During the 3rd Summit of Young Professionals in Sports held in Bangkok, a plenary session titled "Asia - Territory of Children’s Sport. Regional Cases" took place. Ali Feizasa, a sports journalist and member of the UWW Media Commission, served as the moderator for the plenary session.
Vladimir Maksimov, President of the Children of Asia International Committee, stated:
"Children’s sports are not just about achieving the highest athletic performance. Starting from coaches and extending to managers and leaders, our main task, in our view, is to educate children. Not every athlete reaches the highest results in sports, but our objective, both for us and every individual, is primarily to raise responsible citizens – individuals with broad knowledge and self-discipline. The general public often only sees the victorious results of athletes, but there are many stories that showcase the grueling journey athletes undertake, requiring immense effort. However, crucial companions on this journey are the coaches and the family. It is through all these elements that future victories are achieved. Our current vision and goal are not to teach the right way to do things, but rather to share the present state of children’s sports. You have the option to implement these projects in your own country or customize and adapt them to your national sports management structure. The plenary session today will also establish the course for our future work. The most important aspect is to elevate our own abilities and provide an opportunity for all of us to learn new and valuable insights from one another."
Participants discussed key aspects of children's sports development, including accessibility of sports opportunities, implementation of innovative teaching methods, creating favorable conditions for training, and supporting young athletes in Asian countries.
Mr. Atcharat Yongtawee, the Director of the Research and Development Division at the Sports Science Bureau, Department of Physical Education, Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Kingdom of Thailand, stated:
"Our country has been participating in the Children of Asia Games since its inception in 1996, including the Children of Asia Winter Games. Thailand’s participation serves as an example of our commitment to developing and expanding opportunities for children's sport. We place great importance on ensuring that every young athlete in Thailand has the chance to compete in both domestic and international competitions.
Each year, our department organizes sports camps, Olympic Movement initiatives, projects focused on physical literacy, and sports science programs. We also implement numerous projects in remote regions of Thailand to ensure that every child has access to sport, recognizing its significance in their social development. Today's plenary session offers an excellent opportunity to learn about regional examples for the active development of children's sport in our respective Asian countries."
Haider Farman, President of the International Kurash Association, expressed the following:
"In the development of children’s sports, it is necessary for all of us to use new technologies to our advantage without losing sight of our history and culture. We should direct our efforts towards combating technological dependence in the right direction and gain more benefits in the development of sports. For instance, during the pandemic, we conducted online Kurash training, enabling children to continue participating in sports and learn new techniques. With a history spanning over 3000 years, Kurash can now benefit even more from new technologies if we learn to utilize them correctly for our goals and objectives. No matter what initiative comes up, we need to support it and strive to find a solution. It is crucial not to solely rely on top-down approaches or remain impartial in decision-making. We need to support all initiatives and recognize that they contribute to the preservation of our cultural heritage. It is essential to remember our roots and acknowledge that it all stems from a vibrant living culture. By combining our cultural heritage with new technologies, we can expect to reap the benefits of promoting and advancing children’s sports in the near future."
The session participants agreed on the need for collaborative efforts to promote a sports culture among children and teenagers in Asia.
Mohammed Salman Maki Habib, Chief of the Technical Control and Audit Directorate General Sports Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain, said:
"I am delighted to be here today at the Young Professionals Summit. We believe that the outcomes of this Summit will positively impact the sports performance of all our young athletes.
The primary objective of our ministry is to promote a healthy lifestyle among children. For our athletes, we organize a series of lectures on proper sports nutrition and invite accomplished sports stars to our events. This allows our athletes to interact with them, learn from their experiences, and stay motivated. We also sponsor internships for exceptionally talented athletes and send them to other countries for training camps.
Currently, we are working on expanding the number of staff members for sports teams. In the past, a single coach used to handle everything, but now it is crucial for each sports team to have not only a coach but also a sports manager, medical personnel, and an entire accompanying staff.
Furthermore, it is essential to strive for equality among all athletes, ensuring that every child can participate in various sports competitions. After all, for athletes to develop, they need to experience both defeat and victory."
They proposed specific steps and strategies aimed at improving infrastructure, providing training for coaching staff, and creating conditions for the growth of sporting talent.
