Some 4,500 athletes from the Dominican Republic’s Army, Navy, Air Force and National Police participated in the 46th Military and Police Sporting Games.
About 4,500 athletes from the Dominican Republic’s Army, Navy, Air Force and National Police are participating in the 46th Armed Forces and Police Sporting Games. The athletic competition brings the participants closer to the civilian population, and also helps keep young people away from criminal activities.
The Ministry of Defense, through the Armed Forces Athletic Circle and the National Police, presided over the event’s opening ceremony on March 26 at Tetelo Vargas Stadium in the province of San Pedro de Macorís. The athletic competition began more than three weeks earlier, on March 3, and is scheduled to conclude on May 22.
Organizers created an event “intended to entertain and educate the Dominican people through sport, so they can see our armed forces and its components, in the role of free competition, peace, solidarity, brotherhood, as agents of society that are useful and proper in fulfilling their duties, and to show the best of them to all the nation,” said Vice Admiral Juan Ramón Soto de la Rosa, director of the Armed Forces and the National Police Athletic Circle, during the opening ceremony.
Many high-level athletes, Military members or police officers
Athletes from the Armed Forces are competing in various sports, including baseball, soccer, table tennis, track and field, shooting, handball, karate and cycling.
“Of all the high-performance athletes in the Dominican Republic, 98 percent are members of the Armed Forces and the police,” said Colonel Julio César Hernández Olivero, the Army’s director of athletics. “Most of the participants in the Military Games are high-performance athletes; however, Cadets and Officers from Military missions also participate in these games.”
And for more than 40 years, they’ve maintained a tradition of athletic excellence through the annual competition. For example, on March 31, the National Police team won the Olympic wrestling tournament with a total of 113 points; the Air Force came in second with 102 points; the Army followed with 54; and the Navy placed fourth with 19. In 9mm pistol shooting, meanwhile, the Army’s team won for the 17th straight year with 2,190 points — just ahead of the Air Force, which earned 2,135 points.
Games build rapport between the Military and police and civilians
These sporting events do more than provide Soldiers and police the opportunity to display their athletic skills: by engaging in friendly competition, they enhance the Military’s relationships with the National Police as well as with citizens.
“The federations benefit in that the athletes are being trained year round. It also gives us the opportunity for these athletes to spread
the information and organization we have in our institutions, and this leads to closer relationships with the civilian population,” Hernández Olivero said.
In particular, participants in the games often build relationships with younger members of the community. “They become an example for our young people who are just beginning their lives, and they have a positive effect by preventing teenagers from getting involved in illegal activities,” Pou said.
About 4,500 athletes from the Dominican Republic’s Army, Navy, Air Force and National Police are participating in the 46th Armed Forces and Police Sporting Games. The athletic competition brings the participants closer to the civilian population, and also helps keep young people away from criminal activities.
The Ministry of Defense, through the Armed Forces Athletic Circle and the National Police, presided over the event’s opening ceremony on March 26 at Tetelo Vargas Stadium in the province of San Pedro de Macorís. The athletic competition began more than three weeks earlier, on March 3, and is scheduled to conclude on May 22.
Organizers created an event “intended to entertain and educate the Dominican people through sport, so they can see our armed forces and its components, in the role of free competition, peace, solidarity, brotherhood, as agents of society that are useful and proper in fulfilling their duties, and to show the best of them to all the nation,” said Vice Admiral Juan Ramón Soto de la Rosa, director of the Armed Forces and the National Police Athletic Circle, during the opening ceremony.
Many high-level athletes, Military members or police officers
Athletes from the Armed Forces are competing in various sports, including baseball, soccer, table tennis, track and field, shooting, handball, karate and cycling.
“Of all the high-performance athletes in the Dominican Republic, 98 percent are members of the Armed Forces and the police,” said Colonel Julio César Hernández Olivero, the Army’s director of athletics. “Most of the participants in the Military Games are high-performance athletes; however, Cadets and Officers from Military missions also participate in these games.”
And for more than 40 years, they’ve maintained a tradition of athletic excellence through the annual competition. For example, on March 31, the National Police team won the Olympic wrestling tournament with a total of 113 points; the Air Force came in second with 102 points; the Army followed with 54; and the Navy placed fourth with 19. In 9mm pistol shooting, meanwhile, the Army’s team won for the 17th straight year with 2,190 points — just ahead of the Air Force, which earned 2,135 points.
Games build rapport between the Military and police and civilians
These sporting events do more than provide Soldiers and police the opportunity to display their athletic skills: by engaging in friendly competition, they enhance the Military’s relationships with the National Police as well as with citizens.
“The federations benefit in that the athletes are being trained year round. It also gives us the opportunity for these athletes to spread
the information and organization we have in our institutions, and this leads to closer relationships with the civilian population,” Hernández Olivero said.
In particular, participants in the games often build relationships with younger members of the community. “They become an example for our young people who are just beginning their lives, and they have a positive effect by preventing teenagers from getting involved in illegal activities,” Pou said.