Algerians assess Beijing results

25/08/2008

With two medals – silver and bronze in judo – Algeria came in 65th on the medals table.

By Nazim Fethi for Magharebia in Algiers – 25/08/08

[Getty Images] Algeria's Soraya Haddad celebrates winning Olympic bronze in judo. Her home village of El Kseur in Kabylia turned out en masse to welcome her home.

Algeria's athletes returned from Beijing with two medals: silver and bronze in judo. Unlike the 2004 Athens Games where Algerian officials had set a target of five medals for the team, only to return home with none, expectations were more cautious going into Beijing.

Apart from the Algerian women's volleyball team, the members of which were content simply to have qualified for Beijing, Algeria's other athletes did have medal hopes in sports such as boxing, athletics and judo. The national boxing coach had gone so far as to say he would resign if the team failed to bring back a medal.

But only the judokas managed to deliver medals.

Ahmed Boubrit, technical director of the national athletics team, blamed coach Amar Brahmia for the failures of the national team, particularly in the 1,500m and 5,000m races. He also criticised Khoudir Aggoune's refusal to run in the 10,000m on the grounds that he had trained for the 5,000m. Boubrit has said that Aggoune had achieved the qualifying time for the 10,000m and had been given a grant to train for that event.

Boubrit acknowledged that he had had differences of opinion with Brahmia, particularly regarding the 1,500m runners who "did poorly at the world championships in Osaka last year and the Beijing Olympics, unlike at international meets where they performed unusually well".

Boubrit also said that triple-jumper Baya Rahouli had an excuse.

"She had two operations this year and is gradually getting back into competition."

Boubrit is still waiting for the team doctor's report on long-jumper Issam Nima, who pulled out of competition in Beijing due to injury.

These explanations, however, have only deepened the feeling of gloom among Algerian athletes and sports fans.

Former runner Mounir Tadjine commented that "[s]ports officials must call federation presidents and coaches to account. A lot of them see international competitions as holiday opportunities."

Others, such as administrative officer Salah Saouli, are optimistic: "The two medals we won in 2008 are better than nothing, which was what we got in 2004."

Algeria's two medallists, Soraya Haddad and Amar Benikhlef, escaped all criticism and were welcomed back to Algiers by officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

While silver medallist Amar Benikhlef slipped away quietly to his native Bourouba, a working-class district of Algiers, bronze medallist Soraya Haddad received a hero's welcome in her native village of El Kseur in Kabylia.

Local officials, friends, family, neighbours and other well-wishers were waiting to greet and congratulate Haddad, who was surprised and moved to see such a large crowd.

"The competition was very tough but I worked hard for this outcome," she said, thanking all those who had supported her.

"I owe it to myself to work even harder so that I can go all the way in future," she added.