The road to the Paris 2024 Olympics was not an easy one for Team Bahrain’s star athletes.
Fourteen of the kingdom’s best aim to shine across five sports in the French capital, as the kingdom looks to ‘punch above its weight’ yet again in the international arena.
But while these Bahraini sportsmen and women get their moment in the limelight, working behind the scenes is a team of dedicated professionals, tirelessly addressing the logistics required to support the athletes’ Olympic dreams.
These ‘unsung heroes’ have been praised by Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) executive director Ahmed Abdulghaffar, who himself is playing a major part in Paris as the Bahrain delegation’s Chef de Mission.
Abdulghaffar credits a well-run system, spearheaded by the BOC, that provides the kingdom’s elite sporting icons the environment to thrive, and the importance of their work has been amplified ahead of these upcoming Games of the XXXIII Olympiad.
“The athletes are always the centre of our focus,” Abdulghaffar told the GDN in an exclusive interview.
“We provide as much support as we can for them. It’s a whole system and it’s not a one-person job – it’s a whole environment we need to create around the athlete to enable them to succeed.
“As administrative personnel, we try to alleviate the athletes from any unnecessary concerns, and let them focus on their training and performance.”
Abdulghaffar highlights that the BOC has been empowered by the unwavering leadership of His Majesty King Hamad’s representative for humanitarian work and youth affairs and Supreme Council for Youth and Sport (SCYS) chairman Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and of SCYS first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority chairman, and BOC president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Shaikh Nasser took over as BOC chief in 2009 before Shaikh Khalid was elected as president in 2019, and throughout this period, Bahrain has made – and continues to make – sporting history at the highest levels. Among the many achievements are the four Olympic medals won in the last three editions of the Games, including a gold in London 2012, a gold and silver in Rio 2016, and a silver medal in Tokyo 2021.
“His Highness Shaikh Nasser and His Highness Shaikh Khalid really put the BOC on a new trajectory,” Abdulghaffar explained. “A key thing for us was our first Olympic medal in 2012. Previously, we didn’t have any Olympic podiums, but that motivated us and put us on this new path.
“Alhamdulillah, we achieved quite a bit, and just having that vision and support was overwhelming for everybody, and everyone rallied behind this. We have worked together really hard to be able to promote sports and achieve these wonderful accomplishments.”
Bahrain are now considered as serious competitors on the continental and global stages, and the kingdom displayed their sporting prowess at the Hangzhou Asian Games in China last year, when they finished a sensational ninth overall from more than 40 countries on the final medal tally.
“At the Asian Games, when we competed amongst 45 nations, it was always tough competition,” said Abdulghaffar, who was also Bahrain’s Chef de Mission in Hangzhou.
“The selected sports we took part in were very optimal for us. We leveraged ourselves and put ourselves in a position where we would have our best possible outcome, and, thanks to God, we were able to achieve the medals.
“We are always trying to compete with the top nations. It’s not easy, but thanks to the support and guidance we get from His Highness Shaikh Nasser and His Highness Shaikh Khalid, we are able to accomplish great things at these events.”
Abdulghaffar is looking forward to carrying over his duties as the kingdom’s top administrative official from his maiden Asiad to his first Olympiad – a role he embraces whole-heartedly. “It is a great pride and honour for me, personally,” he said.
“His Highness Shaikh Khalid granting me this opportunity is truly appreciated on my end.
“Just to represent the Kingdom of Bahrain in any international event is an honour, and this is the highest role I can aspire to achieve within the BOC for the Paris Olympics.”
Abdulghaffar says that his experience in China, along with his tenure as former secretary general of the Bahrain Swimming Association, has helped prepare him for the responsibilities he will undertake in Paris.
“My role is all-inclusive for both athletes and officials,” he explained.
“As Chef de Mission last year at the Asian Games, it was a big responsibility for myself. Alhamdulillah, we achieved an historic accomplishment with our medal tally, which, for Bahrain, was our highest ever.
“That role really set me up well for the Paris Olympics. We had one of the biggest delegations from Bahrain in Hangzhou, with more than 200 athletes and officials. The logistical arrangements gave me a lot of experience with what to expect as we’re coming in to Paris.”
With Bahrain’s Olympic bid at hand, Abdulghaffar is calling on all sports fans across the kingdom to come together, express their pride for Team Bahrain, and cheer the kingdom’s athletes on.
“We appreciate all the supporters we have in Bahrain, and we always welcome them to voice their support through social media and by interacting with our athletes,” he said.
“The athletes need all the support they can get, so please always share your cheers and good wishes with them at Paris 2024.”
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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