Mediterranean Games

The Mediterranean Games are organized regularly every 4 years and can be considered as a stepping stone for the Olympic Games in the level of competitiveness, with the difference that participating nations are limited to those countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, making for an interesting mix of African, Arab and European participants. The games demonstrate the typical Olympic characteristics such as unity and friendship. The Games have also gained great respect over the years following their recognized inception by the International Olympic Committee as demonstrated in article 47 of the 1952 IOC Session that was held in Helsinki.

The Games were born following the initiative of Mohamed Taher Pacha (1897 – 1970), then President of the Egyptian Olympic Committee. In fact, he put forward his idea to all the concerned delegations that were present at the 1948 IOC Session in St. Moritz. Consequently, the Games made their debut in 1951 as Alexandria was appropriately chosen as the host city. From then on the games have been held very four years until 1993 an extra edition was organized so that from then on the Mediterranean games would no longer take place a year before the Olympic Games but a year after each edition.

These Games were launched in 1951; and during the first edition of these Games ten countries took part (Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Spain, Syria, Turkey, Yugoslavia). Malta was then represented by three athletes.

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