SPORT POLICY IN LEBANON, 1975 to 2004 Nadim Nassif MPhil 2009 MPhil in Sport History De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom SPORT POLICY IN LEBANON, 1975 to 2004 By Nadim Nassif BA, MA International Centre for Sport History and Culture, Faculty of Humanities Supervisors: - Professor Jeffrey Hill, De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom. - Professor Richard Holt, De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom. ABSTRACT Lebanon is a unique country. Its small size, numerous communities, geographical context, history of conflicts and foreign invasions contributes in making this research a unique study in the field of humanities and social sciences. The study of such a case gets even more complex when it comes to the evaluation of the position of sport in this society; especially since the Lebanese Government has never considered sport and the betterment of sport among its priorities. Lebanese sport reflects all the different parameters of the Lebanese scene: economic difficulties, administrative problems, religious and political tension. The situation of sport in this country is rendered even more complicated by the fact that the budget granted to sport is relatively very small; a fact that is not only detailed but is proven to have direct effects on the low position that Lebanon has in the different international sport rankings. Academically, research on this field is also still very limited and the very few works done in this domain are more descriptive than analytic. The aims of this thesis, new in its kind, is, first, to do an analysis on the sport policy administered in Lebanon from 1975 to 2004, and, then, after defining its different characteristics, propose a plan for development. ii Table of contents Title I Abstract II Table of contents III List of abbreviations V Introduction 1 Chapter I- Lebanese geopolitical, historical, social and religious background 22 I-1- Geopolitical and social data of Lebanon 22 I-2- The influence of the religious communities 27 Chapter II- The Lebanese sport characteristics 69 II-1- Lebanese sport history 69 II-2- Lebanese sport international achievements from 1930 to 1980 74 II-3- The Lebanese sport achievements in the post-war period (from 1991 to 2004) 76 II-4- The face of Lebanese sport in 2004 81 II-5- The organisation of sport in Lebanon 84 Chapter III- Difficulties faced by Lebanese sport 90 III-1- The Lebanese sport spiral of difficulties 90 III-2- Difficulties faced by the Lebanese federations 94 III-3- Difficulties met the Lebanese elite athletes 101 III-4- Corruption and religious division of Lebanese sport 105 III-5- Impact of the previous war 114 Chapter IV – Analysis of the Lebanese post-war sport successes 117 iii IV-1- What was behind the few Lebanese Olympic successes from 1990 to 2004? 119 IV-2- The impact of the Lebanese Diaspora on the Lebanese sports 123 IV-3- Is Basketball the best model to follow in order to develop the Lebanese sports? 130 IV-4- Lebanese achievements in the ‘minor sports’ 138 Chapter V- Plan for development 149 Conclusion 180 Map 1- Lebanon and its Middle-East neighbours 23 Map 2- Map of Lebanon 24 Appendix 191 Bibliography 268 iv List of abbreviations ADF: Arab Deterrent Force AFC: Asian Football Confederation AIBA: Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur (International Boxing Association) AUB: American University of Beirut AUST: American University of Science & Technology BAU: Beirut Arab University B.C: Before Christ CREPS: Centres Régionaux d’Education Populaire et de Sport (Regional Sport and Popular Educational Centre ENSEPS: Ecole Normale Supérieur d’Education Physique et Sportive (High College of Physical Education and Sport) ESPN: Entertainment and Sports Programming Network FIBA: Fédération Internationale de Basketball (International Basketball Federation) FIFA: Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Football Federation) FINA: Federation Internationale de Natation (International Swimming Federation) GAA: Gaelic Athletic Association GAISF: General Assembly of International Sport Federation ICC: International Cricket Council IDF: Israel Defence Forces IFBB: International Federation of Bodybuilders v IGF: International Golf Federation IHF: International Handball Federation INBA: International Natural Bodybuilding Association INS: Institut Nationale du Sport (National Sport Institute) INSEP: Institut Nationale du Sport et de l’Education Physique (National Institute for Physical Education and Sport) IOC: International Olympic Committee IRA: Irish Republican Army IRB: International Rugby Board LAU: Lebanese American University LBCI: Lebanese Broadcasting Company International LBP: Lebanese Pounds LF: Lebanese Forces LOC: Lebanese Olympic Committee LRLF: Lebanese Rugby League Foundation MLB: Major League Baseball MNF: Multinational Force NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organisation NBA: National Basketball Association NCAA: National Collegiate Athletic Association NCTC: National Coaching and Training Centre NDU: Notre-Dame University NFL: National Football League NSF: National Salvation Front OTV: Orange Television PES: Physical Education and Sport vi PLA: Palestinian Liberation Army PLO: Palestine Liberation Organisation PSP: Progressive Socialist Party SSNP: Syrian Social Nationalist Party STAPS: Sciences et Techniques des Activités Physiques et Sportives (Sports and Physical Education faculty) TV: Television UK: United Kingdom UL: Université Libanaise (Lebanese University) UN: United Nations UNIFIL: United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UOB: University of Balamand UPA: Université des Pères Antonins (Antonine University) U.S: United States (Of America) U.S.A: United States of America USEK: Université Saint-Esprit Kaslik (Holy Spirit University) USJ: Université Saint Joseph (St.Joseph University) WNBA: Women National Basketball Association WNBF: World Natural Bodybuilding Federation vii Introduction Modern Lebanon has emerged after centuries of internal and external oppositions and conflicts. The successive foreign powers1 that have occupied the country and the multitude of different religious communities that have co-existed inside Lebanon, have not only contributed to the emergence of a modern nation that enjoys a very rich diverse cultural past, but have also founded a republic governed by a very fragile balance among its communities. This fact has enabled and even encouraged the occupiers, throughout history, to exploit this civil strife to their advantage; consequently, strengthening their foreign policy2. These foreign powers, for example, could ignite the flame that would build into a civil war. Later, these same forces would, brazenly, interfere to extinguish, under the pretext of helping in consolidating the internal peace, the flame that they have slyly kindled. It was under the umbrella of this inherent legacy of internal weaknesses, and the almost ‗natural‘ dependency of the Lebanese Government on the foreign powers that the independence of Lebanon was declared in 19433. 1 See: -Kamal Salibi, The Modern History of Lebanon (Worcester and London: Ebenezer Baylis and Son, Limited, The Trinity Press, 1965) pp.3-120. - Kamal Salibi, A House Of Many Mansions. The History of Lebanon Reconsidered. (I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd, 1993) pp.200-216. 2 See Farid El Khazen, The Breakdown Of The State In Lebanon (London: I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd, 1999) p.247. 3 See The Lebanese Constitution, translated by Gabriel M. Bustros B.Sc. (Econ) London ‘Bureau of Lebanese and Arab Documentation’ 1973. 1 This thesis will examine one aspect of modern Lebanon‘s development, namely the paramount difficulties that the Lebanese Government faced, in the second half of the twentieth century; especially during the 1970s, in establishing a policy that would uphold sport in the country. This study, by analyzing the economical, social and political factors that influence Lebanon‘s future sport policy and development, will make clear how far behind is Lebanon, compared with other countries, with respect to the international ‗league table‘. Later, an assessment of the possibilities of setting a unified and competitive sport program that would be on a par with the international standards will be presented. However, to understand the deep-rooted complexity of the aforementioned Lebanese situation, it is imperative to know the history of the country. Lebanon has been inhabited, for more than 7000 years, by the Neolithic‘s and Chalcolithic‘s fishing communities. Historians state that the Phoenicians, who are considered to be the ‗legitimate‘ ancestors of the Lebanese, and who have originally emigrated from Babylon, have settled in this region around 3000-2500 B.C4. Ironically, these Lebanese ancestors already had the characteristics of their descendants: they were strongly dependent on foreign powers. The Phoenicians did not establish large kingdoms, but limited their states to single cities, the rulers of which accepted compromises in their relationship with their stronger neighbors, to whom they had to pay taxes in order to have peace and the freedom to trade. 4 [In Arabic] See Labib Boutros, Phenician Sport And Its Influence In The Creation Of The Olympic Games (Beirut: New codmos edition, 1974) pp.11-17. 2 This weak position, made the Phoenicians easy preys to foreign invasions. In 2000 B.C, they were invaded by the Amorites, who came from the East. Around 1800 B.C, the city-states of Phoenicia became vassals under Egypt. The latter lost its control over Phoenicia around 1100B.C. After more than 200 years of independence, specifically,