SPORTACCORD COMBAT GAMES IN BEIJING - A REPORT

Source: WAKO

Technical Delegates from the Sportaccord Martial Art IFs met in Beijing 27-30 July in order to prepare the upcoming Sportaccord Combat Games (28 august-4 september 2010). All sports were present with their delegates as well as the Preparatory Committee Directors and their delegates. The first day was opened by the Vice-President of General Administration of Sport in China, Mr. Yu Zaiqing and Vice-Mayor of Beijing Municipal Peoples Government, Mr. Liu Jingmin and IOC member Mr. C.K.Wu (also AIBA President). Mr. Wu chaired the meeting. Mr. Espen Lund was the WAKO representative as Technical Director.

Main topics of the meeting:

* A presentation of each sport
* Inspection of all the arenas
* Workshops divided in the sports in each arena
* Presentation of requirements from each of the sport to the Beijing Preparatory Committee
* Drafting the program and time schedule

Very briefly some practical information.

Official Hotels

InterContinental Beijing Beichen: The Technical personnel and some Officials will use this hotel, a 5 star, which is situated close to the Olympic Green (Birds nest and Watercube arena and next to the National Indoor Stadium).

Beijing International Conventional Hotel: The hotel for athletes and coaches situated nearby the Olympic green.

Arenas (all used during the 2008 Olympic Games)

National Indoor Stadium: Used for Opening and Closing Ceremony. Normally this was supposed to be the arena for Ring sports, but after evaluation and the size of this arena, that take 18.000 spectators, it is too big.

Beijing University Stadium:

The Ring Sports stadium, Boxing, Wushu, Kickboxing and Muaythai

Capacity 7.000 spectators

Beijing Science and Technology University Stadium:

Tatami Sports stadium 1, Taekwondo, Karate, Kickboxing, Judo and Jujitsu, Kendo

Capacity 8.000 spectators

China Agricultural University Stadium:

Tatami Sports stadium 2, Aikido, Wrestling, Sumo, Sambo

Capacity 8.000 spectators

All qualification for participation in these games are done during the 2009 WAKO World Championships.

More information to come.

Author: Espen Lund

BEIJING 2010: THE HOSTING STRUCTURES and delegates











Source: IFMA

Martial Arts Delegates Meet in Beijing for Sportaccord Combat Games

The first SportAccord Combat Games Technical Meeting took place on 27-30 July 2009 in Beijing. The meeting was held in the Intercontinental Hotel, located within walking distance of the National Indoor Stadium, where the opening ceremony of the 2010 SportAccord Combat Games will take place. The meeting was carried out in an open, cooperative and effective manner, with concrete results and action plans worked out.

Beijing paid high attention to this technical meeting. Vice Mayor LIU Jingmin, also President of the Preparatory Committee personally opened the meeting on 28 July. He welcomed all the meeting participants and set up meeting objectives on behalf of the 2010 SportAccord Combat Games Beijing Preparatory Committee. SportAccord equally regarded the technical meeting as a milestone for the preparation of the inaugural SportAccord Combat Games in 2010 in Beijing. All IF concerned were represented by their respective Technical Delegates. The group was led by AIBA President and IOC Member – Mr. C.K WU (representing SportAccord President – Mr. Hein VERBRUGGEN, and the Chairman of the SportAccord Combat Games Committee – Mr. Antonio ESPINÓS), and supervised by SportAccord’s two Combat Games Committee Deputy Chairmen, Mr. François BESSON and Mr. George YEROLIMPOS.

During the two-day meeting, the two sides updated each other on the event preparation. Most importantly, the IF Technical Delegates met with their counterparts – the competition team of the Beijing Preparatory Committee to work on each sport event technical details such as competition format, rules, equipment and competition schedules. Both sides worked out concrete results and further actions plans. All the meeting participants visited the selected venues, which also hosted the Olympic events in 2008. Taking in consideration the event legacy, the 2010 SportAccord Combat Games proposed primarily Olympic venues located in universities, whose characteristics are perfect for Combat Sports.

Meanwhile, SportAccord officials and the leaders of the Beijing Preparatory Committee carried out an in-depth discussion on the event promotion, marketing and cultural programme. Given the limited time left and based on the guidelines provided by SportAccord, Beijing is determined to explore the full potential of the Combat Games, the 13 sports attached to it, and the people around.

With the conclusion of this technical meeting, the 2010 SportAccord Combat Games preparation work has entered a new phase that calls upon continuous cooperation among all concerned stakeholders, which both SportAccord and the Beijing Organisers are very confident about.