Military World Games in full swing despite late-arrivals

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 05, 2003

Military World Games in full swing despite late-arrivals

Officials of the third Military World Games (MWG) said Thursday that the event was in full swing after late arrivals, last-minute changed schedules and disarrangements.

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Officials of the third Military World Games (MWG) said Thursday that the event was in full swing after late arrivals, last-minute changed schedules and disarrangements.

So far, over 5,000 officials and athletes from 74 members of Council of International sports Military (CISM) - from swimmers to marathon runners - have arrived at the Sicilian city of Catania, a port city in southern Italy.

Fans filled only a quarter of the stadium for the opening ceremony, so officials only received applause from the delegations in the field to bolster their cheers.

The Military World Games are a multisports event organized every four years. The first Games, held in Rome from 4th to 16th September 1995, took place to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the end of the second World War.

Four years later in Zagreb, from the 8th to the 17th August 1999, 6,734 participants coming from 82 countries and regions have contributed to the success of the 2nd MWG.

The 3rd edition was originally scheduled in September 2003, but was postponed to December 4. The sports events were also reduced from 15 to 11, as a result of shortage in sports facilities in Catania city.

The games began on Thursday, but late arrivals have forced the games' organizers to reschedule several events.

Six preliminary basketball competitions, which scheduled on Thursday, were postponed to Friday. But the volleyball competition, which would be held on Friday, played on Thursday, while China men's team whitewashed Pakistan 3-0.

The soccer competition was another blow when it would begin on Tuesday, but later-arrivals of the teams forced organizer to postpone it.

"The schedule is not the final one," said a news officer of the organizing committee, "A good way to ensure it is to check it every day to the organizing committee."

Other events, including athletics, swimming, diving and judo are scheduled to begin on Friday, but the organizers said that the programs would also be changed.

Despite the snafus, Semone Andrea, a volunteer to the Greece delegation at the Games, is confident that the city will put on a good show.

"I just know the games will be a success," he said, "Welcome to Catania."

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