CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – The provincial government hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the Basra Sports City complex July 20.
The megalithic project is slated to be completed in 2013 in time for the city to host the 21st Gulf Cup, an eight-country soccer tournament.
“I am proud that the stadium is being built and the Gulf Cup will be here. I can’t wait!” exclaimed Mohammad, a 14-year-old soccer player.
The Basra Sports City complex will also be used by the youth of Iraq as a training facility for future Olympians and world competitors of every scope. The display model, showed training halls and fields for various sports, a main stadium with a capacity for 60,000 to 85,000 seats, an additional stadium, various courts and youth housing. The complex will also have a shopping mall, amusement park, playgrounds, museum and mosque. One day, Mohammad said he aspires to play in the main stadium with the national team and win the World Cup and Olympics. His companions, who represented a wide range of different sports, responded with laughter and bravado as they jibed each other. But beneath the laughs, there seemed to be an excitement and hope as their dreams played out in their minds’ eyes.
A fellow athlete, Jaffer, piped in and boasted with 12-year-old seriousness that he would be “a professional boxer, the world champion! I will be like Mohammed Ali.”
One of the children’s coaches said during the ceremony the project represents a great future for Iraqi sports and Sports City will benefit the city and country as a whole. “There is a significant challenge before us before we can enjoy the benefits of Sports City,” said Basra Gov. Sheltag Aboud al-Mayah. “But, we will do our best to bring about its completion, on which we will celebrate that glorious day.”
“This place will be added to the landmarks of Basra and we should be proud of this great symbol,” the governor continued. “The city of Basra is known as the Sea City, the Palm City, the Border Gates and the capital of Iraqi culture. We wish to see it also as the capital of Iraq’s economy and as our country’s sporting capital.”
