2022 Oran Mediterranean Games: Organizers Worried About Lack of Preparation

Rabat – The New International Committee for the Mediterranean Games (ICMG) met for the first time in Athens, Greece. President Davide Tizzano urges Algeria for “immediate solutions” following the constant delays regarding the 2022 Oran Mediterranean Games.

Coordination Commission chairman Bernard Amsalem expressed his concerns about the delays in the construction of infrastructure, the process of tendering, and the implementation of technology and transport programs.

During the meeting, Oran 2022 general manager Salim Iles was “not able to participate in the conference and answer the questions and concerns raised by the executive commission,” the ICMG said in a press release.

The Oran 2022 ICMG Coordination Commission is scheduled to again meet through a videoconference next Tuesday, November 30, to discuss the situation while President Tizzano, a double Olympic rowing gold medallist for Italy, plans to lead an inspection visit to Oran, Algeria on December 10.

The ICMG committee agreed to send an official letter to hold top level meetings with Algeria’s President, Prime Minister, Minister for Sport as well as the National Olympic Committee to provide immediate solutions to the problems that have arisen regarding the preparation process of the international event.

“Suffocating time margins, the delays in the projects and the apparent deviation on the agreed schedule make necessary an immediate and continuous cooperation of ICMG with the Organizing Committee,” ICMG added.

“We respect the Algerian people and their efforts, we respect the government for the great expenditure that has been made for the construction of the projects, but we must preserve the prestige and the name of the Mediterranean Games,” Tizzano said.

He also expressed his keenness to “help in every way in the organization,” adding, “but we cannot put at risk the top sporting event of the Mediterranean.”

The ICMG’s concerns come amid a recent public scandal in Algeria, where the Burkina Faso national team was forced to get dressed on the pitch of an Algerian stadium. The team had refused to change inside, citing the “bad state” of both the stadium and the pitch. “Countries that can’t host national teams should play elsewhere,” a Burkinabe official commented at the time.

Some of the committee members attended the ICMG’s meeting in-person while others who were unable to attend participated virtually to discuss the 2022 Oran Mediterranean Games scheduled for June 2022.

The Mediterranean Games are a multi-sport competition in which athletes from all countries of the Mediterranean compete. Held every 4 years, the Mediterranean Games represent the most important multidisciplinary sporting event in the Mediterranean region.

A total of 26 nations and 4,500 athletes are expected to participate in the 2022 Oran sports game.