Military World Games
From 14th to 21st October this year, Hyderabad will play host to the Fourth CISM Military World Games, CISM–the Consiel Internationale du Sport Militaire, the umbrella organization under whose aegis the Military World Games are held. CISM is an international military sporting body, which enjoys the membership of the Armed Forces of 127 member nations. It is today the world’s second largest sporting body after the international Olympic Committee. The Military World Games were conceived almost two decades ago to enable the militaries of the world to compete amongst them, not on the battlefield as might be expected, but instead in the sporting arena. An incredulous idea indeed, but not quite as incredulous as the unexpected success of the first three Military Games, which have been held every four years since 1995. The credo of the Military World Games - ‘Friendship’ through Sport’ becomes then, an apt summation of the desire to compete, but to compete friendly.
Healthy Engagement
Some may question the wisdom of yet another set of Games - we already have the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, the Afro-Asian Games, and the Asian Games but the Military Games need to be seen in a context that is somewhat different. A lot like the much-vaunted concept of track-two diplomacy, that ensures engagement between nations at quasi-governmental levels, often with better payoffs. The Military World Games too engage nations on a parallel sporting track while remaining low on organizational pressure for governments. The payoffs here too, remain outstanding. Normally an international sporting meet of a magnitude where almost every country of the world is to participate would be unimaginable without massive governmental grants, building of mammoth infrastructure and the usual organizational anguish that accompanies such an exercise. The Armed Forces, who are responsible for the conduct of the Games, are approaching this event, which will be India’s largest sporting extravaganza to date, with quiet aplomb and self-assurance, an outcome possibly of some superb organizational acumen and the enormous resources at their disposal. The mighty military machine is silently and surely whirring away, and the magnitude of the impending event does not seem to have broken much sweat in their ranks.
Image Boosting
To be asked to host these Games by a world body is a statement on the international confidence reposed in the country in general and in our Armed Forces in specific. The Games are being hosted for the first time outside Europe, the first three were held in Rome, Zagreb and Catania. CISM officials, who have an established penchant for being sticklers for standards, norm and procedure, have recently concluded their third preparatory visit to Hyderabad. The President and Secretary General of CISM and Presidents of the CISM Sports Committees, were universal in their praise for the preparations undertaken so far and if the assurance provided by the CISM is anything to go by, the organizational prowess displayed by our Armed Forces will certainly stand the country in good stead when it comes to bidding for future sporting meets of this magnitude
Towards “Mission Olympics”
Nationally the Military Games should arouse a substantial degree of interest after the Services recently clinched the highest medal tally in the National Games at Guwahati, well on their way to meeting the goal of ‘Mission Olympics’, the Armed Forces undertaking to win the country medals at the next Olympics.
As far as track –two diplomacy goes, the Government will be able to host a full-scale world Games and will play host to a number of countries, putting India squarely on the sporting map of the world, and make it a worthwhile contender as an international sporting destination. The Games offer a wonderful opportunity for huge gains in image and international diplomacy without the attendant economic effort. On the contrary, there is no gainsaying that enormous financial gains will accrue, and the biggest gainers stand to be the Government of Andhra Pradesh and the city of Hyderabad, which will host thirteen of the fifteen events planned. Two events - Sailing & Triathlon will be held at Mumbai under the aegis of the Indian Navy. Twelve of the thirteen events at Hyderabad will be hosted by the Army and one event - Parachuting will be hosted by the Indian Air Force.
Unique Event
The Military World Games are unique in the panorama of sporting events being conducted. Three events, the Military Pentathlon, Parachuting and Shooting are styled on a military genre and bear little likeness to the usual events in international sporting meets. The rest of the events remain typical in format and in this fourth edition, Hockey and Kabaddi are being held as ‘demonstration sports’ with an eye on their possible future inclusion in the standard format of the Military Games. As standards go, twenty five percent of the Military Games medal winners have gone on to win Olympic medals. The spectacle will therefore truly be world class. The phenomenal sporting facilities created by Hyderabad for the Afro-Asian Games in 2003, are being re-furbished by the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh, who have agreed to the use of these facilities by the Armed Forces at only running costs. So await with baited breath the largest sporting extravaganza ever held in India. And as one of the promos tells us – be there.
· Courtesy world Military Games.
· For Photographs, Please visit; www.mwg2007.org.
RTS/RS
SS-145/SF-145/8.6.2007