Military football World Cup kicks off

By Anuroop Athiparambath — MUSCAT: Jan. 15 The second CISM World Cup football championship was opened at a glittering ceremony at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher on Sunday evening. His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tareq al Said declared the World Cup opened in presence of top army officials of the Sultanate and CISM member countries. The event started with the speech by Tournament Manager Lieutenant Colonel Khalid bin Ali al Jabri. CISM President Colonel Abdulhakeem Al Shino delivered the address on behalf of the CISM. Al Shino said the Sultanate has the capacity to hold mega events like the CISM World Cup. “Muscat is a beautiful city and CISM are happy to hold the World Cup at the Sultanate capital city. The country has the capacity to successfully organise such mega events,” he said. “The spirit of CISM sports events are ‘friendship through sport’,” he added. After that there were parades by the participating CISM delegations. Omani folk dance forms were also performed during the function.