Gola thanks UAE for hosting CISM assembly

Colonel Gianni Gola, President of the International Council of Military Sports (CISM), praised the UAE for hosting the 58th General Assembly and Congress in Dubai.

"On behalf of the CISM members, I take this opportunity to thank the UAE for their excellent initiative to host the 58th congress.

"I also congratulate them for their great interest to develop sports in the military activities. Organising the 58th general assembly and congress is a tremendous proof.

"The UAE entered the CISM in 1973 and since then they have been an active member. They took part in most of the CISM events and hosted the event thrice before the World Parachuting Championship and now hosting this event. We are confident that they will succeed."

He said the UAE insisted to hold it on its scheduled date without delay although the area is passing through difficult times due to the war in Iraq.

He was speaking at a press conference yesterday held at the Renaissance Hotel in Dubai. Major General Khamis Salim bin Hashr Al Mehrizy, Chairman of the Organising Committee and Chief of the UAE delegation; Colonel R. Eggermont, Secretary General of the CISM and Major General Suhail Khoury, Vice President of the CISM in Asia, also attended the press conference.

Gianni Gola said the CISM was established in 1948 with five members who founded it. Today it has 123 members which will be raised to 127 during the current general assembly by accepting four new members, Jamaika, Afghanistan, Eriterea and Serbiamontenegro.

"We organise 20 tournaments in various sports and hold 100 events all over the world. We also organise the International Military Games (The Olympic Military Games) every four years. This year events will be held in Italy and after four years in India."

He added the current meeting inaugurated last night will continue today and tomorrow. It will conclude on Saturday with the election of three vice presidents, seven members for the executive bureau and a financial manager.

Gianni Gola said they will suggest to the body's equestrian committee to discuss the possibility of introducing endurance horse racing in its activities.

He refused to give chance to the civilians to take part in the military football world championships saying it is a military organisation and by doing this the military personnel will lose their identity.

Suhail Khoury said: "It's not something strange that the UAE is hosting the event. The CISM's executive bureau has great trust in the UAE the 58th meeting will be a great success."

Al Mehrizy said the UAE accepted to host the event last year in Croatia during the last general assembly but not this year.

"Despite difficult conditions the Gulf area is passing through, we insisted to hold the CISM meeting as some of its officials asked us if it could be held. We said the UAE is a safe country and far from war. So the assembly will be held and there are no chances of delaying or shifting it to any other place."

He claimed that the UAE always takes part in its events and they are looking forward in organising the International Military Games in future too. "We didn't think about it but we are capable of hosting such events even in future too."