JEDDAH, 17 February 2004 — Saudi Arabia have begun preparations to host a major international Islamic Games next year, Prince Sultan ibn Fahd, chief of the Youth Welfare Presidency, announced yesterday.
The event will be held in four cities. More than 8,000 athletes from 57 OIC countries will participate in the Islamic Games.
Prince Sultan made this announcement while addressing the consultative Shoura Council in Riyadh. During the address he called upon the need to privatize sports clubs in the Kingdom. “This is an important issue but not easy because of the economic and social dimensions,” he said.
The presidency chief, however, said a study, on the privatization of the clubs, is being prepared by 10 consultancy firms and will be presented to the Supreme Economic Council for action.
Prince Sultan, who is chairman of the Islamic Games’ Higher Organizing Committee, said that the organizers have already sent out invitations to the member countries of the OIC to take part in the event to be held from April 8 to 20.
The athletes will compete in 14 events including football, basketball, volleyball and tennis.
The competitions will be held in Makkah (opening ceremony, football, taekwondo and handball), Madinah (karate, basketball, weightlifting, football and concluding ceremony), Jeddah (volleyball, swimming and football) and Taif (track and field, table tennis and tennis).
Prince Sultan said the games were aimed at strengthening ties among the youth in Islamic countries. He called upon the private sector to finance this international sports extravaganza. Some 1,200 Saudi volunteers are expected to join in the organization of the games.
In his address to the Shoura Council, Prince Sultan emphasized the presidency’s achievements in the areas of football, equestrian and athletics. He said that the Prince Faisal ibn Fahd Hospital for Sports Medicine, established by the presidency, serves 130,000 people annually.
The prince urged private companies to support the presidency’s projects, including the plan to establish an international stadium in Jeddah and Dammam.
