Tuesday 14 / April / 2026
Muscat: In line with its ongoing efforts to strengthen Omani sport's presence at the continental and international levels, and to continue supporting athletes across various individual sports disciplines, Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) held a signing ceremony on Tuesday morning for continental athlete support agreements. The event forms part of a comprehensive suite of initiatives and programs aimed at elevating technical performance standards and enabling athletes to compete in external events with efficiency and high readiness.
The ceremony was held under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Azzan bin Qais Al Said, OOC President, and was attended by a number of OOC Board members, representatives of sports federations and committees, the beneficiary athletes, and local media representatives.
The ceremony opened with a speech by Ali bin Salim Al-Busafi, Acting Executive Director and Director of the Olympic Solidarity Department, in which he highlighted the significance of continental support programs in developing the national sports ecosystem. He affirmed the vital role played by OOC in creating an enabling environment for athlete preparation in accordance with best technical and administrative practices, noting that these initiatives form part of a strategic vision aimed at building a generation capable of competing and achieving distinguished results across various arenas.
Al-Busafi added that OOC is committed to strengthening its partnerships with sports federations and committees, operating in a spirit of integration that consolidates efforts and channels them toward the achievement of shared objectives — anchored in the optimal investment in young talent and the honing of their abilities through long-term development programs. He also stressed the importance of leveraging Olympic Solidarity programs to transfer expertise and adopt global best practices in training and preparation.
Al-Busafi further clarified that continental support programs represent a fundamental pillar in the athlete development pathway, as they provide high-quality exposure to diverse sporting schools that contribute to raising athletes' technical and physical performance levels, and enhance their readiness to enter major competitions with confidence and proficiency. He emphasized the necessity of adhering to approved plans and maintaining discipline in the execution of training programs to maximize the benefit derived from these opportunities.
He also noted that the coming period demands intensified efforts from all stakeholders — technical and administrative bodies as well as the athletes themselves — in order to realize the aspirations of Omani sport, underscoring that success is achieved only through organized work and continuity in development and evaluation.
In closing, Al-Busafi expressed his confidence in the ability of the program's beneficiary athletes to represent the Sultanate of Oman with distinction, affirming that OOC will continue to support them and provide all necessary resources to help them fulfill their ambitions and raise the Sultanate's flag high across continental and international arenas.
A short film was subsequently screened, offering a profile of the selected athletes, highlighting their sporting careers and most notable achievements.
The agreements were then signed between OOC and each of the beneficiary athletes — six in total, representing a number of sports federations and committees. They are: Hamza bin Abdullah Al-Jabri from Oman Athletics Federation; Umaima bint Harib Al-Hinai and Nibras bin Mohammed Al-Tawqi from Oman Taekwondo Committee; Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Ghailani from Oman Triathlon Committee; Al-Harith bin Salem Al-Harthi from Oman Fencing Committee; and Amer bin Salem Al-Khanajri from Oman Weightlifting Committee. This reflects the diversity of sports benefiting from the program and OOC commitment to encompassing as many individual sports disciplines as possible.
Continuation of Institutional Support
The signing of these agreements is an extension of OOC Board's commitment — through the Olympic Solidarity Department — to providing quality programs and initiatives that support the plans of sports federations and committees, contribute to the development of preparation programs, and enhance athlete readiness for international competitions.
The Continental Support Program
The Continental Support Program is one of the programs funded by International Olympic Solidarity. It aims to enable National Olympic Committees to prepare their athletes for continental and international competitions through integrated technical and financial support, encompassing the implementation of training camps, long-term preparation programs, and competition participation — all within a four-year framework.
Selection Process
In coordination with the relevant sports federations and committees, athletes demonstrating the potential and ambition to benefit from the program were nominated in accordance with precise technical criteria designed to ensure distinguished representation of Omani sport across various competitions. All submitted applications were subject to a comprehensive technical evaluation by OOC specialized departments, resulting in the endorsement of the list of beneficiary athletes upon completion of all assessment procedures, in coordination with International Olympic Solidarity and the relevant international federations — ensuring the selection of the most prepared and capable candidates.
Program Objectives
The Continental Grants Support Program aims to assist National Olympic Committees in preparing their athletes for participation in regional, continental, or world championships, and multi-sport games — including the Commonwealth Games, the Francophonie Games, and the Olympic Games through qualifying events. The program focuses on developing athletes' technical capabilities and expanding their opportunities to compete in high-quality events that sharpen their skills and elevate their performance levels.
Eligibility Criteria
The program requires that eligible athletes be recognized as elite-level continental athletes, or be in preparation for the Olympic Games and/or continental or regional competitions. Applications are limited to sports included in regional and continental competition programs, or in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games or Youth Olympic Games. Beneficiary athletes are required to raise awareness of athlete welfare topics, anti-doping, and the prevention of competition manipulation. Additionally, a formal contract must be signed between the National Olympic Committee or national federation and the athlete, clearly specifying the name, timeframe, budget, and responsibilities of all parties.
Forms of Support
The program covers the organization of national and international training camps for athletes, their training and preparation through specialized programs, and support for their participation in competitions as part of their comprehensive preparation plans. It also includes periodic technical monitoring of athletes' progress, and the option to engage specialized coaching personnel based on the specific requirements of each sport — ensuring maximum benefit is derived from the program.
Prior Coordination
Prior to the signing of these agreements, a series of coordination meetings was held between the Olympic Solidarity Department and the relevant sports federations and committees. These meetings covered the details of the continental support programs, implementation mechanisms, selection criteria, and agreement terms — ensuring clarity of roles, integration of efforts, and maximum benefit for the participating athletes.
A Milestone Moment
The signing of these agreements marks a significant milestone in the development pathway of Omani athletes, representing a qualitative step toward enhancing their readiness to compete at continental and international levels, and achieving positive results that are commensurate with the aspirations of Omani sport — strengthening its presence and raising the flag of the Sultanate of Oman high across all competitions.
