Jordan to compete at Asian Winter Games

AMMAN — Jordan will send two skiers to the 8th Asian Winter Games taking place in Sapporo, Japan, from February 19-26, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

Following an invitation from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), experienced skiers Sara Sukhtian and Suhail Azzam will compete in the giant slalom and the slalom respectively after stepping in at the eleventh hour.

 As well as ensuring Jordan’s participation in this important multi-sport event, their entry qualifies the Kingdom for funding from the OCA, which will in turn be pumped back in to local sport.

“On behalf of the Jordan Olympic Committee [JOC] I would like to thank the OCA and the Sapporo Local Organising Committee for presenting us with this opportunity,” said Nasser Majali, JOC secretary general.

“I would also like to thank Sara and Suhail who are now training with our full support. They are opening the door for Jordan to hopefully build a long-term relationship with winter sports and I urge any other Jordanians, wherever they may be in the world, to get in touch if they too are serious winter sports enthusiasts and feel they could step up with our support to international competition.”

The Asian sporting world will be in Japan for the Games, enabling Majali to further strengthen Jordan’s relationship with the international community through a series of meetings on the side lines of the event.

Jordan has competed in the Asian Winter Games previously in 2007 and 2011 when members of the USA-based Badr El Din family took part. The 2017 delegation will have a more local feel with Sukhtian based in Amman and Azzam based in Dubai.