| XII Arab Games | |
| Size: | 175 |
| Host City: |  Doha |
| Nations: | 21 |
| Athletes: | 8,000 (est.) |
| Events: | 318 in 27 sports |
| Opening: | 9 December |
| Closing: | 23 December |
| Opened By: | Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani |
| Stadium: | Khalifa International Stadium |
| Previous: | 2007 Cairo |
| Next: | 2023 Algeria |
The 2011 Arab Games also known as the 12th Arab Games took place in Doha, Qatar from 6 to 23 December 2011.[1] This was the first time that the country had hosted the multi-sport event. Khalifa International Stadium was the main venue for the competition.
Qatar was awarded rights to organise the games beating Lebanon in the bidding process.[2] [3] [4] Arab Federation for Sports secretary-general Othman Al-Saad said that Qatar's hosting of the Pan-Arab Games would give the event "more momentum and significance in light of the huge capabilities and world-class sports facilities which Qatar owns."[5]
Khalifa International Stadium was chosen to be the focal point of the games, hosting the opening ceremonies, while the closing ceremonies were held on Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.
Public Transport for the event was provided by Mowasalat in the form of Buses, Taxis and Limousines. The opening and closing ceremonies were allocated 100 buses for the respective days. There were on average approximately 230 buses dedicated to the games to transport Athletes, Games Staff, Coaching Staff, Media, and Sports Officials to and from The Airport, Hotels, Athlete's Village, Sports Venues, Practice Venues, and the Media Centre. The services were planned & scheduled by Mowasalat’s Mass Transit Planning Manager Mr Sheldon Cowie (Now - The Roster Shed) who also managed the event transport operationally with TMS (Transport Management Services)
Wathnan, a graceful yet fun-spirited white Arabian horse was designed as the mascot for the Games. An important animal in Arabian culture, the horse is a symbol of great strength and agility.[6] Pearl and emerald studded Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals were awarded to winning athletes, accompanied by mascot stuffed toy. The medals were measured 70 mm in diameter and 6 mm in thickness with base made out of pewter.[7]
| Venue | Events | Capacity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athletics, opening and closing ceremonies (Khalifa International Stadium) | 50, 000 | |||
| Swimming (Hamad Aquatic Centre) | 2,000 | |||
| Chess (Ladies zone) | ||||
| Handball (Women's Indoor hall) | ||||
| Gymnastics (Dome C2) | ||||
| Fencing, Table tennis (Dome C3) | ||||
| Wrestling (Dome C4) | ||||
| Boxing (Dome C5) | ||||
| Lusail Cycling course | Cycling (Road) | |||
| Lusail Shooting Complex | Archery, Shooting | |||
| Football (Stadium) | ||||
| Beach volleyball (BV Arena) | ||||
| Basketball (Indoor hall) | ||||
| Al-Dana Club | Bodybuilding, Weightlifting | |||
| Qatar Equestrian Federation | Equestrian (Dressage, Jumping) | |||
| Football (Stadium) | ||||
| Goalball (demonstration) (Indoor hall) | ||||
| Football (Stadium) | ||||
| Volleyball (Indoor hall) | ||||
| Mesaieed Endurance Course | Equestrian (Endurance) | |||
| Doha Golf Club | Golf | |||
| Doha Sailing Club | Sailing | |||
| Qatar Bowling Centre | Bowling | |||
| Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation | Cue Sports | |||
| Judo, Karate, Taekwondo (Indoor hall) | ||||
| Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex | Squash, Tennis |
Initially, all twenty-two nations of the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees were scheduled to compete at the games.[10] However, Syria withdrew its team in November 2011 in protest of the Arab League's suspension of the country's membership.[11]
Algeria (223)
Bahrain (171)
Comoros (21)
Djibouti (38)
Egypt (349)
Iraq (436) (Top Nation)
Jordan (240)
Kuwait (260)
Lebanon (99)
Libya (148)
Mauritania (43)
Morocco (253)
Oman (94) Qatar (370) (Host)
Saudi Arabia (232)
Somalia (22)
Sudan (191)
Tunisia (218)
United Arab Emirates (144)
Yemen (46)
Brunei Darussalam (38)
Eritrea (29)Medals in 30 Para Athletics and 1 Goalball events were awarded to athletes from respective participating nations. However, as demonstration events, they were not counted into the official medal table.