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Posted by Editor on 14th January 2012 at 01:12 PM
Nation Building with Sport
Sport in Libya is taking off in a big way: sports once banned in the country have returned, and Libya prepares for the Olympic games in 2012.

Shotlist: visual description

Graphic: nation building with sport

Female doing a hammer throw

Medina FC playing a match

Graphic: Abdullah Al Hadi Al Taghadi, Varsity trainer.

Young boys at basketball training

Graphic: Nabil Hussen Biak – Member of the board at Medina FC.

Gv football match

Graphic: Fathi Mustafa Aldernawi - Member of the administration board, Medina Football Club

Gv athletics training, running, javelin, discus

Graphic: Malaak Mohammad Al Ghiar – Discus and hammer throw.

Gv – shot put, kickboxing

Nabil Hussen Biak

Basketball training, javelin throw towards camera

Audio transcript

---VOICEOVER---
Muammar Qadhafi was not a big lover of sports, nor did he like sports stars, simply because he feared they could draw the national spotlight away from him. Football players were only referred to on television by their number, and never by their name.
Since NATO assisted the Libyan opposition in ousting their former dictator, the nation can once again unite behind the sports and their stars.

---SOUNDBITE---(ARABIC W/ ENG VO)
"We hope that the youth who rose out of this revolution will have the right people to move them in the right direction, especially in the area of sports, because through sport we will raise the country flag."

---VOICEOVER---
With the regime gone, people want Libya's interim government the National Transitional Council, to pay more attention to developing sport in the country.

---SOUNDBITE---(ARABIC W/ ENG VO)
"We have lived the past and we have lived through a revolution, there will be a new future under the shadow of the revolution, and we're looking to do this with better sport."

---SOUNDBITE---(ARABIC W/ ENG VO)
"We want to concentrate our attention on infrastructure such as pitches, and the development of management, coaches, as well as athletes."

---VOICEOVER---
Qatar this year provided financial and logistical support for the Libyan National Olympic team and committee to take part in the Arab Games, in Qatar. Some of the youth who did not make the cut this time continue their training here in Tripoli.

---SOUNDBITE---(ARABIC W/ ENG VO)
"I hope that I will become professional and break records, become a champion, achieve medals at all levels. I want to become the best."
"Sport makes you move forward towards the future, the more you compete the better you are."

---VOICEOVER---
Libya in the past has mainly focused on athletics, swimming and combat sports, with the 2012 Olympics fast approaching, Libya is doing all it can to prepare for the events with which it will compete.

---SOUNDBITE---(ARABIC W/ ENG VO)
"It's the best way to unite with other nations, we may have differences on political issues but concerning sport, there are no differences."

---VOICEOVER---
With so much change for the country in 2011, here's hoping 2012 can see them making history again by breaking the dead lock and finally winning a medal at the Olympic games.

---SIGN OFF---

This is the NATO Channel, reporting from Tripoli.


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