Soon: U.S. company to launch work on Basra’s sports city

BASRA / IraqiNews.com: A U.S. firm later this month will begin construction work on a sports city in Basra province, which is scheduled to host the 2013 Gulf Cup of Nations (Khaleeji 21), according to a local official. “Construction work will begin on June 30,” the director of the physical education department in Basra, Muhannad Youssuf, told IraqiNews.com news agency. “As of next week, bids will be accepted from foreign and Arab countries to establish 12 gates to the city,” Youssuf noted. The Gulf Cup is a soccer tournament held every two years. It is a tournament for the Arab countries around the Gulf. It is also known as Khaleeji. The Gulf Cup was founded at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico by Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The First Gulf Cup tournament took place in Bahrain and was won by Kuwait. The Shiite city of Basra lies 590 km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. SS (P) 1