GCC Olympic officials affirm support for women

KUWAIT: The Executive Office of the GCC National Olympic Committees reaffirmed its support for the Unified Platform for Gulf Women’s Sports during its 101st meeting, held Saturday in Kuwait under the chairmanship of Acting Secretary General of the Kuwait Olympic Committee, Captain Ali Al-Merri.

Originally approved in 2023, the Unified Platform aims to strengthen the visibility and development of women’s sports across the Gulf region. It features a unified digital identity for female athletes, an official accredited website dedicated to women’s sports news relevant to the GCC Secretariat General, and a centralized space to highlight the role of sporting organizations in advancing women’s sports in member countries.

As part of its continued push for innovation, the committee also approved the launch of a Gulf Women’s Sports Hackathon as an annual or regular event under the supervision of the GCC Advisory Committee for Women’s Sports. Last held in Oman in 2024, the hackathon aims to enhance the role of women in the field of sports, in addition to exchanging knowledge between the GCC countries to enhance sports culture in the region. The event includes workshops presented by specialists and experts in women’s sports programs.

In addition to the women’s sports initiatives, the Executive Office discussed several major topics: Preparation for the 3rd Gulf Beach Games in Muscat in 2025, congratulating Oman for its successful hosting efforts; approval of Kuwait’s bid to host the 2nd GCC Youth Games in 2028; approval of the UAE’s request to host the 1st Sports Law and Administration Conference in 2026; support for Qatar’s preparations for hosting the 4th Gulf Sports Games in 2026; and review of the draft unified statute for GCC sports federations.

Representing Kuwait at the meeting was Sheikh Jaber Thamer Al-Sabah, member of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Olympic Committee, along with Secretaries-General from the Gulf countries and Abdullah Al-Rabiei, Head of the Human and Environmental Affairs Sector at the GCC Secretariat General. — KUNA