Israel's participation in World Games multi-faceted: official

"While we have 15 athletes coming from Israel to compete in five events, Israel will also have an exhibition at the World Games expo to showcase our agricultural products, technologies, tourist information and industries," an ISECO official told CNA.

Renowned Israeli artist Yaacov Agam, a pioneer in the optical and kinetic art field, has created a public art installation especially for the World Games, the official said.

A 19-member delegation from Israel will participate in the World Games, including 15 athletes who have registered to take part in five events.

As to whether the Israeli office had any specific security demands to ensure the safety of the team, the official said that the ISECO did make some special security requests but later decided to go with the arrangements made by the World Games organizing committee.

"We are confident in the security measures taken by the organizing committee, and believe that they are sufficient," the official said.

The Israeli athletes will accept the same accommodation arrangements as other athletes during World Games, instead of staying together in one hotel, the official added.

In 1972, Israeli athletes and coaches in the Munich Olympics were taken hostage and 11 of them were murdered by Palestinian terrorists in what became known as the Munich Massacre.

For the Kaohsiung World Games, some 36,000 policemen, including peace preservation police and special forces, have been mobilized to take charge of security, the National Police Agency said.

The 8th World Games, which will open in the southern city of Kaohsiung July 16 and run until July 26, is expected to draw some 3,300 athletes from 90 countries.

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