WHAT YOU DID: Every four years the Maccabi Games are held in Israel, with around 6000 athletes from 55 countries participating. This makes it the third largest sporting event in the world after the Olympic Games and the Universiada. In alternate years other sectors of the world host these sporting games. These are known as the Pan Pacific, South American and European Games.
In July 2006, 76 years after the first games were staged in Tel Aviv, the Maccabi Games headed “Down Under” for the first time in the Maccabi Australia International Games. More than 650 international athletes and officials from 13 countries across 11 sports participated, including 250 Australians. The balance of athletes came from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, USA and Venezuela. The USA provided the largest overseas delegation with more than 150 athletes and a support team of 100.
Hungary may have had the smallest team with one lone competitor, Adam Kovacs, but as European Karate Champion he enhanced the competition in Sydney and provided credibility to the event.
The Vibe Hotel Rushcutters Bay was selected as the exclusive and official athletes’ village, accommodating more than 400 athletes from June 30 to July 11.
The 11 sports which made up the games included a duathlon around Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday, July 2, which opened the Games. Tennis, swimming, basketball, karate, table tennis and football were also held at Sydney Olympic Park.
Golf was staged at Monash Golf Club, lawn bowls at Double Bay and ten pin bowling at Parramatta SuperBowl.
Passion8, Australia’s leading kosher caterer was appointed as the exclusive caterer for the games. In a major logistical exercise involving more than 2000 man hours, they koshered the hotel kitchens and provided upward of 12,000 sit down meals and 1600 off-site luncheon packs over the duration of the games.
Thanks to the support of the NSW Government, the Australian Olympic Committee, State and Federal Police, and a number of MEA members including the Vibe Hotel, Murrays Coaches, Novotel at Sydney Olympic Park, Captain Cook Cruises, Vertifix Printing, All Conference Accessories, State Sports Centre, Sydney Olympic Park, Cargo Bar and numerous sponsors, 11 exciting days of sport, socialising and friendship were amalgamated.
CHALLENGES: As this was the first time the games were staged in Australia there was no blueprint to work from in terms of security. With Australia’s track record in staging first-class major sporting events, evidenced by the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, expectations were high to ensure that the inaugural “Jewish Olympics” in Australia were incident-free and enhanced Australia’s sporting reputation.A risk management plan was implemented in conjunction with security consultants, police and other relevant emergency services. Supplementing these bodies was support from the Communal Security Group, a specialist Jewish security group who work regularly with the police on major Jewish community activities and functions.
The in-house ticketing process developed for the 2100 seats at the Opening Ceremony in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House proved to be a major challenge. For security reasons it was decided not to use the Opera House Box Office.
Australia’s distance from the more established Maccabi Games venues and our lack of history in staging the games were contributing factors in athlete numbers falling short of earlier indications. Budgets were therefore constantly under review with reduced anticipated income from registration fees. The aim at all times was to deliver a debt-free games, a major challenge in year one of an international sporting event. Reduced income and the delay in countries committing to athlete numbers in the various sports impacted adversely on the number of staff that could be engaged to run the event and the timing of staff appointments.
Transport: An efficient and cost-effective transport plan was integral to the success of the Games. Commencing with airport transfers staged under tight security, Murrays Coaches provided 10 days of coach movements to and from events, training sessions and social functions operating up to 18 hours on some days. Being athletes, the quantity of luggage was higher than the average tourist group, posing challenges on the return leg to the airport when extensive retail therapy had also been undertaken.
Murray’s operations team provided extensive support to games CEO Karen Grega through their flexibility in the daily rescheduling of transfers. At times they appeared to pluck buses out of thin air to provide previously unscheduled services for athletes and accommodate requests from officials.
SPECIAL TOUCHES: On Wednesday, July 4 a community day was held at SOP culminating in a commemorative ceremony. The ceremony was to remember and acknowledge the 11 Israeli athletes who were murdered at the Munich Olympics in 1972. Sydney Olympic Park is the first Olympic site in the world to have established a memorial to these athletes. To mark this occasion the committee was honored to secure the services of Shane Gould who participated in the 1972 Games and who was also present at the opening of this memorial. Fellow ex-Olympian swimmer Mark Tonelli was the Master of Ceremonies giving the event a true Olympic feel.
CLIENT’S COMMENTS: Feedback from all participating countries on their return home (many undertook post games touring of Australia) has been extremely positive with many planning their return in four years.
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