An agreement between the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) and the International Olympic Academy (IOA) seeks to advance sports education in the kingdom.
Signed by BOC secretary-general Fares Al Kooheji and IOA president Isidoros Kouvelos, the agreement will also help to ensure that Bahrain continues to produce world-class athletes.
Held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS) first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority (GSA) chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) president His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the signing ceremony was also attended by Public Authority for Sports chief executive Dr Abdulrahman Sadiq Askar. Shaikh Khaled expressed his great satisfaction in signing the agreement with the IOA, a renowned and long-standing organization overseeing national Olympic academies affiliated with National Olympic Committees worldwide.
He emphasised that said the BOC is committed to providing sports education and administrative and technical training programmes that will help produce qualified sports professionals.
The IOA is a leading institution in the field of sports and Olympic sciences, and this agreement will allow the BOC to exchange experiences and knowledge with the IOA and to develop the performance of the Olympic Academy in Bahrain, Shaikh Khalid added.
Mr Faris Al Kooheji conveyed his appreciation for the progress of sports education in Bahrain, emphasizing the positive impact it had on numerous individuals by fostering qualities such as discipline and teamwork among students throughout the country. Furthermore, he revealed that the BOC plans to send students to the IOA for master’s degrees. The IOA will also provide educational programs at the BOA premises. The curriculum covers sports management, governance, ethics, and diplomacy. Students will learn how sports can be used to promote social change and global unity.