Egypt’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Ashraf Sobhy, has discussed the preparations for Egypt’s participation in the upcoming African Games and the Paris Olympics, as well as the development of the sports sector in the country. Sobhy met with several officials and stakeholders to review the progress and challenges of the Egyptian sports scene, and to announce new initiatives and projects to support the athletes and the infrastructure.
Sobhy met with the heads of the Egyptian sports federations and the Egyptian Olympic Committee to discuss the arrangements for the 13th edition of the African Games, which will be held in Accra, Ghana, from October 25 to November 8, 2023. The minister stressed the importance of the event, which will serve as a qualifier for the Paris Olympics in 2024, and urged the federations to prepare well and select the best athletes to represent Egypt.
Sobhy also announced that Egypt will bid to host the 14th edition of the African Games in 2027, as part of the country’s strategy to host major international sports events. He said that Egypt has the experience, the facilities, and the support to organize a successful and memorable edition of the games, which will showcase the African continent and its culture.
Egypt has previously hosted the African Games twice, in 1991 and 2015, and has been the most successful country in the history of the games, winning a total of 1,362 medals, including 564 gold, 458 silver, and 340 bronze.
Preparing for the Paris Olympics in 2024
Sobhy also met with the Egyptian delegation that participated in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, where Egypt won six medals, including one gold, one silver, and four bronze. Sobhy praised the achievements of the Egyptian athletes, who competed in 23 sports and qualified for the finals in 10 of them. He also honored the medalists and their coaches, and awarded them financial incentives and certificates of appreciation.
Sobhy said that the Tokyo Olympics were a milestone for the Egyptian sports, and that the ministry will work to build on the results and improve the performance in the next Olympics in Paris in 2024. He said that the ministry will provide all the necessary support and resources for the athletes, and will implement a comprehensive plan to prepare them for the upcoming challenges.
Sobhy also revealed that the ministry will launch a new project to scout and develop young talents, who will form the future generation of the Egyptian sports. He said that the project will involve cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the sports federations, and the private sector, and will aim to discover and nurture promising athletes from different governorates and schools.
Developing the sports sector in Egypt
Sobhy also met with the representatives of the sports clubs and associations in Egypt, to discuss the development of the sports sector and the role of the civil society in promoting sports and physical activity. Sobhy said that the ministry is keen to strengthen the partnership with the sports clubs and associations, and to support their efforts to provide quality services and facilities for their members and the public.
Sobhy also announced that the ministry will launch a new initiative to upgrade and renovate the sports venues and infrastructure in the country, in cooperation with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and the Ministry of Local Development. He said that the initiative will target 100 sports venues in the first phase, and will include the installation of new equipment, lighting, and turf, as well as the improvement of the security and safety measures.
Sobhy also said that the ministry will continue to implement the national strategy for sports, which aims to enhance the sports culture and awareness, to improve the health and well-being of the citizens, to achieve excellence and competitiveness in the international sports arena, and to contribute to the economic and social development of the country.
Egypt’s sports minister has outlined the plans and vision for the Egyptian sports, and has expressed his confidence and optimism for the future of the sports sector in the country.
