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Al-Ahram Weekly 27 May - 2 June 1999 Issue No. 431 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 27 May - 2 June 1999 Issue No. 431
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Living Features Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters World-class players and royalty
By Inas Mazhar
Almost everything is in place and ready for the World Handball Championship, scheduled to begin on 1 June. The logistics for staging the two-week extravaganza, which is attracting 24 countries, is enormous. And it's also exciting.
"This is the first time in the history of handball that five continents will be represented," said Hassan Moustafa, president of the Local Organising Committee (LOC). "All the committees involved in the organisation have planned everything. We want to make sure that all the participants and guests will return home with the fondest memories about Egypt," Moustafa said.
Egypt 1999 will not only showcase world-class handball but royalty as well. Spanish player Inaki Urdangarin, regarded as one of the world's best, is now Duke of Majorca after marrying Princess Cristina, daughter of King Juan Carlos. Urdangarin, who will be accompanied by two bodyguards and a long line of journalists and cameramen, intends to retire after the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Moustafa flew to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait last week to personally invite two long-time supporters of handball in Egypt -- Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahd Al-Sabah, president of the Asian and Kuwaiti Handball Federation and vice president of the International Handball Federation, and Prince Faisal bin Fahd, president of the Arab Sports Federation and son of Saudi King Fahd. Both backed Egypt when the votes were cast to decide which country would host the championships. "Egypt owes these two men a lot," Moustafa said. "They never let up in their support until we won the bid." Egypt beat out the likes of Germany, France and Switzerland to play host. "We welcome their teams and wish them the best of luck," said Moustafa.
Inaki Urdangarin and Princess Cristina
The championship will be held in Cairo, Ismailia and Port Said in four venues. The Police Federation in Cairo hosts Group A matches -- Spain, Denmark, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Argentina. The main hall of Cairo Stadium will have Group B teams Germany, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Cuba, FYRO Macedonia and Brazil. Groups C and D matches will be held in Ismailia and Port Said respectively. The Mubarak Hall in Ismailia will host Group C countries Russia, Hungary, Croatia, Norway, Nigeria and Kuwait. Mubarak Hall in Port Said will host Group D, which comprises Sweden, France, Yugoslavia, China, Korea, Australia.
Sixty matches will be played in the championship's preliminary round, which lasts until 7 June. The first four teams of each group will advance to Round 16, all games of which will played on 9 June. Any loss from then on will mean an early shower. The winners go on to the quarter-finals, semis and finals, all to be played in Cairo.
"We are trying our best to ensure good organisation," Farid Haggag, LOC vice president, said. To ensure easy and quick identification, players will be wearing ID tags upon arrival at Cairo Airport. The ID's were sent to them through their embassies in Cairo.
The awesome sight of rabid Egyptian handball fans can strike fear in the hearts of the opponents and sometimes the Egyptian players themselves
Argentina and Australia were the first to arrive in Egypt. Medhat El-Beltagui, treasurer of the Egyptian Handball Federation and a member of the organising committee, said several countries wanted to come earlier in order to get acclimatised with Egypt's hot weather and to play friendly games with Egypt. "The federation did not agree to all the requests to play," El-Beltagui said. "We cannot, for example, play against a team that is in our group. And with other teams we don't want to reveal all our points of strength." El-Beltagui added that Egypt will not play any more friendlies for fear of injuries.
Tickets will be available for Egyptians and foreigners shortly before the championship starts. Tickets, which will sold for either single games or in packages, will be available in booths in front of sports clubs and in Abbasiya and Rabi'a El-Adawiya squares.
One problem which hampered the otherwise smooth preparations concerned end-of-year school examinations. Unlike past years, the examinations this year will start at the beginning of June -- a date which clashes with the opening of the championship -- and end just as the championship is winding down. Up until last year, school examinations ended by mid-May. "That's why we decided to start the championship "We tried desperately to persuade the minister to delay the examinations or hold them in advance," Moustafa said, referring to Minister of Education Hussein Bahaaeddin. "We even asked the prime minister to intervene." Bahaaeddin did not reverse course but in a conciliatory gesture, has offered to send busloads of free students to buy tickets and cheer the teams on.
Egyptian national team
Several ministries, including culture, information, interior, tourism and transportation have pitched in with the handball federation to make the championship a success. The ministry of tourism, in cooperation with the General Information Authority, plans sightseeing tours and excursions for players, journalists, officials and distinguished guests.
Tickets will be 50 per cent off for fans wanting to travel to Ismailia and Port Said by train. All holders of the championship's accreditation card will be allowed to use public transportation for free. Cairo Governor Abdel-Rehim Shehata said flags, banners and balloons will adorn the city. Ismailia Governor Abdel-Aziz Salama has lit the once-dark desert road leading to the arena. Port Said will have its own opening ceremony on 2 June, with famed Egyptian actor Mahmoud Yassin declaring the championship open in his home town.
Egypt will play Brazil in the opening match.on 1 June," said Moustafa.
