The "First Beirut Sports Festival," held over four days at the "Forum de Beirut," concluded with great success, witnessing a massive turnout for an unprecedented sports event. The Lebanese capital, Beirut, became a destination for thousands of sports enthusiasts of various ages from all regions of Lebanon, who followed the days of the festival that opened last Thursday with a significant official and sports attendance. When the head of the festival's organizing committee, Karim Al-Andari, announced his intention to hold this festival, which would include many competitions and championships, some considered the idea unlikely to succeed. However, the reality proved that the festival was successful in every measure—crowd-wise, organizationally, artistically, and recreationally.
The last day of the festival was packed as Lebanese crowds flocked to watch the finals of mini basketball, table tennis, mixed martial arts (MMA), and other games that captivated the attendees. The audience cheered fervently for players in various sports, showcasing remarkable talent among table tennis players as well as mixed martial arts competitors across all age groups and mini basketball. The finals of the tug-of-war championship drew significant attention, featuring displays of strength (for both men and women) on the main stage of the festival under the watchful eye of Karim Al-Andari (President of the Lebanese Tug-of-War Federation), who, with his team, succeeded in creating an outlet for Lebanese people living under an unprecedented economic crisis for more than three years.
Lebanese attendees enjoyed the competitions and performances, including drift shows that excited them with thrilling displays alongside Zumba, padel tennis, baby foot, and more. During the first two days of the festival, there were performances of fencing, kung fu, and wushu, which received considerable interest. The festival attracted the Lebanese sports family and many champions in collective and individual sports as well as motor sports, marking a large sports gathering in its first edition with plans for future editions.
As is known, the revenue from the festival is allocated to assist athletes in overcoming the obstacles they face; this is the primary goal of the festival, which Karim Al-Andari explained in detail multiple times during the press conference held prior to the festival's opening. Al-Andari will later announce the revenue from this event transparently, with an entrance fee of one dollar per person.
