western Samoa.

African Games

Nigeria continues to shuffle organizational roles for the 2003 African Games to be held in Abuja. In October the government created a Presidential Committee for the Games to be headed by Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The Committee will have a hand in games supervision in all areas to coordinate the work of all the committees of the main organizing committee and government bodies involved in the games.

Pan American Games

Santo Domingo's Pan-American Games preparations continue to progress. The organizers recently announced the awarding of the TV contract for the games to CBC Sports of Canada for a reported US$10 million.

Other difficulties are still to overcome. The Vice-President of the organizing committee since January, Raśl Barrientos stepped down in October. A search continues for a replacement.

A land deal was finally approved with the Dominican Republic government clearing the way for land to be traded to the Sanak S.A. construction company for the games village. The government will retain the use of 35 apartments worth RD$1 million each after the games.