Half - time: Sports at a time like this?
The war against Iraq has had an impact on all aspects of life be they political, economic, cultural or social.
In this part of the world, it has had an effect on sports as well. Several Arab nations have cancelled or at least suspended their local and national tournaments. Other nations are still uncertain of what to do with tournaments already on the schedule. One big casualty thus far has been the Under-20 World Football Cup which was to have been played in the United Arab Emirates at the end of this month. But even before the first shot was fired, FIFA decided to cancel the tournament, citing security concerns, with the expressed desire to have it played after the smoke has cleared, perhaps sometime at year's end.
Sports in Egypt has also been sidetracked. The Egyptian national football team has been waiting for the arrival of five of its European-based players to join in a final training session before leaving for Mauritius for a crucial African Nations Cup qualifier on Saturday. However, the players -- Ahmed Hassan, Abdel-Zaher El-Sakka and Ayman Abdel-Aziz from Turkey and Ahmed 'Mido" Hossam of Spain's Celta Vigo -- have yet to show up. They remain stranded in Turkey and Spain after the cancellation of several flights from Europe to the Middle East.
Egypt is currently preparing for two major sports events: the Arab Games in Algeria in August, followed by the All-Africa Games in Nigeria in September. Though the date is still a ways off, should the war continue, the Arab Sports Federation might decide that a cancellation of the Arab tournament might be the only recourse.
Despite the war, the All-Africa Games will go on and it is in Egypt's interests not just to participate but to do well, for the Games are used by countries as a springboard for qualifying for the Summer Olympic Games, in this case in Athens next year.
As for the football qualifier in Mauritius, a loss or a draw will almost certainly end Egypt's hopes of making it to the 2004 African Nations Cup in Tunisia.
It is, thus, imperative that Egyptian athletes concentrate on the task at hand. Having said that, during these trying times, it is difficult, in fact almost embarrassing, to ask an athlete here to focus on training and concentrate on medals when bombs are falling on another Arab country. How can our sports people train at a time like this? How is it possible to keep in fighting shape when the real fighting is taking place not too far off?
Can or even should our athletes be persuaded that these days, winning is everything?
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 27 March - 2 April 2003 (Issue No. 631)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/631/sp2.htm