Kuwait City, Kuwait, February 5, 2023: The Olympic Council of Asia’s goal to place athletes at the heart of the Olympic Movement has received strong support with 13 National Olympic Committees launching an Athlete Centred Project Fund.
The Athlete Centred Project Fund was inducted in 2022 at the directive of the OCA’s and International Olympic Committee’s bid to put athletes at the core of the Olympic Movement.
The 13 Asian NOC’s which have set up this Fund through their individual Athletes Committees are: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Chinese-Taipei, Hong Kong, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan.
Tony Tarraf, OCA Head of Athletes Development Department and Special Projects said: “The Athlete Centred Project Fund was established for the period 2022-2024 and will enable NOC’s to implement different activities aiming at educating athletes, helping them to enhance their knowledge, and most importantly engage them in the sports movement and have a voice and opinion.
“We believe athletes are a great asset as they are the seeds that provide new growth in building better societies,” Tarraf said.
“To get them involved in the decision-making process the OCA Athlete Committee is working hard to activate Athlete Committees in Asia and to support existing ACs to implement regional activities to engage athletes.”
The project goals also include:
· Educating athletes on different topics to help them develop during and post-career.
· Training athletes on how to succeed in life by shaping character and mental toughness.
· Raising awareness.
· Athletes’ engagement.
· Creating equal educational opportunities.
· Investing in athletes for a better future for Asia.
According to Tarraf, this fund also encourages Athletes Committees to help athletes learn more about Olympic education, and host and organise workshops and other activities covering a wide range of topics.
“These include the role of the Athlete Committee, post-career, mental health, sexual harassment, nutrition, and anti-doping,” noted Tarraf.
Athletes Committees can also seek approval and propose any other activities on a case-by-case basis.
This project targets both active and retired athletes at all levels including national, continental and international level.