60 athletes represent Bahrain

Manama : Bahrain participated in the opening ceremony of the Fourth edition of the Islamic Solidarity Games on Friday in the Azerbaijan capital Baku, which features over 4,000 athletes competing in 20 different sports in 16 world-class sporting venues over 10 days.

Bahrain is making its third appearance in the history of the games and has sent 60 athletes to compete in athletics, shooting and wrestling and are preparing ahead of their events.

Bahrain delegation manager Fajer Jassim led her nation’s side at the flag hoisting ceremony at the games village, where a string of music and entertaining activities took place as part of the main programme.

Sha also attended the chef de mission meeting prior to the opening ceremony and discussed certain arrangements related to their role at the ceremony.

Meanwhile, three countries - Libya, Sudan and Kuwait have withdrawn from the games and The Azerbaijan Islamic Solidarity Games Operations Committee (AISGOC) and the Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) issued a statement confirming the news. It means that hopes that for the first time all 57 members of the ISSF would take part in the Solidarity Games have been dashed.

The Kuwait athletes had been due to compete as Independent ISSF athletes due to an ongoing dispute with the International Olympic Committee, while the chairman of the Libyan Olympic Committee, Osman Ganain, issued a statement saying that a funding crisis was the reason for his country’s withdrawal. No reason was given for the withdrawal of Sudan.