Kuwait ready for 3rd Gulf Games: Farman
KUWAIT CITY, May 10: Haider Farman, Head of the Sports and Stadiums Committee in the 3rd Gulf Games, which the country is due to host from May 13 to May 31 under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, affirmed that the stadiums allocated to host the competitions are ready.
In a press statement, Farman highlighted that the results of those competitions will be announced first-hand through a specialized international company, and on the official websites of the Kuwait Olympic Committee and Kuwait State TV. A mobile app related to the tournament will be available for download, and the details will be announced soon on the official website of the tournament.
He explained that the tournament will be hosted in 12 stadiums, halls, tracks, centers and sites and will include more than 1,700 players. Their registrations will be completed by the Olympic committees and national federations in the Gulf region.
The committee is currently coordinating with the aforementioned authorities to receive the names of the referees to manage the competitions and those who will be trained on the electronic system for announcing the results by the specialized company.
In response to a question, Farman said the committee faced difficulties and challenges -which they eventually overcame - during the last period due to the postponement of the event more than once. It had led to the start of some competitions early and the opening ceremony took place in the middle of the tournament, adding, “We were forced to do this because of school exams and commitment of continental federations”.
Regarding the tasks of the committee, the members of which include him and Muhammad Al-Saadi only, Farman said, “It is concerned with developing all sports programs for all games, coordinating with the Olympic committees and Gulf federations, receiving the names of participants and registering them, conducting the lottery ceremonies, setting timetables for competitions and training, and allocating stadiums. It is also concerned with coordinating with the technical committees and selecting referees”.
Meanwhile, Director of the national teams in the Volleyball Federation Muhammad Al-Qattan affirmed that the Kuwait team are continuing intensive preparations in the camp in Serbia for the tournament from May 20 to May 26.
Al-Qattan said, “The team has played four successful test matches with the Serbian teams so far. The technical team, led by Serbian coach Alexander, focuses on the consistency of the players and the application of tactics without looking at the results. This is why friendly matches are more important to us from the technical perspective”.
He praised the players’ commitment to the training, and the efforts of the medical staff to treat the injured players and prepare them for the remaining days of the camp.
Al-Qattan explained, “We have a team that is a mix of experienced and young players. When we reach the stage of homogeneity, understanding and a high physical level, our chances in the tournament will be greater in light of the convergence of levels”.
Furthermore, the Secretary-General of the Kuwait and Arab Shooting Federations Obaid Al-Osaimi stressed that the Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Complex is ready to host the tournament’s competitions.
Al-Osaimi said he expects the competitions to be intense and strong because everyone aspires to great achievements, especially since the Gulf session is of a distinguished nature.
He went on to say, “There is great cooperation with the Kuwait Olympic Committee, headed by Sheikh Fahad Al-Nasser and Assistant Secretary Ali Al-Marri, where all the requirements of the technical committees have been met due to the amendment of the new international shooting law, which will be applied in the Paris Olympics. Therefore, all participating shooters will see the actual application of the new laws”.
Regarding the shooting competition committees, Al-Osaimi explained, “The Shotgun Arbitration Committee will be chaired by internationally renowned Hamad Al-Ruwaisan, and internationally renowned Mushfi AlMutairi as director of the fields. There are neutral judges from Gulf countries as well. The pistol committee is chaired by the international referee Khaled AlJarid, and the fields are managed by Abdullah Barakat” He announced that the Oman team arrived in the country on Tuesday to set up a training camp, and the Kuwait team, which is participating in the first group, is in another internal camp preparing for the competitions.
On his behalf and on the behalf of the president and members of the Kuwait Shooting Federation and Club, Al-Osaimi expressed appreciation for the support of His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Crown Prince, and the high patronage of the Gulf Games.
He said, “We also thank the Olympic Committee of Kuwait and its Chairman Sheikh Fahad Al-Nasser, Director General of the Public Sports Authority Hamoud Fleiteh and his deputies for the support and for the removal of all obstacles”.
It is worth highlighting that the actual training of the teams participating in the shooting competitions will start on Saturday, followed by the test of the equipment and the technical meeting on the next day.
The number of participants in the competitions is 207, including administrators, technicians and shooters.
There will be 28 shooters in the Kuwait national team. They are: Mansour Al-Rashidi, Abdulaziz Al-Faihan, Abdullah Al-Rashidi, Abdulaziz Al-Saad, Muhammad Al-Daihani, Khaled AlMudhaf, Talal Al-Rashidi, Abdul Rahman Al-Faihan, Nasser Al-Maqlad, Ahmed Al-Daihani (trap), Abdullah Al-Harbi, Sultan Al-Osaimi, Ali AlMutairi, Saud Al-Subai’e (10m rifle), Majed Al-Dhafiri, Abdullah Khaled Turki Al-Shammari, Musharaf Al-Dihani (50m pistol - three positions), Ali Al-Mutairi, Hamad Al-Namshan, Abdullah Ghneiman (10m pistol), Hassan Abdul Majeed, Abdullah Abdulwahab (10m pistol + 25m pistol), Salman AlEnezi, Fahd Radi and Saud Al-Mutairi (25m pistol).
In addition, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Karate Federation Muhammad Al-Jassem expressed his optimism about the ability of the Kuwaiti team to achieve at least three gold medals in the tournament.