OCI President Pat Hickey, in his role as President of the powerful European Olympic Committees group, joined IOC President Jacques Rogge and Vice President Mario Pescante on an important mission to the Middle East in order to support Olympic sport in the region, particularly on Palestine’s troubled West Bank.
One of the many features of the West Bank visit was a football match between the Palestine Olympic team and the Jordan Olympic team at which Pat showed his true colours by supporting the men in green – the Palestine (photo above)
Commenting on the visit, Pat Hickey said “Sport is one of the few bright points on the horizon for young people forced to endure conditions in the refugee camps in Palestine. We believe our visit helped us in the Olympic Movement to better understand the situation in Palestine. In particular, it gave us a chance to see what further support we can provide for sport in this troubled region”
