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Al-Ahram Weekly 19 - 25 August 1999 Issue No. 443 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 19 - 25 August 1999 Issue No. 443
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Profile Travel Living Sports Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Cheering them on
GAMAL Mubarak, the younger son of Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, attended the official opening of the 9th Pan-Arab Games in Jordan. Gamal Mubarak later met with the Egyptian players, coaches, administrators and journalists and urged the athetes to do their best. He stressed the importance of the competition, calling it a pact of peace, love and brotherhood between Arabs. In the same vein, Jordan's King Abdullah met with his countrymen's players while his wife, Queen Rania, received the women athletes.Millions spent
IT COST Jordan 17 million Jordanian dinars to host the Games. The Jordanian government paid 11 million dinars while the rest was donated by the Arab Sports Federation. All stadiums and venues were ready ahead of time even though the date of the Games was moved forward from 2000 to 1999.Famous face
AFTER winning two gold medals in the shot-put and the discus, Jordan's Nedar Qaoud became an overnight household name. Qaoud, a medical student in the US, became the first player to win $2,000 offered by a Jordanian bank which had promised $1,000 for every Jordanian player who wins a gold medal. The money will be in addition to a bonus to be granted by the government.Royal pass
MEMBERS of the royal Jordanian family have set an example of humbleness. Princess Alia, elder daughter of the late King Hussein, asked for a pass from the local organising committee to watch the games. Apparently, the request did not go unnoticed. All members of the royal family were seen wearing their royal passes at the tournament.Present in name only
KUWAIT sent three top officials to the opening ceremony but refused to take part in the tournament following Iraq's decision to participate. Kuwait severed diplomatic relations with Iraq following the 1990 Iraqi invasion of the country. Arab countries and sports federations had hoped to convince Kuwait to take part in the Games.Matrimonial medals
THREE of Egypt's track and field players are expected to either get married or announce their engagement after returning from Jordan. Karima Meskeen, a silver medallist in the 400m and a bronze medallist in the 100m, will tie the knot, as will Hussein El-Sagheer, a sprinter. Wafaa El-Boghdadi, bronze medallist in the shot-put, will be engaged following the Games. The players had hoped to win a few medals before settling down.Far off
THE SAUDI Arabian and UAE football teams are staying in a five-star hotel but the Saudis were heard complaining because the hotel is 90 kilometres away from the stadium.On the Internet
THE ARAB Games Organising Committee has put the Games on the Internet. The local organising committee has also set up computers in the press centre for journalists to follow the events and keep up with the latest scores.
