India will host the fourth World Military Games in Hyderabad in 2007. The event will bring together military sportsmen from over 100 countries.
To be staged outside Europe for the first time, the Games will be a dress rehearsal and preparatory ground for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, to be hosted by India, according to Randhir Singh, secretary-general of the Indian Olympic Association.
President of the International Military Sports Council (CISM-- Conseil International DU Sport Militaire) Brigaider General Gianni Gola said the CISM decided to award the games to India because of its sports infrastructure and the successful staging of the Afro-Asian Games in October 2003.
"The facilities in Hyderabad are truly world class, and we are confident that the Games would be a great success and many competing performances will be witnessed," Gola said.
Gola pointed out that there are several world-class athletes in disciplines such as swimming, shooting etc in most militaries. He said majority of Kenya's distance runners, some 200 Russian participants who were at the Sydney Olympics and a sizeable number of athletes in most other countries hail from the military.
"Though we may not witness world records, because the level of competition may not be of the class of the Olympics, the audience will get to witness some very prominent stars," Gola said.
Air Marshal A K Singh, president of the Services Sports Control Board, said hosting of the Games falls in line with the military's plan to create world-class athletes and win at least one medal in the coming Olympics.
"The preparations [for the Games] are in built with preparations for the Olympics," Singh said.
G Ashok Kumar of the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh said the Games will provide a boost to Hyderabad's hopes of becoming a major international sporting venue. The city has a tie-up with international sports event managers IMG to stage more sports events, he informed.
Founded in France after World War II, to foster friendship and solidarity among militaries, the CISM is the second largest multi-sport organization after the International Olympic Committee and has 128 countries as its members.
The first Military World Games was organised in 1995 in Rome to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The last Games in Catania, Italy, in December 2003, was attended by 215 athletes from 84 countries. For the Hyderabad Games the organisers are hoping to have around 3000 athletes and 2000 officials from 100 countries.
