RIYADH,
April 10, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – The
first-ever Islamic Solidarity Games, currently played here, is not
lacking a woman’s touch.
Breaking
with Saudi traditions, women of different nationalities took their
seats at King Abdul Aziz Sport City Stadium to watch the men-only
games.
Several
women were also present during the spectacular opening ceremony held
on Friday, April 8.
A
source with the organizing committee told IslamOnline.net that though
women competitors missed the extraordinary games, the Organization of
Islamic Conference (OIC), which organizes the sport gala, welcomes
female participation in future tournaments.
The
source further said that the committee has not received an official
request from vying countries to send female players.
Other
than the Olympic Games themselves, no bigger multi-sports extravaganza
has ever been staged, The Independent wrote on Sunday, April
10.
A
total of 7,000 athletes from 54 Islamic countries will be competing in
13 sports over the next fortnight at venues in Jeddah, Taif, Makkah
and Madinah.
It
was the late Prince Faisal who hit upon the idea of the games 30 years
ago as a way of bringing Islamic youth together. The project has
finally been carried through to fruition by his brother, Prince
Sultan.
Before
the Games a conference of Islamic sports ministers was held in Jeddah
“to show the world that Islam is a message of peace, and sport is a
way of uniting all the Muslims to send that message,” the British
paper added.
Record
Breaking
Saudi
swimmer Ahmad Safwan Al-Kudmani broke the Arab record en route to a
golden effort, the Saudi Arab News newspaper reported Sunday.
He
became the first Saudi to land a gold medal in the 50 meters
breaststroke with a time of 28.99 seconds that comprehensively beat
the existing Arab mark.
In
the 1,500 meters freestyle, Egypt’s Muhammad Mukhtar beat Muhammad
Al-Masri of Syria in a fast finish with Meihi Muhammad of Tunisia
taking the bronze.
The
competitions include athletics, swimming, diving, water ball, fencing,
tennis, table tennis, weightlifting, indoor football for the
mentally-handicapped, basketball, volleyball, handball, taekwondo and
karate.
The
Games received extensive media coverage with many international news
and media outlets sending correspondents to cover the gala.
Four
plastic arts exhibition are also being held on the sidelines of the
Games.
The
next two tournaments are slated for 2009 in Iran and 2013 in Syria.
