Manama: His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS), Chairman of the General Sports Authority (GSA) and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC), chaired the ninth meeting of the GSA Board of Directors, held yesterday. His Highness Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Vice Chairman of the GSA, and board members attended the meeting.
According to Bahrain News Agency, HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad commended the GSA and its executive team, led by Chief Executive Officer Dr Abdulrahman Askar, for their efforts, which have contributed to a series of achievements and advances in Bahrain's sports sector. He highlighted the continued efforts to develop the Kingdom's sports sector and strengthen its administrative and institutional environment.
The meeting discussed activating the School and University Sports Unit to strengthen links between educational institutions and the sports sector, broaden participation in sports and identify sporting talent. It also reviewed a report on the Sports Full-Time Law and related cases.
The board also discussed institutional excellence in national sports clubs as part of efforts to enhance management and governance standards and improve institutional performance. It approved the launch of the Khalid bin Hamad Award for Institutional Excellence in Sports Clubs, in line with the GSA's strategic plans and aimed at encouraging clubs to adopt the highest standards of quality in administrative work, thereby improving their administrative, financial and technical performance.
The board also discussed the importance of first-aid kits in enhancing safety and preparedness at sports facilities and during sporting activities, aiming to prevent sudden deaths among athletes, club and federation members, and users of various sports facilities.
The board approved offering the sports hall at Juffair Youth Centre under the GSA's naming rights initiative, following the model of Khalifa Sports City and Isa Sports City, as part of ongoing efforts to optimise investment in sports facilities under the authority.
The meeting also reviewed a programme to establish unified administrative structures for sports institutions and work with relevant entities to empower youth and develop supporting programmes in cooperation with various government bodies. The initiative aims to create more opportunities for Bahraini talent and benefit from their capabilities and expertise across different areas of sports administration.
The meeting concluded with a discussion of governance and ways to promote best administrative and organisational practices across the sports sector.