Tuesday 23 / September / 2025
Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) held a signing ceremony for Olympic Scholarships agreements with a number of Omani athletes, as part of the preparation and readiness for participation in the 34th Summer Olympic Games, scheduled to be held in Los Angeles, USA, in 2028.
The ceremony was held under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Azan bin Qais Al Said, OOC President, in the presence of the OOC’s Board members, several heads of sports federations and committees, the Director General of Sports and Development at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, as well as the athletes benefiting from the grants and representatives of local media.
The ceremony began with a speech by Abdullah bin Mohammed Bamkhalif, OOC Secretary General, in which he affirmed the Committee’s commitment to providing the best support mechanisms for athletes to enable them to reach the competitive levels required for Olympic participation. He highlighted that these grants come within the framework of cooperation with the Olympic Solidarity Program of the International Olympic Committee, which aims to assist athletes in enhancing their training programs and boosting their technical readiness.
Following the speech, a short film was screened, detailing the Olympic grants program, its related aspects, eligibility criteria, and procedures for benefiting from it. The film also included interviews with the athletes selected to receive this support.
Subsequently, agreements were signed between OOC and each athlete on the beneficiaries’ list, which comprised ten athletes across three individual Olympic sports. The list of beneficiaries included three athletes from Oman Taekwondo Committee: Fidaa bint Fouad Al Barwani, Dawood bin Fahd Al Yousufi, and Al Muhannad bin Tawfiq Al Balushi; three athletes from Oman Fencing Committee: Ahmed bin Anwar Kaskas, Israa bint Saif Al Siyabi, and Jana bint Mohammed Al Sharjy; and four athletes from the Oman Athletics Federation: Ali bin Anwar Al Balushi, Molhim bin Darwish Al Balushi, Fatek bin Abdulghafour Sanjour, and Alia bint Faiq Al Maghiri.
Intensive Efforts
This initiative is the result of OOC’s efforts, which successfully secured ten Olympic grants through the Olympic Solidarity Program, despite the technical guidelines initially allotting only 6 scholarships to Oman, given that the country had fewer than fifty athletes participating in the last Olympic Games. OOC managed to increase the number to ten grants after intensive follow-up and coordination with the International Olympic Solidarity, aiming to enable the largest number of eligible athletes to benefit from the preparation programs, making Oman one of the few National Olympic Committees worldwide to receive this number of quotas.
Comprehensive File
This initiative reflects OOC Board’s commitment to utilizing the International Olympic Solidarity programs effectively. OOC prepared a comprehensive file in line with approved technical and administrative standards, involving federations and sports committees in nominating athletes eligible for these grants. Selection was based on athletes’ results, technical metrics, and achievements in national and international competitions, ensuring a comprehensive nomination process.
Program Objectives
The Olympic Scholarships Program aims to assist athletes nominated by National Olympic Committees during their preparation for the Olympic Games. The program seeks to improve training and competition environments, provide the necessary financial and technical support to high-level athletes aiming for qualification, enhance global Olympic participation, and offer opportunities for countries with smaller delegations to improve their athletes’ readiness. It also emphasizes promoting female participation across various sports.
Eligibility Requirements
The International Olympic Solidarity has established specific eligibility criteria for these grants. The athlete must participate in an individual sport included in the Los Angeles 2028 program, meet the minimum qualifying technical level verified by recognized national or international results, and genuinely need support due to limited available resources. Furthermore, the athlete must adhere to ethical standards, the Olympic Charter, and anti-doping regulations, with no previous violations.
Support Coverage
The program covers multiple support aspects, including training expenses within Oman or at specialized regional and international centers, access to highly qualified coaches according to each sport’s requirements, technical and medical preparation, and training camp arrangements. Additionally, athletes’ performance is closely monitored through technical reports submitted to relevant federations and sports committees and to the International Olympic Solidarity, ensuring that the grant objectives are fully achieved.
Significant Step
These grants represent an important step in OOC’s efforts to develop the national sports system. They are expected to enhance domestic competition levels, expand the pool of distinguished athletes, and prepare a new generation capable of representing Oman in upcoming continental and international competitions, thereby strengthening the presence of Omani sports on the global stage.
OOC confirmed that it will continue coordinating with national federations and sports committees to provide all necessary support for athletes benefiting from these scholarships, including assigning specialized coaches and developing comprehensive preparation plans, thus enhancing their readiness and giving them greater opportunities to qualify for and participate in the Los Angeles Olympics.
Additional Programs
The International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Solidarity Committee offers four main programs supporting National Olympic Committees during each four-year Olympic cycle: support for athletes, support for coaches, promotion of Olympic values, and management development and knowledge exchange programs. OOC continually seeks to leverage these programs to develop national technical and administrative capabilities, strengthening the country’s sports system and preparing it for regional and international competitions.
International Confidence
His Highness Sayyid Azan bin Qais Al Said, OOC President, emphasized that this event represents a significant step in OOC’s journey to develop a generation of athletes capable of competing with distinction at the highest international levels.
He noted that Oman securing 10 Olympic Scholarships, compared to the usual allocation of only six grants from the International Olympic Committee, reflects growing confidence in the Committee’s competence and its ability to manage Olympic Solidarity programs efficiently and transparently. He added: “This achievement would not have been possible without close cooperation and constructive coordination with national federations and sports committees, which exert great efforts in nurturing talents and preparing them scientifically for upcoming competitions.”
A National Project
His Highness explained that these grants serve as a practical means to realize a comprehensive national project for producing Olympic champions. The national vision integrates with institutional efforts and the aspirations of Omani youth. He added: “We consider the creation of champions a shared national responsibility and an open field for partnership with the private sector, which plays a fundamental role in supporting Olympic preparation programs, whether through direct sponsorship or innovative initiatives in training, scientific and medical qualification, and providing technical and logistical resources.”
Royal Directives
His Highness further stated: “Our steps today are inspired by the generous directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said who considers youth and sports a key pillar in the ongoing renaissance, and draw momentum from the wise vision of His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham bin Tarik Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, who consistently emphasizes investing in promising national talents and producing Olympic champions, thereby enhancing Oman’s global standing.”
Future Aspirations
His Highness concluded by affirming that OOC is moving forward with its vision to be a national platform reflecting the aspirations of Omani youth athletes and contributing to building a sustainable sports system that elevates the nation and positions Oman prominently on the international Olympic map.
