Iruthisham: Great development to sports during this administration

Minister of Youth and Sports, Iruthisham Adam has stated that great developments had been made in the sporting field of the country during President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration.

Minister Iruthisham made the comment during her speech at World Forum on Sports and Culture, held in Tokyo, Japan from October 20-21.

Iruthisham addressed heads of youth and sports institutions of 35 other Asian countries, and said that multiple initiatives had been run during the three years of President Yameen’s administration to develop the field, at great results.

She noted the Sports Act passed in 2015, and the subsequent creation of Maldives National Institute of Sports, paving the way for greater collaboration between national sporting organizations, Olympic Committee, and all stakeholders working to develop the field.

She said that Sports Act played an instrumental role in ensuring an equal platform across the country for sporting, cultural, and social activities.

Iruthisham said that through the law, government had been able to appoint a Sports Commissioner, and create an efficient mechanism to oversee running of sporting clubs and organizations.

She noted that the geographical makeup of the country made ensuring a fair allocation of resources to all islands a challenge. But said that President Yameen’s initiative to establish a sporting arena in every inhabited island was going ahead in full speed.

Iruthisham said Maldivian athletes were counting days they had never seen before, and said that the government was working on providing them with international-standard facilities to further hone their skills and talent.

She said that construction of a world-class athletic track was underway at the moment.

Iruthisham said that sporting was something which had the power to unify the entire human race, and pledged commitment of the Maldivian government to develop the field of sporting, both locally and internationally.