More than 250 researchers, fitness club managers and sports officials from
different countries attended the forum yesterday
Dedicated sports schools on way in Bahrain
MANAMA, December 19, 2014
Dedicated sports schools are set to be built in each of Bahrain's four governorates, as part of plans to encourage health and fitness among the country's youth.
They will complement a hospital specialising in sports medicine, which was given the go-ahead at a board meeting of the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) early this week, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.
BOC board member and Bahrain Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Federation president Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa revealed the sports school plans yesterday on the sidelines of the 56th International Council for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport and Dance (ICHPER.SD) World Congress held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Manama.
"Our focus remains at the grassroot level, where we want youngsters to actively take up sports," he said.
"BOC members have discussed plans to have state-of-the-art sports schools with all the facilities in all four governorates, which is a different concept that we have been pushing for."
Although he did not reveal a time frame or budget for the planned sports schools, Shaikh Abdulla said that the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, under the leadership of its chairman Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, was using sports and youth activities to foster cohesion among the people of Bahrain.
During the opening of the three-day conference yesterday, US-based ICHPER.SD president Dr Adel El Nashar spoke about the need for governments to use sport as a tool to promote peace and unity.
"Authorities should review the reasons behind the turbulence and conflict in this region and work towards ending it - because to develop a sports system, we need global peace," he said.
"At the end of this meeting, a declaration will be signed, which will form a roadmap for a modern international system that takes into account transparency, accountability and promoting the culture of sports globally."
More than 250 sports facilities managers, researchers and officials from across the globe are taking part in the event, which sees them discuss topics such as women in sport, fitness, the Olympic movement, science and sports performance.
Among the attendees yesterday was Dr Yoshiro Hatano, a Japanese sports scientist, who first conceived the 10,000 steps per day physical fitness theory, and BOC Women's Sport Committee chairman Shaikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa, who spoke about the role of women in sports.
"We are now seeing more female athletes competing in different sports which is a positive sign," she said.
"I have seen women's sports develop in Bahrain over the years, and we are working on addressing the challenges they face and encouraging them to take part in national and international tournaments." - TradeArabia News Service