Iraqi National Olympic Committee President Aqeel Muftin has announced new efforts to strengthen the country's sports sector, revealing that Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has instructed relevant authorities to support sports development projects, complete stalled infrastructure works and resume unfinished stadium projects.
Muftin said discussions with Youth and Sports Minister Safaa al-Kinani and the Olympic Committee's executive office resulted in an agreement to establish a comprehensive plan to address the difficulties facing sports federations.
The proposed measures include providing financial grants for three to four months in coordination with the government, as federations have reportedly gone two years and eight months without receiving funding or budget allocations.
He also said the Ministry of Youth and Sports would oversee the rehabilitation of sports facilities and stadiums, pointing out that these venues had previously been fully equipped and operational under the ministry's management.
Muftin described the meeting's outcome as a positive step toward improving cooperation between the two institutions, expressing confidence that the next four years would bring further progress and achievements.
He added that joint efforts would focus on completing sports projects, upgrading infrastructure and improving Iraq's competitiveness in international sporting events and Olympic competitions, emphasizing that continued government support would be crucial to achieving these objectives.
