Representatives of the local and foreign media who closely followed the JAP Hammamet 2023 African Beach Games praised the success of this second edition, both in terms of sport and organisation.
Zouhaier Ourimi, Sports managing editor of Tunis-Afrique Presse (TAP) news agency, said that the holding of the 2nd JAP in Hammamet had put Tunisia back on the road to organising major multi-sport events after a 22-year absence.
The last event of this calibre hosted by Tunisia dates back to 2001, during the Mediterranean Games, he pointed out.
He added that the success of the 2023 Paralympic Games attests to Tunisia’s ability to rise to such challenges, thanks in particular to the promptness of its governmental and civil structures and the efficiency of its transport, telecommunications and hotel networks.
“The Hammamet JAP far exceeded expectations compared to the first edition in Cape Verde, particularly in terms of participating countries and guests (52 NOCs and over 2,300 guests), and set the bar high for the organisers of the 3rd JAP, scheduled to take place in Equatorial Guinea in four years’ time”, he added.
For Ourimi, the recent Games were an opportunity to highlight the place occupied by Tunisia and the Tunisian National Olympic Committee (CNOT) in the spheres of continental and international Olympism, hence the remarkable high-level attendance at the event.
Major Olympic figures were present in Hammamet, Tunisia, including the President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), the President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and representatives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Solidarity Programme and the French and Chinese Olympic Committees.
On a professional level, the official said that the Hammamet event was a real test for the national media in terms of their ability to cover such events, whose programme featured disciplines that were still little-known and that were looking for greater promotion on a national and continental scale, such as Teqball and Badminton.
For his part, Nigerian journalist Michael Ousaso, in a statement to TAP, said that the great success of the Hammamet JAP on both a technical and sporting level would enable greater importance to be attached to the promotion of beach games on the African continent.
For him, the Hammamet 2023 edition has amazed all those who followed it, saying he was astonished by the enthusiasm he saw among spectators, particularly supporters of team games such as 3×3 basketball, beach soccer, beach handball and beach volleyball.
Tunisia demonstrated its ability to host major sporting events with brilliant success at the 3rd JAP, and he expressed the hope that the next edition in Equatorial Guinea would be of the same standard as the one in Hammamet.
He also expressed the hope that he would be able to visit Tunisia again, praising the welcome and the conditions of his stay.
For his part, Radio jeunes journalist Zied Khiari felt that Tunisia had, as usual, risen to the challenge by hosting sportsmen and women from 54 African countries for the duration of the games, explaining that the success of the Hammamet JAP will give Tunisia greater influence on the continent, the region and the international stage.
“The resounding success and exceptional atmosphere that marked the Hammamet WBGs made it a better edition than that of Cape Verde or even the Pescara Mediterranean Games in 2015”, he said.
For Khiari, with its experience and international sporting reputation, Tunisia is in a position to be the first African country, and the second on an Arab scale after Qatar in 2019, to host the World Beach Games, which will undoubtedly promote its image and offer it great opportunities in terms of sporting diplomacy.
Timothy 0’lopulo, a journalist with the Kenyan National Olympic Committee, praised the good organisation and the level of security around the Games site, saying that the welcome and spirit of tolerance he had seen from the Tunisian public and the athletes had contributed to the success of the 2nd World Beach Games.
For his part, photo journalist Abdelmajid Thabet said that the African Beach Games were a good opportunity to bring together young people from Africa, with their different cultures, and an opportunity to discover beach sports.
“Thanks to the Hammamet JAP, I was able to discover the rules governing several beach sports, including Teqball and badminton,” he said.
For her part, the journalist with the National Olympic Committee of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe told TAP that the Hammamet Games had enabled her to discover the beauty of Tunisia and the tolerance of its people, who are fervent sports fans.
“I was amazed by the good organisation and the efforts made to ensure the success of the Games at all levels”, she added, indicating that all the participating countries were called upon to follow Tunisia’s example and draw inspiration from its experience.
The 2nd Hammamet 2023 JAP took place from June 23 to 30 and received extensive local and international media coverage, particularly as they are qualifying stage for the World Beach Games to be held in Bali next August.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse