Manama, Bahrain, May 15, 2025: Asia’s stars of tomorrow will be made in Bahrain when the 3rd Asian Youth Games gets underway in October, 2025, according to Secretary General of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, Faris Mustafa Al Kooheji.
Addressing delegates at the Chefs de Mission Seminar at The Art Hotel & Resort Hotel in Amwaj Island on Thursday, May 15, Al Kooheji said the Kingdom of Bahrain was honoured to host the Asian Youth Games as it will be the place where the stars of tomorrow will surface.
“The champions in Bahrain could well be turning out for their countries at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. They could be future Olympic champions and we are honoured to be able to host these games,” said Al Kooheji, who is also an Executive Board Member of the Olympic Council of Asia.
The BOC Secretary General gave a pat on the back to his NOC and the Bahrain state apparatus for coming together as host city after the 3rd AYG was moved from Tashkent, Uzbekistan to Bahrain in early December, 2024.
“We have in record time – five months – been able to prepare everything. For this I have to thank the OCA for its round-the-clock support,” Al Kooheji told the first CDM seminar.
The AYG will feature 24 sports, 31 disciplines and 253 events. It is expected that 5,400 athletes from 45 Asian National Olympic Committees will participate. No new sports will be added to the programme at the last minute organisers stressed.
In his opening remarks, OCA Deputy Director General Vinod Kumar Tiwari thanked the BOC for stepping up to the plate. Tiwari said: “The OCA thanks Bahrain from the bottom of our hearts for putting their hands up. It is not an easy job organising a multi-sports games, especially in such a short time frame. The OCA will provide as much support as we can to ensure the games are a success.”
The CDM seminar was a high-powered meeting with a number of high-ranking NOC officials also turning up, including Mongolia’s NOC President Battushig Batbold, Indonesian NOC President Raja Sapta Oktohari and Tajikistan NOC Vice President Dilshod Nazarov, as well as the NOC Secretary Generals from Afghanistan, Maldives, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Laos and Iraq.
The importance of the October 22-31 Bahrain Asian Youth Games has been emphasised because it will serve as a launch pad for young athletes who will be taking part at the Dakar Youth Olympic Games next year.
“The Bahrain AYG will also provide all the Asian NOCs the chance to use it like a qualifying event for the Youth Olympic Games,” Al Kooheji reminded the delegates from the 42 Asian NOCs who had turned up in Manama.
OCA Deputy Director General Tiwari also reminded officials of the educational aspect of these games.
“The philosophy of the Asian Youth Games is educating our future athletes. It is not only about competing and winning medals rather the focus will also be on educating the young athletes about anti-doping, or safeguarding. It is these athletes who will go on to represent Asia at the Olympics and the Asian Games in the future and we will prepare them,” Tiwari said.
The age limit for the Bahrain AYG is 14 to 17 years, so that athletes will be eligible to represent their country at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar where the age restriction is 18 years.
As on the first day at the Technical Delegates Meeting, the Chefs de Mission was taken through all facets of the games, from accreditation and accommodation to NOC Services and transportation.
The CdMs will conduct site visits on Friday, May 16.
Among the other main information revealed was:
· Designated lanes and arrival and departure services at ports of entry in Bahrain from October 13 to November 2
· Opening Ceremony on October 22 at Exhibition World Bahrain, an indoor venue
· Closing Ceremony on October 31 at Beyon Al-Dana Amphitheatre, an outdoor venue
