We previously reported that the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced that the IV Asian Youth Games, originally scheduled for 2025 in Tashkent, have been moved to Bahrain.
During an online meeting of the OCA Executive Council held on December 2, it was announced that the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan sent a letter to the OCA stating that it would not be able to host the Asian Youth Games as planned in September 2025 due to the fact that the construction of the Olympic Village in Tashkent will not be completed on time.
The OCA's Director General, Hussein Al-Mussallam, emphasized that the 2025 Games are linked to the Youth Olympic Games, which will take place in Dakar (Senegal) in 2026, hence the postponement of the Asian Youth Games is not feasible.
The Bahrain Olympic Committee expressed its readiness to host the Games in 2025, providing sports facilities, accommodation, and medical services for the participants. The Secretary General of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, Faris Al-Kuhayji, noted that the Asian Youth Games will be held with the full support of the country's leadership.
The OCA Executive Council unanimously approved the holding of the Asian Youth Games 2025 in Bahrain and expressed gratitude to the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan for all their efforts, noting that Uzbekistan will be able to host major international competitions in the future.