Manama, Bahrain, October 24, 2025: The Olympic Council of Asia’s initiative ‘Guarding the Asian Games” is on show at the 3rd Asian Youth Games as part of an ongoing effort to educate young athletes on the importance of competition integrity, safeguarding, and anti-doping.
A booth has been set up at the Athletes Hub – opposite multi-sports venue Exhibition World Bahrain – and has started to draw athletes after becoming operational. It is open daily from 4pm to 8pm until October 30.
It will form one of the key engagement points within the Hub, and is expected to attract hundreds of athletes from across Asia during the Games.
Managed by experts from the OCA, among them Jamyang Namgyal (Prevention of Manipulation of Competition), Sabine Fakhoury (Safeguarding), Dr. Venera Abdulla (Anti-Doping), the initiative will aim to raise awareness about the various off-the-field challenges athletes face.
The booth features three interactive activities, each themed around one of these core areas, and athletes are encouraged to participate in all three activities, which have been designed to be engaging, educational, and relevant to their everyday sporting experiences.
Upon completing the activities, they will receive a special edition “Guarding the Asian Games” watch as a token of appreciation. To ensure inclusivity, the OCA will also provide an online participation option for athletes who may not be able to visit the Athletes Hub in person.
Posters containing QR codes are displayed at the athletes’ hotels, allowing them to scan and take part in a short online quiz covering the same three topics. After completing the quiz, participants will simply need to share their completion page to claim their prize.
“This initiative is about empowering young athletes with knowledge that helps them make the right choices, both on and off the field,” said Jamyang Namgyal, Manager, OCA Athletes Department.
“We want to make learning about important issues like fair play, safeguarding, and anti-doping both engaging and memorable. It’s not just about rules, it’s about protecting what makes sport meaningful.”
Wissam Trkmani, Director of NOC Relations and Development Programmes at the OCA, added that such initiatives reflect the organisation’s broader commitment to athlete education and well-being.
“These young athletes represent the future of Asian sport,” he said. “Through ‘Guarding the Asian Games,’ we want to help them understand how their decisions today shape the integrity and spirit of sport tomorrow. The response to similar activities in previous Games has been very positive, and we look forward to continuing that momentum here in Bahrain.”
The “Guarding the Asian Games” booth will serve as one of several educational and engagement efforts at the Athletes Hub, reinforcing the OCA’s commitment to supporting athletes not only in competition but also in their personal and professional development.
