Malaysia To Participate In First Islamic Solidarity Games

Bernama.com ^ | 11 January 2005

[CounterCounterCulture]

Malaysia To Participate In First Islamic Solidarity Games

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will be sending a 115-member contingent headed by Tan Sri Zain Hashim to the 2005 First Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia from April 8-20.

The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) president Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja'afar said the 84 athletes will compete in eight sports - athletics, swimming, diving, fencing, weightlifting, football, taekwondo and karate.

"The meet is open to 50 member countries of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation. However participation is only limited to male athletes. However non-Muslims from Muslim countries can represent their country," he said here Tuesday.

Tunku Imran said the 14 sports contested will be held in four venues - Mecca, Medina, Jeddah and Ta'if.

"Besides the opening and closing ceremonies, Mecca will host athletics, taekwondo and football. Medina play host to basketball, weightlifting and karate while volleyball, swimming, diving, water polo, goal ball (for blind athletes) scheduled in Jeddah while Taif will be the venue for fencing, table tennis and tennis," he said.

Tunku Imran also said Malaysia will not take part in the First Asian Indoor Games which will be held from Nov 12-19 in Bangkok, Thailand due to the proximity of the Manila SEA Games from Nov 27 to Dec 5.

"In fact most of the events are not considered as major sports...namely taerobics, extreme sports, futsal and muay-thai," he said.

However Tunku Imran said if the local associations are interested to send their athletes, they can write in to the OCM.

"If their application is approved, they can go and compete on their own expenses," he added.

Meanwhile, Tunku Imran said the OCM executive board meeting today decided to recommended the Baseball Federation of Malaysia as one of its affiliates.

"Apart from baseball, Persatuan Kembara Malaysia and the Armsports Federation applied to become affiliates but we only recommended baseball as we are still waiting for details of the other two," he said.

-- BERNAMA

[international american]

Malaysian baseball?

[manic4organic]

Stand waaaaaay back when they hold the grenade throw competition.

[gortklattu]

Hey, let's have some Christian Solidarity Games!!

[bananarepublican23]

Malaysian baseball?

Imbetween Saudi Arabian severed head shot put and the Jordanian rocket-firing competition. I heard the public stoning event is not one to miss. (They're favoring the Iranians this year!)

[expatguy]

That would definately not be politically correct. Sounds exclusive rather than inclusive.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia