This year's theme of sustainable development and diversity was chosen by hosts UNESCO. Fair trade bags made from African cloth were handed out to participants and all the brochures and posters were printed on recyled paper. Previous hosts include FAO (2006), IAEA (2007) and WHO back in 2005. WHO's badminton team was composed of: the Captain, Mahen Sandrasagren, Shook-Pui Lee-Martin, Tin Tin Sint, Dianliang Lei, Chapal Khasnabis and Alexei Mikhailov, our star player. The team was complemented by Timo Jentszcok from UN, Bonn.

The players also had to overcome a last minute hurdle when their flight to Biarritz was cancelled. Undaunted and determined to make the opening match, Shook-Pui Lee- Martin drove her team through the night and across France to arrive in time for breakfast and the start of the tournament!

Mahen Sandrasagren reflects upon his team's victory:

"Our performance and win was the culmination of hard work and determination. It is extraordinary to think, that, three years ago in 2005 we came last in this event"

The badminton team was proud to be accompanied by WHO's golf and chess teams but would have liked to have seen more participation in general. Of the 900 participants this year, only 25 came from WHO. Unfortunately the Athletics team which was victorious last year could not make it this year. As Mahen added:

"The occasion is an ideal way for staff to get involved in a motivating and healthy team activity and is a good boost for staff morale"

This year, 14 sports were represented ranging from athletics and basketball to pétanque and tennis. A wider participation by WHO in future competitions will reinforce the Organization's promotion of a healthy lifestyle and serve as an excellent advertisement for sports at work. Next year's Games will be hosted by the Vienna based agencies and the venue is yet to be decided. Sporting participants from all disciplines are keenly encouraged to sign up!

For more information on the Inter-Agency Games go to www.unesco.org/iag2008/

N. Boudou-Jacobs