NEWSMAKERS

Lobsang Wangyal announces Tibetan Olympics from 15th to 25th May 2008
By: Tharchin Y Gonpo

Dharamsala 15th May 2007: When the countdown exactly clicks 360 days for the world’s biggest sporting event, the Bejing Olympics 2008 to happen, respective nations are in the middle of hectic preparation for the mega event. Tibetans on the other hand have come together to prepare their own Tibetan Olympics to show the Tibetan peoples’ aspiration to participate in this prestigious sporting event. Lobsang Wangyal, the organizer of the Tibetan Olympics briefed media people comprising both Tibetan and Indian Medias at Boom Boom café in Jogiwara Road in Dharamshala on 15th May, 2007.

The event has two championships, one for the female and another for the male category.
According to the Tibetan Olympics organizing committee, the Tibetan Olympics will be held from 15th May to 25th May 2008. The organizers said, “Their aims and objectives for organising the Tibetan Olympics during the time of Beijing Olympics 2008 are to showcase Tibetans love and enthusiasm for sports, which draws all people together, fostering international friendship, goodwill and understanding.”

We have created this event to ensure that Tibetans can be included during the time of the biggest global sporting event next year in Beijing.

Tibetan Olympics 2008 will be held from 15th to 25th May 2008 in Dharamsala. There will be two championships – male and female. Each category will have 15 participants from the ages 15 to 30 and 15 to 25 respectively. All the participants will compete in 10 different sports including – long distance running, swimming, shooting, archery, track and field events.

The winners will be awarded 100,000.00 rupees (2500 USD) each, the first runners-up will be awarded 50,000 rupees (1250 USD) each and the second runners-up will be presented 25,000.00 rupees (625 USD) each.
An international category is also being planned. This will depend on the interest and response from the international community.

The torch of the Tibetan Olympics will be carried from Gandhi Samadhi in Delhi to Mcleod Ganj. It will be lit on 30th January 2008 coinciding Gandhi’s dead anniversary and will be carried by a series of Tibetan, Indian and international runners. Each runner will cover 25 kilometers (covering over 600 kms altogether), before passing on the torch.

The five ring symbol of the international Olympics has been used as a part of the Tibetan logo to cherish and celebrate the fever of the international Olympics in Beijing in 2008.

The chief organizer Lobsang Wangyal and his co groups are yet to raise the funds for the proposed event. According to them the budget is likely to be between 30 to 40 lakh rupees (100,000.00 USD). Therefore, the interested individuals and organisations can donate through the following website. The interested athletes can down load the form that is available in the website