Filippousis Writes To COJM Oran Chief, Regrets Unprofessional Management Of The 19th Mediterranean Games

Athens, June 30 (TNA) On behalf of the President, the Executive Committee and the entire Mediterranean family, Secretary General Iakovos Filippousis has ecpressed their “relative satisfaction with the effort made in the scenario and the presentation of the opening ceremony of the 19th Mediterranean Games” which a communique said was “punctuated by sound cuts and an approximate choreography.”

In the letter addressed to Aziz Derouaz, President/Commissioner COJM Oran 2022 it was further pointed out that the “general impression at the international level refers to a show that wanted to give prestige to Algeria, highlight its international image, enhance the level of organizers and participants and make Algeria a modern country.”

But this ceremony , it rued, was only the face of an outward communication. The Mediterranean Games have not been well highlighted and some countries have been hidden from the map of the Mediterranean basin.

Indeed, however, and to our great regret, we must highlight the important and fundamental organizational shortcomings, which have created extremely negative impressions among members of the Mediterranean family and provoked strong reactions, the letter further states.

“The transport plan was a total failure, which prevented about sixty people from the ICMG Executive Committee, the presidents and general secretaries of the Olympic Committees and International Federations, as well as other distinguished guests from the Mediterranean family from arriving at the stadium in time. They were only able to find refuge there after many hours, after being seriously threatened with their safety in front of the entrance doors, and without being able to attend the ceremony” the letter also points out.

They were abandoned to themselves in the midst of the general public, who arrived en masse, and had to enter the stadium in force, in the total absence of a preferential path dedicated to the Mediterranean family. In addition to their status, they are women, children, the elderly and vulnerable people.

This is an unacceptable and unprecedented episode, which openly offends the ICMG and the Mediterranean sports family, the secretary general further added. “We also highlight the unprecedented total absence of volunteers, as well as the inability to meet the basic needs of its members in terms of medical assistance, drinking water supply, food quality and water flow in taps” the terse letter said.

The risk of failure of your transport plan had been mentioned and highlighted by the ICMG several times at recent working meetings, and our experts had insisted on the creation of a route dedicated to the Mediterranean family and the restriction of traffic during this period, but no provisions have been implemented, which led to the tragic result last night. Also, we regret the unacceptable repression of several members of the international press, Iakovos Filippousis said.