The Challenge of Winning Matches
in Cold Facilities In Jordan

Match Preparation: Coats and Other Things

Nayef Asfour, the coach of the young women's team in Al-Fahis Club, recalls an unusual scene in one of the matches that were held in the hall. "One year, the hall referees did their jobs keeping their jackets on. They could not do it while wearing their usual short sleeves uniform. They wore their referee jacket. Usually they are not supposed to do that, to evade the cold weather they had to resort to that."

Asfour explains that the international matches held in the hall receive better attention. "If it is a championship for certain age groups, the heating does not work. If it is a national team championship, a men's championship, an international or West Asian league championship. .. the situation is different."

International basketball law prohibits players from wearing long-sleeved shirts in matches; only short sleeves above the elbow tops are allowed.

Some players come to matches with blankets to cover themselves while on the players' side seats, others bring hot water bottles to give them a feeling of warmth, according to sports commentator Samer Taha.

During winter, basketball matches held in the hall Taha says that "You would see players always warming their hands with their breath, always moving around to keep warm. On the bench, some players are wrapped with blankets, while others are keeping their hands around electric water bottles. This way, they keep themselves and their hands warm while on the bench."

He adds, "In the hall, there is a heating system but usually it is off unless it is an important game, then it is switched on."

Prince Hamza Hall is in Amman's Al-Hussein Youth City, the largest sports complex in the country. The hall serves several federations like the Basketball Federation, School Federation, Bridge Federation, Sports Federation for All, and the Medical Sports Center.

It also hosted qualifying matches for the recent Asian Cup, held in Indonesia

Low temperatures in Amman are not restricted to winter months

Location: Al-Hussein Youth City

Source: Arabia Weather & Weather Wunderground

Fuel Allocations Decreased

Bassam Al-Khalaila, director of Al-Hussein Youth City, admits that the hall does not have adequate heating because there is a need to save on expenses, especially in terms of diesel supply. "The 2022 budget is being prepared and will take the coolness of the hall issue into consideration,” he told a local news outlet.

During a tour of Prince Hamza Hall’s facilities, the reporter noticed that the Hall is equipped with an air conditioning system, and a power generator.

The (government of Jordan)’s general budget reveals a decline of fuel allocation for heating between 2015-2020, within the Sports Development Program, which is responsible for the supervision and rehabilitation of sports facilities, including sports cities and sports complexes.

Al-Hussein Youth City bought fuel twice for Prince Hamza Hall in 2020, one during the Asia and Oceania boxing qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games held in the hall as Jordan hosted the event instead of Wuhan, China. The reporter submitted a request to the Ministry of Youth and the Authority for Regulating the Energy Sector asking for the sums spent for heating Prince Hamza Hall with electric air conditioning systems, but both authorities did not share such data.

Cold and the Increased Risk of Injury

The specialist in sports medicine at the Hashemite University, Dr. Thaer Al-Manaseer, says that the cold is one of the factors that increase the risk of injuries among players.

Al-Manaseer, who is certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties to treat, rehabilitate athletes, explained that the cold environment of the sport facility offsets the warming up process of athletes, which is needed to raise their body temperature, increase their heart rate and improve their tissues flexibility around their joints in order to maximize their potentials.

In his opinion, cold makes muscles stiffer and less lenient; which increases the probability of injury. If the venue is badly heated, the players are exposed when they are substituted, and the impact on them is similar to taking part in a game without warming up.