The reconstruction of rowing in Libya

Chief executive of the Libyan Olympic Committee, Nabil Elalem told the Herald Scotland why Al Rabti was chosen: "We brought him as our own motivator, a symbol for regeneration, but also of the revolution, and of our athletes' sacrifice for our country."

Al Rabti, 23, began rowing when he was 18 years old and in his first year he won a medal at the Libyan championships. He continued to win medals every year through to 2010. Al Rabti says that right from the beginning he loved the sport. He went on to make the Libyan national rowing team in his second year of rowing and competed at the Arab Games. Then at the African Rowing Championships in 2010 Al Rabti won a silver medal in the men’s double sculls with Zaher Fanns. “Still the authorities ignored my rowing,” says Al Rabti even after winning medals.  

Al Rabti rowed in his hometown of Zwara for the club, Sea Scouts of Zwara. The club rowed on the sea around Farwah Island. Al Rabti says his support for rowing came from friends and family.

But Al Rabti cannot row at present. The loss of his left arm is a constant reminder of the Libyan uprising and he is yet to have a prosthetic fitted. “I wish to be back rowing as soon as possible when I’ve finished treatment,” says Al Rabti who predicts rowing in the ‘new Libya’ will become very good.

Faycal Soula, technical director for the Tunisian Rowing Federation is involved in rowing development in the region and says that 15 rowing machines have been delivered to Libya. “This is for use by the 12 clubs (in Libya) so that they can try to continue to row because the majority of boats has been stolen or broken during the war,” says Soula, “and before the war all of the boats of the federation were burned in the fire in the boathouse.”

The Tunisian Rowing Federation is working with the Libyan Sailing and Sea Sport Federation (which oversees rowing) to organise training camps and coaching exchanges between the two federations. “They will come to Tunis for two training camps to prepare for the 9th Arab Rowing Championships (June 2012),” says Soula. Libyan rowers will then return to Tunisia for a second training camp to prepare for the African Rowing Championships in Morocco in September.

Currently there are discussions on developing adaptive rowing in Libya with Al Rabti involved.