|
|
Sports
Facility |
 |
The
original sports complex was built at Bausher and named after His
Majesty. Since then, similar complexes have been built
in Salalah, Sohar and Nizwa. In 1996, a sports complex was constructed
at Sur in preparation for the National Day celebrations being
held there. Many other sports clubs and grounds have been built
all over the country and even some of the smallest villages boast
football pitches. A fully equipped sports and youth complex has
been built at Ibri at a cost of around RO 6 million, to be ready
in time for the National Day celebrations.
A
sports health centre, the first of its kind in Oman, has been
established at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher. With
an area of 1200m2, it will provide facilities for treating sporting
injuries, as well as medical advice on diet and first aid for
those taking part in sports. This centre is seen as an essential
facility for future participation in competitive sport.
|
Cultural
Activity |
|
Every
year, GOSCYA plans a number of cultural activities to take place
during Ramadhan. Plays are staged, chess and quiz competitions
take place. During 1998, GOSYCA opened its own theatre complex
in Ruwi, which will be used for a number of cultural activities
as well as performing plays and showing films. A
Youth Theatre Group was established in 1980 and other activities
include concerts, poetry readings, and literary and religious
evenings. Computer training courses are very popular.
In
January 1998, an Omani youth delegation travelled to Tokyo to
participate in the 10th "Ship of World Youth Voyage"
organised by the Japanese government. The ship docked at Mina
Sultan Qaboos in March. The arrival of the ship coincided with
the sixth festival of AGCC folklore being hosted in Oman this
year. GOSCYA
hosted joint celebrations of various kinds, in which 350 young
people took part from 14 countries, in addition to over 300 folklore
artistes.
In
September 1998, GOSYCA represented Oman at the 3rd AGCC cultural
festival of youth held in Paris. Previous festivals have been
held in Japan and Italy. The purpose is to show the culture of
the region through music, dance, art, costume and handicrafts.
|
Honours
& Awards |
|
It
has become the annual custom for GOSYCA to honour sporting personalities
and those involved in youth activities for their sporting prowess
and achievements. In February 1999, awards were presented to the
top sportsmen, successful clubs and those who had achieved distinction
in cultural activities during 1998.
Among
those honoured were the Sur Club's football teams - the first
team and the under-16s. Also, Oman's motor rally champion and
athletes who had participated successfully in the Asian Games.
Other sports for which prizes were given included swimming, hockey
and volleyball. The science club were congratulated on winning
gold and silver medals in the 9th competition for scientific inventions
held in Saudi Arabia in October 1998. Those who had run community
projects in the villages and organised summer camps also received
recognition of their efforts.
In
March 1998, the Oman Lawn Tennis Association's junior team won
the silver medal in the 11th AGCC junior tournament. The national
football team was ranked fourth in the 14th AGCC tournament in
Bahrain. In April 1998, it was Oman's turn to host the 7th AGCC
Athletics meeting at the Sultan Qaboos Sports complex. The Omani
team performed well, carrying off one gold and several silver
and bronze medals, ranking fourth in the overall results. In November
1998, His Majesty's Hockey Tournament Cup was won by Sidab Club.
In
previous years, Omanis have shown particular prowess when representing
their country in a number of regional and international sporting
events. In Japan in 1992, Omanis won a gold medal, two silver
medals, four bronze medals and seven certificates at the 22nd
Nipon Competition.
In
December last year, the first annual Oman Open figure skating
competition was held at the al-Khuwair ice rink, in which 40 competitors
aged between 4 and 13 years old took part. Like golf and cricket
in Oman, the organisation and administration of this sport is
a private venture. However, GOSCYA encourages the introduction
of new sports and recently, both the Olympic sports of fencing
and weightlifting have been introduced.
|
Summer
Camps |
|
GOSYCA
organises summer camps in different parts of the Sultanate. In
1998, the 10th national camp was held in the Jebel al-Akhdhar.
Apart from sporting and cultural activities, the young people
are shown how to participate in social and environmental projects,
such as tree planting and maintenance of falajs and dams. Around
10,000 young people participated throughout the summer.
|
Olympic
Committee |
|
The
Oman Olympic Committee was set up in 1982 and joined other international
Olympic bodies in the same year. Oman participated in the 24th
Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988, in the Friendship and Peace Championship
in Kuwait in 1989, in the 11th Asian Games in China in 1990 and
in the 25th Olympic games in Barcelona in 1992.
At
the 26th Olympic Games held in Atlanta in 1996, Oman took part
in the following sports: athletics, cycling, shooting, swimming
and tennis. Oman will participate in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
In August 1996, the GOSCYA office in Salalah organised an Olympic
'fun run' which attracted some 2000 participants for the 5km event.
The
National Paralympic Team performed well in the weight lifting,
javelin and shot events, and individual members of the team improved
on their previous performances in Kuwait and in the UK. In 1998,
one member of the team set a new Gulf weight-lifting record in
the 56kg category at the 4th Championship in Riyadh with a lift
of 133kg for which he was awarded a gold medal; his teammate won
a silver with a lift of 110kg. Other members of the team carried
off three silver medals and a bronze. The Omani team is keen to
qualify for the Sydney 2000 Paralympics.
|
Equestrian
Events |
|
His
Majesty the Sultan has encouraged young people to take part in
equestrian events, which are a reminder of Omani heritage and
the traditional relationship to the horse and camel as part of
the Arab way of life. Under the auspices of the Oman Equestrian
& Camel Federation, show jumping events, steeplechases and
flat races are held at regular intervals and on national holidays.
|
Women
in Sport |
|
GOSYCA
has established a wing for women's sporting activities. The Women's
Games, held in 1994 and comprising volleyball, basketball, squash,
tennis and table tennis proved extremely popular and were enthusiastically
supported. Young women are also becoming increasingly prominent
in the educational and cultural activities organised by GOSCYA.
In March 1997, at the UAE open ice skating competition, a seven-year
old Omani girl won a silver medal in the freestyle event, thus
becoming the first Omani to achieve international recognition
in the sport.
|
Scouting |
|
The
origins of scouting in the Sultanate can be traced back to 1932
when a movement was started by a school master. In 1948, the first
organised scout pack was formed in the Saidiya School in Muscat.
Shortly after this, packs were started in the other two schools
for boys in Muttrah and Salalah. Scouting for girls was not introduced
until 1972. In 1997, the Oman Girl Guides celebrated their Silver
Jubilee. An exhibition of arts, crafts and photography was organised
to mark the occasion. In 1998, the Arab Scouting Movement celebrated
its 85th anniversary.
The
National Organisation for Scouts and Guides (NOSG) was established
in 1975, with the aim of instilling in young people a sense of
service and devotion to their country and to His Majesty, helping
them to develop a sense of self-reliance, responsibility and public
spirit. In 1983, in recognition of the keen interest he has shown
in the scouting movement, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos was installed
as Chief Scout and under his patronage the movement has expanded
in all areas of the Sultanate. There are 647 packs, comprising
15,286 cub scouts, boy scouts, brownies and girl guides, as well
as 637 scout and girl guide leaders. In the clubs, university
and colleges of higher education there are 14 rovers' groups comprising
454 rovers and their leaders.
This
is a result of the progressive and interesting programme organised
by NOSG throughout the year with a variety of activities such
as annual summer camps, scout meetings, Ramadhan evenings, training
sessions and scouting competitions which have been entered into
by large numbers of boys and girls and their leaders. In addition
to this activity NOSG co-ordinates special programmes with Ministries
and other Government bodies, such as health awareness, traffic
week, student municipality weeks, World Civil Defence Day, naval
courses, community projects, assistance to pilgrims during the
Hajj and Friends of the Police. The scout movement had a significant
and important role to play during the nation's Silver Jubilee
celebrations in 1995.
NOSG
also ensures that Omani scouts and girl guides show the flag at
international scouting jamborees, as well as at AGCC and other
Arab occasions. NOSG has participated in the Arab-European meeting
in Switzerland, the World Scout Camp in Netherlands, the Arab
Scout Camp in Tunis and other events. Oman hosted the 4th &
5th AGCC Scout Camps in 1994 and 1996. In February 1997, Omani
scouting groups attended the 51st Annual Scout Camp in Kuwait
and in 1998, participated in the 6th AGCC Scout Camp in Bahrain.
The National Organisation's annual camp was held in Dhofar in
July and August 1998. It was attended by delegations from the
UAE and Kuwait. Officials of the NOSG attended the 22nd Arab Scout
Conference in Doha in November 1998. In March 1999, a total of
50 scouts participated in a falaj cleaning project organised in
cooperation with the Ministry of Water Resources. In April 1999,
a similar project was launched by scouts in Salalah to clean the
Ain Garziz spring and basin.
|
