3rd West Asian Games 01–12-2005

The third West Asian Games (WAG) being held in Doha until the 10th of December, were opened with a parade of athletes and a spectacular music and fireworks ceremony at Qatar Club’s Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium on Thursday the 1st of December 2005.

The games, with the participation of around 1220 athletes from 13 countries, participating in 11 sports, are the biggest ever in the history of the WAG, which were first held in Teheran in November 1997. Women are participating for the first time this year and it will also be the first time that Iraq has taken part in the Games.

The opening ceremony was attended by the presidents of National Olympic committees, ambassadors and sports federation presidents.

Earlier, a number of them received official invitations for their countries to participate in the 15th Asian Games — Doha 2006 — to be hosted by Qatar next year. The invitations were handed over by Shaikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Secretary General of the Qatar National Olympic Committee and Director General of the West Asian Games Organising Committee on behalf of the QNOC President, Qatar’s Crown Prince Shaikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Shaikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman and Shaikh Saoud bin Ali Al Thani, vice-president of QNOC both spoke at the opening ceremony, declaring the games open. The mascot for the 3rd West Asian Games is a seagull called Slaili.

The 111 events of the 3rd West Asian Games cover swimming, diving, athletics, bowling, fencing, football, track and field, gymnastics (artistic), handball, shooting, volleyball, and weightlifting.