Oman

MUSCAT | The Muscat Asian Beach Games Organising Committee (MABGOC) is excited to announce the release of the Muscat 2010 pictograms.

Representing each of the 14 sports on the 2nd Asian Beach Games competition schedule, the pictograms are symbols to be used across various applications in the lead-up to and at Games-time. The pictograms convey each sport by resembling an athlete in action and will appear at competition venues, on event schedules and timetables, across marketing and communications pieces, on merchandise and they will play a key role across the wayfinding and singage system.

MABGOC Director General Habib Macki explained how the design concept behind the pictograms comes from the overall Games Branding direction.

“The sail element, found in the Muscat 2010 logo is a powerful metaphor for our nation. Our sails have taken us to distant shores and also allowed the world to come to our shores. It has enabled generations of Omani people to trade with countries around the globe leading to development and growth of our own nation.

This sail element was used to represent athletes participating in each of the 14 sports on the Muscat 2010 calendar, as 45 Asian countries and regions will arrive in Oman this December,” He said.

The pictograms used for a multi-sporting event must be recognisable and easy to use and remember. As such, MABGOC worked closely with each of the sport Technical Delegates to ensure the style and movement of the icons properly depicted each sport.

The 2nd Asian Beach Games will see sports played on both the sand and in the sea. As such, the pictograms have been given an added touch of colour. Those to be played in the sea are set against a blue background, while those sports played on the sand are highlighted with a golden-yellow hue.

With thousands of kilometres of unspoilt coastline and a young population that loves sports, Oman is the perfect host for the 2nd Asian Beach Games.

This part of the Sultanates culture will be evident not only in the pictograms, but other elements of the Games Branding, which will be unveiled in phases leading-up to the Games.

In February 2010 MABGOC submitted the pictograms to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) for review and approval for which endorsement was given.

The 2nd Asian Beach Games is a multi-sport event sanctioned by the Olympic Council of Asia and will be held 8-16 December 2010.

The Games encourage Asia’s youth to participate in sport and celebrate the vast and varied cultures found across the continent. It works to uplift national pride and create a festival of cooperation and camaraderie.

The Asian Beach Games are composed of a variety of modern sports as well as variations on traditional sports. Fourteen sports are on the Muscat 2010 programme: beach soccer, beach handball, beach kabaddi, beach sepaktakraw, beach volleyball, beach waterpolo, beach woodball, bodybuilding, jetski sport, marathon swimming, sailing, tent pegging, triathlon, and waterski.

Source: Times of Oman