Shavkat Mirziyoyev Outlines Ambitious Plans for the Development of Sports
Tashkent, The Gulf Observer: In a recent meeting, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was briefed on the progress and future strategies concerning the development of sports and the Olympic Movement in Uzbekistan. This follows the nation’s remarkable achievements at the recent Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, where Uzbek athletes won 39 medals, securing 13th place out of over 200 participating countries — the highest ranking in the country’s sporting history.
Addressing the winners of these prestigious competitions, President Mirziyoyev emphasized the need for early preparations for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. He called for expanding Uzbekistan’s participation across more disciplines. In line with this directive, the Ministry of Sports, along with the national Olympic and Paralympic committees, critically reviewed the current gaps and unused opportunities in various sporting categories.
During the meeting, it was highlighted that although the Olympic Games feature 48 track and field disciplines and 49 water sports disciplines, Uzbekistan had only 5 and 4 representatives in these events, respectively. The President underscored the necessity of enhancing the nation’s presence in these key areas.
Furthermore, existing federations for tennis, shooting, gymnastics, and cycling were noted as promising fields with untapped potential. Additional opportunities were identified in Greco-Roman wrestling, equestrian sports, fencing, and rowing. President Mirziyoyev also stressed the importance of developing team sports such as field hockey, basketball, handball, rugby, and water polo. As part of this strategy, he tasked sports federations with intensifying their activities and refining the educational and training systems for athletes.
President Mirziyoyev reaffirmed that the national Olympic and Paralympic movement draws its strength from mass sports. He issued directives to expand talent selection efforts at the grassroots level, particularly in mahallas (neighborhood communities), and to enhance the professional training of promising young athletes.
In addition to Olympic ambitions, Uzbekistan is gearing up to host the Asian and Paralympic Games for youth in 2025. An Olympic Village is currently under construction in Tashkent for this purpose. During his recent visit to the site, President Mirziyoyev emphasized that the village should become a key scientific, practical, and training hub for domestic sports. After the Asian Games, the Olympic Village infrastructure is expected to remain in active use, with management established under the Smart City concept to ensure effective operation and maintenance of the complex.
President Mirziyoyev also directed that an annual plan for priority sports be introduced, allowing athletes from across Uzbekistan to conduct training sessions in the Olympic Village. Additionally, the facility will host mass sporting events and provide rental services to foster greater public involvement in sports.
The development of winter sports was also a focus of the meeting. With hockey emerging as a promising discipline, Uzbekistan currently boasts 4 sports clubs and 3 hockey facilities. The country’s U16 team secured 1st place at the Asia and Oceania Cup in 2023, and this year, the tournament was successfully hosted in Uzbekistan, with the U18 team clinching victory. Based on these achievements, the President proposed constructing a dedicated hockey complex within the Olympic Village.
In closing, President Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of increasing the public’s engagement in physical education and mass sports, as well as ensuring systematic preparation for international competitions to further elevate Uzbekistan’s global sporting profile.
