Doha: Opening Ceremony The Opening Ceremony of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games will be a short and modest, a top official said here yesterday.
Speaking at a press conference on the eve of the event said ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg said: “We asked the Organising Committee to consider these Games for what they are. It is not the Olympic Games, we don’t want big or long ceremonies - we want the athletes to have fun,” Lindberg said.
“I am sure the ceremony will be nice but not extravagant, but I don’t know the details.”
The ceremony is due to take place at the 5,000-capacity Katara Amphitheatre, close to the beach, tomorrow evening.
Organisers have announced it will be “first come, first served” for spectators, although there’s no entry charge, in keeping with policy throughout the competition.
“Everyone is invited, but due to the limitation in seats, because the auditorium only has only 5,000 places, who comes first gets the place,” ANOC World Beach Games General-Director Jassim Bin Rashid Al Buenain said.
There will be a pre-show before the Opening Ceremony proper begins.
The exact contents of the Ceremony remain a closely guarded secret, The sport itself is due to begin the day before the official opening, with men’s beach handball starting today.
A total of 1,237 competitors from 97 countries are set to take part in the Games, featuring 14 disciplines at four venues in Doha.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach is expected to attend the final day of competition.
