THE Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) has finalised its preparations to send a team for the inaugural Asian Beach Games to be held in Bali, Indonesia. The 31-member Bahraini delegation will be taking part in three disciplines - sailing, beach soccer and beach volleyball during the nine-day event which will see a total of 3,876 athletes, representing 45 Asian countries, in the fray.

The delegation members were approved at the BOC's recent meeting last Tuesday. It was chaired by committee member Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalifa and attended by representatives of the participating teams and officials from the General Organisation for Youth and Sports.

Supreme Council for Youth and Sports vice-president and BOC president Shaikh Isa bin Rashid Al Khalifa will head the delegation which also includes Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa and Raed Buhamood, Numan Al Hassan and Hassan Buhassan.

The Asian Beach Games is the first of its kind in the region and will mark the largest of its kind in the world.

The multi-sport event will be held every two years and celebrates cooperation and unity despite athletes from nations of different back grounds and cultures.

The Games forges unity and friendship between member nations by bringing together athletes, trainers, and officials.

Thousands of spectators are expected to support their participating countries and regions. The event is being organised by the Olympic Council of Asia.

Bahrain delegation

Beach soccer - Head: Mubarak Al Shaer. Manager: Fayad Mahmood. Coach: Gustovo Silva. Players: Ibrahim Hassan, Amir Shebib, Ali Habib, Ibrahim Abdulla, Sadeq Marhoon, Hussam Al Mannai, Yaqoob, Salah Salman, Isa Saleh, Mahmood Al Ghawi.

Beach Volleyball - Head: Mohammed Al Fardan. Coach: Ali Jffer. Players: Sadeq Ibrahim, Qader Abdulla, Ayman Haroona, Hassan Aqeel.

Sailing - Head: Sameer Shuwaiter. Coach: Qassim bin Jamia. Sailors: Omar Abdulaziz, Ahmed Salman.