Mediterranean Games
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The Mediterranean Games are a multi-sport games held every four years for nations bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The idea was proposed at the 1948 Summer Olympics by Muhammed Taher Pasha, chairman of the Egyptian Olympic Committee, and they were first held in 1951. The first 10 games took place always one year preceding the Olympics. However, from 1991 on, they were held the year following the Olympic games.
The Games were inaugurated on October 1951, in Alexandria, Egypt, in honour of Muhammed Taher Pasha,the man to whom their inspiration is owed, with contests being held in 13 sports along with the participation of 734 athletes from 10 countries. Ever since, they take place every 4 years without any interruption. In 1955, in Barcelona, during the II Games, the set up was decided of a Supervisory and Controlling Body for the Games, a kind of Executive Committee. The decisions were finally materialized on June 16, 1961, and the said Body was named, upon a Greek notion, ICMG (International Committee for the Mediterranean Games).
The Mediterranean Games, organized every four years, stand as the greatest sport event of the Mediterranean region, attracting the interest of the maritime countries, where Europe, Africa and Asia meet.
These games form an opportunity for a peaceful confrontation between youth from three Continents, different cultures and religions, yet bound together by a common ideal, The Olympic Ideal, which has sprung from an ancient Mediterranean country, Greece, the cradle of the contemporary western civilization. A chance is thus given, through these games, for young people to get to know each other, appreciate each other, reaffirm or strengthen their ties in a climate of peaceful rivalry.
The Mediterranean Games, held under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee, fall within the competence of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, in terms of the preparation and composition of the National Delegation, precisely as for the Olympic games. Yet, their establishment too must be credited to the HOC, for it held a leading part in their being founded, despite all difficulties.
Athens is the permanent seat of the ICMG (irrespective of who the President might be) and the Committee’s General Secretary is Greek. This comes as a further tribute of honour to Greece, marking out its leading role as regards the function and strengthening of the institution.
The logo of the games, called also the “Mediterranean Olympics”, is composed of three white rings symbolically representing Africa, Asia, and Europe, the three continents that have coast on the Mediterranean Sea, reflecting themselves in the blue colour of the sea. During the closing ceremony, the flag of the games is transferred to the country of the city chosen for the organisation of the next Mediterranean Games.
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[edit] Participating countries
At present 21 countries participate in the games:
- Europe: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain.
The only country bordering the Mediterranean Sea which does not participate is Israel, this until 2009 in Pescara, Italy and the first time to Palestine.
The Greek olympic commitee suggested 9 more countries to join these Mediterranean games such as Portugal, Bulgaria and some Arabic countries
[edit] Host cities
No inland city has ever hosted the games. All but one of the host cities to date have been situated on the Mediterranean coast. (Casablanca is located on the Atlantic coast.) Below together the official numbers in sequence:country,sport,competitions,athletes(male and female)and total
- 1951: Alexandria (Egypt) 10 14 91 734 --- 734
- 1955: Barcelona (Spain) 10 20 102 1.135 --- 1.135
- 1959: Beirut (Lebanon) 11 17 106 792 --- 792
- 1963: Naples (Italy) 13 17 93 1.057 --- 1.057
- 1967: Tunis (Tunisia) 12 14 93 1.211 38 1.249
- 1971: İzmir (Turkey) 14 18 137 1.235 127 1.362
- 1975: Algiers (Algeria) 15 19 160 2.095 349 2.444
- 1979: Split (Croatia,Yugoslavia) 14 26 192 2.009 399 2.048
- 1983: Casablanca (Morocco) 16 20 162 1.845 335 2.180
- 1987: Latakia (Syria)16 20 162 1.845 335 2.180
- 1991: Athens (Greece) 18 24 217 2.176 586 2.762
- 1993: Languedoc-Roussillon (France) 20 24 217 1.994 604 2.598
- 1997: Bari (Italy) 21 27 234 2.999 804 2.195
- 2001: Tunis (Tunisia) 23 23 230 2.002 1.039 3.041
- 2005: Almería (Spain) 21 27 258 2,134 1,080 3,214
The Italian city Pescara will host the next Mediterranean Games in 2009.
[edit] List of sports
24 sports make up the programme of the games in 2005: Aquatics (Swimming, Waterpolo), Archery, Athletics (track and field), Basketball, Bowls, Boxing, Canoe-Kayak, Cycling, Equestrian, Fencing, Football, Golf, Gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic), Handball, Handisports, Judo, Karate, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Table tennis, Tennis, Volleyball (and Beach volleyball), Weightlifting and Wrestling.
Proposals have been made to enter sailing in the program.
A proposal that women be included in the games was made as early as 1959, but women did not participate until 1967.
[edit] External links
| Mediterranean Games | |
| Alexandria 1951 | Barcelona 1955 | Beirut 1959 | Naples 1963 | Tunis 1967| Izmir 1971 | Algiers 1975 | Split 1979 | Casablanca 1983 | Latakia 1987 | Athens 1991 | Languedoc-Roussillon 1993 | Bari 1997 | Tunis 2001 | Almería 2005 | Pescara 2009 | Mersin 2013 | |
