Aland to host the 2009 Games

ALAND will host the 2009 Island Games. The Scandinavian island, which last hosted the event in 1991, fended off the challenge of rival bidder, Ynys Mon.

Shortly before 4pm yesterday, International Island Games Association chairman Bo Frykenstam announced that Aland had received 33 of the 54 votes from delegates of the IIGA's 24 member islands.

The decision was taken at a seven-hour annual meeting at which it was also decided:

* The IGA will sign the international Wada-code - meaning doping tests must take effect from the 2007 Games in Rhodes.

* The Spanish island of Menorca was approved as the 25th member. Under the current constitution there will be no more islands in the IGA family.

* There will be 14 sports on the programme in Rhodes between 30 June and 7 July 2007, including judo for the first time since Gibraltar in 1995.

Guernsey had favoured Ynys Mon by a slim two votes out of its 15 member sports with Jersey heavily backing Aland.

'I'm absolutely certain it will be a fantastic Games. They have excellent facilities,' said Guernsey Island Games Association chairman and general team manager Dave Dorey minutes after the decision.

'It's a beautiful island with friendly and welcoming hosts and a superb climate.

'Commiserations to Ynys Mon because they had an excellent bid and have not yet had the honour of staging the Games, which I hope they will get in the not too distant future. They certainly deserve them,' he said.

'Aland's facilities are all in place which Ynys Mon did not have.'

The Ynys Mon delegation had put forward the analogy that it was a bit like choosing between London and Paris for the Olympics.

'They appreciated they had much work to do but urged delegates to give them the opportunity to create a legacy.

'It's fantastic and we were hoping for it. We put an awful lot of effort into the presentation and the bid,' said Aland IGA chairman Robert Mann.

'We can offer a Games on at least a par with the Guernsey ones of two years ago which were fantastic. We have magnificent facilities and I don't think anybody will be disappointed with the quality,' he said.

'We will be able to put on sports that are not traditionally Scandinavian. There are 18 sports that are possibilities and the only one I don't think we will put on is squash, because we only have one court.'

Frykenstam, who has now retired as chairman and was elected an honorary life member, said: 'I'm sure that it will be a very well-organised Games.

'They are very competent people in charge of their organisation. They have the experience and don't have to give so many thoughts to the sports venues because they are already in place.'

He believes that factor and the standard of accommodation gave them the edge over their rival bidder.

'In most sports there can only be one winner and this is the case in choosing a host island.'

Many of the Ynys Mon delegation made a sharp exit from the Shetland Hotel.

'It's disappointing for the whole team who have made such an effort and there are a lot of people who have put in such hard work, but good luck to Aland,' said David Tommis, chairman of the Ynys Mon IGA.

He was uncertain whether they would bid again next time.

'We will have to sit down with the Sports Council for Wales and Welsh Assembly to see if we can get the funding first.

'A lot of islands said they had given us the vote and we thank them for that,' said Tommis.

At the meeting, Guernsey's Eric Legg was reelected as IGA treasurer.

Brian Partington is the new IIGA chairman in succession to Frykenstam.