SYRIA: ATHLETICS: The 16th Arab League tournament for track and field games kicks-off in Damascus

Record ID: 279394

  • Title: SYRIA: ATHLETICS: The 16th Arab League tournament for track and field games kicks-off in Damascus
  • Date: 9th October 2009
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (OCTOBER 6, 2009) (REUTERS) OPENING CEREMONY / TEAMS LINED UP CLOSE OF LEBANESE TEAM (LEFT), LIBYAN TEAM (RIGHT) VARIOUS OF TEAMS AT CEREMONY
  • Embargoed: 24th October 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVADC80VE4RH3O655941LLOZ7QGY
  • Story Text: The 16th Arabic League tournament for track and field games kicked-off on Tuesday (Oct 6) in Damascus amidst concerns that the sport is not getting the attention it deserves from official bodies resulting in less Arab champions, especially women.
    Athletes from 18 countries including Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, Palestinian territories, Oman, Kuwait, Yemen, Sudan and Syria participated in this year's games.
    Some athletes expressed concerns that investment and participation in track and field games is low in Arabic countries.
    Syrian Athlete Ghada Shouaa, Syria's only Olympic gold medalist, said the lack of attention to the sports resulted in less champions especially female champions.
    "It is a loss to see the track and field games, which are the mother of all games, being scaled down. Although we have managed to maintain our presence in most international competitions. It is a real loss. The reason of that loss is the lack of interest from sport unions and ministries in track and field, not paying enough attention and and not doing the sport justice. That's why we see this decline in the number of champions, especially female champions" she said.
    Bahraini athlete, Fatmata Fofanah - originally from Guniea - came first place in the 100-meter hurdle jumping in the first day of the competitions, she said girls should be encouraged to take up sports from a very young age.
    "People just have to encourage girls and women to begin. It start from a young age, encouraging young girls, and I just think they don't have enough encouragement right now and that should definitely change" she said.
    Amongst the winners on the first day was Tunisian athlete Hussein al-Subei' who took gold in the 20 Kilometer walking sport. He was full of national pride as he received his award.
    "This medal, I would like to tell you, is the third medal I win during the Arabic Championships. I am happy because I dedicated my first gold medal to Tunisia and the national anthem of Tunisia was the first anthem to be played in this tournament"
    The tournament continues until October 9th in Syria which has so far hosted 6 out of 16 track and field Arabic leagues.
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