TIFL Games in the Arab world: How the Baby Olympics is used as a pathway for sport promotion and Olympic education?

dc.contributor.authorMataruna-Dos-Santos, Leonardo Jose
dc.contributor.authorKhan, Mohammed Sayeed
dc.contributor.authorAl-Shibini, Mohamed Ahmed Haamed Mahmoud Sayed Ahmed Abdelwahab
dc.contributor.authorAl-Katheeri, Sara
dc.contributor.authorAli, Amna Mohamad
dc.contributor.authorRange, Daniel
dc.contributor.authorMilla, Asli Cazorla
dc.date.accessioned2021-03-01T08:12:07Z
dc.date.available2021-03-01T08:12:07Z
dc.date.copyright©2021
dc.date.issued2021
dc.descriptionThis work is licensed under Creative Commons License and full text is openly accessible in CUD Digital Repository. The version of the scholarly record of this work is published in Journal of Human Sport and Exercise (2021), accessible online through this link https://doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2021.16.Proc1.02en_US
dc.description.abstractIn the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, the Arabic term ‘tifl’ is used to refer to both baby and child. The aim of this research study was to understand the motives of the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) of the MENA region to invest, organise and promote the ‘Tifl Games’, also known as ‘Baby Olympics’. The toddlers compete for the ultimate prize in various sport events which try to embody the core Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship. The situational analysis methodology based on qualitative data after the digital review of the events was utilised for the study. The NOCs of the MENA region were observed through the official websites, social media channels (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter), news and digital reports. The results show that the opportunity to develop consumer engagement and future talent identification are the main reasons for the organisation of the events. The existence of misconceptions in the MENA region regarding the practise of sports by toddlers was also highlighted in this study. The lack of elite athletes or high-performance sports programmes opened a new door to promote the message of Olympism for the youth generation. The conclusions alert that it is necessary to avoid the precocious training or competition in early age stages. Unconventional training regimes coupled with the inhumane treatment the young athletes are subjected to shed light on the great lengths some countries are willing to go to claim supremacy in the sporting arena. The ‘Tifl Games’ are an excellent opportunity for sport participation, sport promotion and Olympic education in a region with a deficit of sport for development though care should be taken by the NOCs to protect the human rights, adhere to the child protection policy and avoid exploitation of the young athletes. © Faculty of Education. University of Alicanteen_US
dc.identifier.citationMataruna-Dos-Santos, L.J., Khan, M.S., Al-Shibini, M.A.H.M.S.A.A., Al-Katheeri, S., Ali, A.M., Range, D., & Milla, A.C. (2021). TIFL Games in the Arab world: How the Baby Olympics is used as a pathway for sport promotion and Olympic education? Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 16(1proc), S14-S22. https://doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2021.16.Proc1.02en_US
dc.identifier.issn1988-5202
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2021.16.Proc1.02
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12519/347
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Alicante. Faculty of Educationen_US
dc.relationAuthors Affiliations : Mataruna-Dos-Santos, L.J., Sport Management Department, Faculty of Management, Canadian University of Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relation, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom, Faculty of Arts, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Khan, M.S., Faculty of Arts, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Al-Shibini, M.A.H.M.S.A.A., College of Business Administration, American University in the Emirates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Al-Katheeri, S., College of Business Administration, American University in the Emirates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Ali, A.M., College of Business Administration, American University in the Emirates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Range, D., Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relation, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom; & Milla, A.C., Management, Marketing and Logistics Department, College of Business Administration, American University in the Emirates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Faculty of Arts, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
dc.relation.ispartofseriesJournal of Human Sport and Exercise;Vol. 16, No. 1Proc
dc.rightsCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
dc.rights.holderCopyright : © Faculty of Education. University of Alicante
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.en
dc.subjectBaby Olympicsen_US
dc.subjectMENA regionen_US
dc.subjectYouth sportsen_US
dc.titleTIFL Games in the Arab world: How the Baby Olympics is used as a pathway for sport promotion and Olympic education?en_US
dc.typeConference Paperen_US

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