From August 27 to September 4 2010, Beijing will host the first SportAccord Combat Games ever.

They are the first corner stone in a series of new worldwide multi-sports events SportAccord is going to launch in the coming years: The Mind Games will follow in 2011 and the World Beach Games in 2012.

The Combat Games 2010 feature 13 martial arts and combat sports, both Olympic and non-Olympic.

“We want to support our members by giving them the opportunity to get exposure to a worldwide audience. The Combat Games offer the participating sports a unique chance to be on stage together and will bring them closer to the public,” SportAccord President Hein Verbruggen explains the strategy behind the Games.

Live coverage of the Combat Games 2010 will be provided by the host broadcasters CCTV and by Beijing TV. Additionally, sports fans worldwide can follow their favourite sports and champions online on the SportAccord Sports Hub on you tube.

The Sports Hub is the recently launched SportAccord video platform where its members can showcase their top matches and competitions as well as backstage moments and educational material.

Beijing is still on everybody’s mind for being host of the unforgettable 2008 Olympic Games and the 2010 Combat Games promise to be the next successful worldwide sporting event. They can be expected to be a high quality event in all aspects.

The competitions will be at top level as International Federations send their best athletes, both male and female, to fight for the 136 gold medals during the eight days of competition. Very well experienced in the delivery of large scale sporting events, the Beijing Local Organising Committee will provide competition venues and training facilities that meet highest international standards.

The 13 sports are distributed to three venues, all Olympic venues in 2008 and in close distance to the athletes’ hotels and the airport.

Antonio Espinos Ortueta, President of the World Karate Federation (WKF): “We and our athletes really look forward to the Games. The Combat Games are already a spotlight in the competition calendar.” Another highlight of the Beijing Combat Games 2010 will be the Ambassador Program.

“We have very good news, “ says Li Jinkang, Secretary General of the Beijing Local Organising Committee. “International movie star Jet Li will be Ambassador for the martial art of Wushu. He is not only a great actor and champion but he shows also outstanding social commitment. We will be very honoured to welcome him in Beijing.”

Jet Li will lead the squad of famous celebrities and champions such as kickboxing legend Don “the Dragon” Wilson or Olympic gold medallist in Wrestling, Rulon Gardener, that will act as representatives for their disciplines and the Games in general.

They will participate in various activities around the Games and will contribute to the atmosphere during the whole week. Additionally, the Combat Games will feature a Cultural Programme reflecting the ancient traditions of martial arts as well as the social and cultural values of the 13 sports and the event as a whole.

The Programme includes a Forum on August 29 featuring the theme “The Art of Combat – Friendship and Determination” and several thematic exhibitions. Topics will deal with the cultural dimensions of the martial arts and their social value and contribution to society.

The next edition of the SportAccord Combat Games will take place in 2013.

Source: Matt Cutler’s blog