In many ways, the First Islamic Solidarity Games 2005 added to the list of achievements of Saudi Arabia in various fields. To say that the games have put the Kingdom on the world map of sports may be hyperbolical, for the country has hosted many international events in the past. Nevertheless, the event clearly helped to confirm Saudi Arabia’s role in the world of sports.
The event was a roaring success thanks to the wise leadership of Prince Sultan ibn Fahd, the chairman of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare, and his deputy, Prince Nawaf ibn Faisal.
For 13 glorious days in April, the Kingdom hosted 7,000 athletes from 38 countries who strutted their skills in brotherly competition. Fourteen events were contested in 56 venues across the four cities of Makkah, Madinah, Taif and Jeddah. The host country, in a grand act of old-fashioned Arab hospitality, made sure everyone and everything was taken care of. Minor glitches? Yes. But no big blunders occurred for the entire run of the games that kept everybody reasonably satisfied.
The preparations took almost a year under the direction of Saleh ibn Nasser, vice chairman of the General Presidency of Youth Welfare. Abdullah Sahali headed the games’ secretariat that was responsible for the nitty-gritty details of the preparations.
When the games began, the green and white of Saudi Arabia was all over the place. Among the many individual talents to shine for the Kingdom were Sulaiman Al-Khuwaldi and Hamid ibn Hamdan ibn Abdallah in athletics, and weightlifter Abdul Lateef Al-Abdul Lateef. The most decorated athlete of the games, with three gold medals, was the champion equestrian Prince Faisal ibn Saud Al-Shallan.
Al-Khuwaldi set a new Asian record of 8.44 meters in winning the long jump gold medal, while Hamid scored a dramatic victory in the 200 meters that ended in a photofinish with Cameroon’s Batangdon Joseph. That opened the Saudis’ five-gold romp on the final day in track and field where the hosts emerged overall champions on the strength of nine gold medals.
The Saudis also did well in weightlifting and won the event closest to their hearts, football, where they beat Morocco 1-0 in the final to punctuate their overall victory.
An idea whose time has come, the games not only showcased the sporting side of Muslims, but they also created a positive impact for Islam as well. The late Prince Faisal ibn Fahd first proposed the staging of the Islamic Solidarity Games, and it was really great that Saudi Arabia staged such a successful athletic event.
