Bahrain named permanent headquarters of GCC sports governing body

Manama, Apr. 10 (BNA): The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Sport Dispute Resolution Authority has been confirmed to have its permeant headquarters in the Kingdom of Bahrain, according to the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC). The authority, which came into existence as per an initiative of His Majesty the King's Representative for Charity and Youth Affairs His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, will now select its secretariat council that includes secretary generals of the GCC National Olympic Committees. This was announced at the 88th meeting of Executive Office of presidents of GCC National Olympic Committees, which came to a close in Muscat on April 10. Presidents of GCC National Olympic Committee also submit their visions and ideas about another Shaikh Nasser initiative ‘GCC Physical Literacy’ to the GCC Secretariat General, which has already received a model of this project that was indeed implemented in Bahrain through BOC’s Olympic Academy under the slogan ‘Sport for Life’. Among most significant resolutions were shifting the premises of the GCC Women Sport Organising Committee to Bahrain by the end of August after it was based in Kuwait for more than 15 years. The GCC Volleyball Organising Committee’s headquarters will also be moved from Kuwait. Meanwhile, BOC secretary general Mohammed Al Nusuf has stressed that Bahrain sports enjoys exceptional support and follow up from the country’s leadership. Al Nusuf asserted the keenness of National Olympic Committees’ officials to achieve the objectives and aspirations of their majesties and Highness leaders of the GCC countries. He commended the harmony and cohesion among presidents of the GCC NOCs and for choosing the Kingdom of Bahrain as headquarters of the Dispute Resolution Authority. Al Nusuf noted that this initiative of HH Shaikh Nasser aims to activate the law role and adopting contribution to develop sports competitions, especially on the international level. Youth and Sports Affairs Minister Ayman bin Tawfiq Al Moayyed arrived in Muscat to head Bahrain’s delegation at the GCC Youth and Sports Ministers’ meeting. In this meeting, the final statement of the 39th session of the GCC Supreme Council will be discussed, while the implementation of the resolutions of 31st meeting of GCC Ministers of Youth and Sports will be discussed. In another context, Youth and Sports Affairs Ministry’s acting assistant undersecretary for Support and Initiatives Iman Janahi attended the 35th meeting of the Undersecretaries of the Ministries of Youth and Sports, which concluded at the consulting authority headquarters. The undersecretaries meeting witnessed a massive praise for the Kingdom's role in supporting the youth and integrating the objectives of sustainable development in joint youth work as the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs held the 9th International Youth Conference on the sidelines of the 31st GCC Youth and Sports Ministers meeting.