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Maldives loses chance to host IOIG 2023

Fathmath Shaahunaz
07 December 2020, MVT 10:21
The IOIG 2019 delegation being welcomed back to Maldives. PHOTO: HUSSAIN WAHEED/ MIHAARU
Fathmath Shaahunaz
07 December 2020, MVT 10:21

The sports sector of Maldives reacted with despair to the Indian Ocean Island Games Federation’s decision late Saturday to switch the host of the 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) from Maldives to Madagascar.

Maldives won the bid to host the 11th edition of IOIG, following a major campaign by the government, in July 2019. Reunion, Mauritius and Seychelles had voted for Maldives to host the games, while Madagascar and Comoros voted for their own bids.

However, the new development came over the challenges faced by Maldives to host the IOIG in 2023 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Although Maldives pushed to delay the games to 2025 and retain hosting rights, the majority of the member states voted for Madagascar to host in 2023 as delaying to 2025 would result in a six-year void without the IOIG.

Subsequently, Maldives has requested to host the following IOIG, possibly at a preponed date in 2025 or as scheduled in 2027.

The deliberations on the latter requests will be held on February 14, 2021.

Following the federation meeting on Saturday night, Maldives Olympic Committee’s Secretary General Ahmed Marzooq declared that losing the opportunity to host the IOIG, after winning the bid with such great effort, was a huge disappointment.

“We are facing challenges due to COVID”, he acknowledged. “But to lose this chance for whichever reason is still a great loss”.

Although Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Ahmed Mahloof had previously on multiple occasions declared that it would be very difficult for Maldives to host the games in 2023, Marzooq always maintained that the country could forge a path forward that allowed it to host the IOIG.

“It doesn’t have to be a five-star games”, he had said. “What’s important is establishing ways for the athletes to compete well”.

He had also raised questions as to why stakeholders were not making use of the time available before 2023 to plan ways to host the IOIG around the difficulties posed by the pandemic, instead of looking to postpone or concede the opportunity.

Maldives Sports Corporation’s chairman Hussain Mohamed had also expressed similar sentiments.

Maldives was a founding member of the games and has participated in all 10 editions of IOIG.

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