Supreme Council for Youth and Sports first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa chaired the eighth meeting of the BOC’s board of directors.
Shaikh Khalid emphasised the importance of all the kingdom’s national teams making a distinguished representation at the 20th Asian Games, to be held in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, and returning with an achievement befitting the status and distinguished reputation of Bahraini sports.
Shaikh Khalid was briefed on the latest preparations undertaken by the BOC for Bahrain’s participation in this year’s Asiad, including the participating sports and the size of the delegation.
Shaikh Khalid was also informed on preparations to participate in the Youth Olympic Games 2026 in Dakar, Senegal and the sixth Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The meeting also reviewed the latest developments regarding Bahrain’s hosting of the Arab Games, scheduled for 2027, as well as preparations and arrangements for Bahrain’s participation in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The gathering decided that Bahrain will host the 38th meeting of National Olympic Committee presidents of the GCC countries, as well as the 102nd executive office meeting.
BOC secretary general Fares Mustafa Al Kooheji reviewed the sporting achievements during the first quarter of 2026, most notably the senior men’s handball national team’s historic title triumph in the 22nd Asian Men’s Handball Championship in Kuwait City, Kuwait, and the national teams’ results at the sixth Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China, as well as at the fourth GCC Games in Doha, Qatar.
The meeting also reviewed the BOC’s achievements in 2025 and the latest developments regarding the World Aquatics project with GFH Group.
Furthermore, the implementation of the regulations governing training and coaches in the sports sector across all sports federations was discussed.
It also decided to appoint PKF Al Bassam to audit the accounting records of the sports federations for 2026.
The meeting also discussed proposals submitted by the sports federations during the BOC’s ordinary general assembly.
The meeting set the organisation of the fifth edition of the Bahrain Baby Olympics and this year’s Olympic Day event for the final quarter of this year.
At this year’s Asian Games, a number of sports will begin prior to the official start, including five-on-five men’s basketball, which kicks off tomorrow.
More than 11,000 athletes from the Olympic Council of Asia’s (OCA) 45-member nations, both men and women, will be vying for the podium in 469 medal events across 43 sports.
Bahrain are participating for the 14th time in the quadrennial OCA spectacle.
The kingdom’s athletes first competed in 1974 and have been a part of the Asian Games in each edition since.
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