1999 Pan Arab Games
| Host city | Amman, Jordan |
|---|---|
| Nations participating | 21 |
| Athletes participating | 4600 (est.) |
| Events | 29 sports |
| Opening ceremony | August 15 |
| Closing ceremony | 31 August |
| Main venue | Amman International Stadium |
The 1999 Pan Arab Games were ninth edition of the multi-sport event between Arab countries and were held from August 15 to August 31. A total of around 4600 athletes from 21 countries participated in the 29 sports on offer. The opening ceremony that took place in Al Hussein Youth City Stadium was officially opened by King Abdullah II.
Initially set to be held in Amman in 2001, the games were brought forward two years and branded as the "Al Hussein tournament" in honour of Hussein of Jordan, the long-ruling monarch who died earlier that year. His daughter, Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, took part in the equestrian competition.
Kuwait refused to send athletes to the event on the grounds that Iraq was participating – part of ongoing poor relations between the countries following the Invasion of Kuwait nine years earlier. It did, however, maintain a presence at the opening ceremony. The Jordanian minister for Youth and Sport, Mohamed Kheir Mamsar, had placed particular emphasis on an attempt to bring together all 22 Arab countries at the games. His failure to do so resulted in his resignation. Those present at the games also caused unrest: the Libyan football team fought with the Palestinian players in the locker room after their match, and fan rioting at the semi-final between Libya and Iraq saw dozen hospitalised. Some home spectators were disruptive at the basketball match between Jordan and Syria, and the throwing of water bottles onto the court only ceased after Princess Haya directly addressed the crowd.
On top of Mamsar's resignation, Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, the head of the Kuwait Olympic Committee, announced he would quit his position within the Arab Sports Confederation, stating that the Arab League had interfered with his efforts to promote sport within the region. The confederation suffered another casualty at the games as on August 18 Saudi Arabia's Faisal bin Fahd, the president of the grouping, died of a heart attack shortly after attending the proceedings. Many social events around the closing ceremony were cancelled in respect for the late Saudi.
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