All sports federations in Bahrain were invited to form Commissions by the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) last year in order to contribute ideas, complaints and communicate the needs of the country's sportspeople.

The five sports have taken up the call, to the delight of former Bahraini sprinter Ruqaya Al-Ghasra, who heads the BOC Athletes' Commission.

She has stressed the significance of the Commission in order to defend its athletes' rights, look at their needs and provide an ideal environment for them in order to give best performances and achievements.

Al-Ghasra, one of the first women to represent Bahrain in the Olympics when she competed at Athens 2004, along with BOC Athletes' Commission member Aqeel Abdulamir, had a meeting with Bahrain Handball Association general secretary Khalid Al Najem and national volleyball player Mohammed Abdulhussain to formalise the new body.

Members of the BOC General Assembly approved the Committees' new constitution following approval of the amendments by the IOC ©BOC



The move comes as the BOC's new constitution was accepted by members of the organisation's General Assembly which met in the Sofitel Hotel in Zallaq today.

The Ordinary General Assembly meeting gave confirmation to final amendments made to the constitution following their recent approval by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The Assembly was chaired by BOC treasurer Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa, and attended by acting general secretary Abdulrahman Askar, board members Shaikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa, Dr Khalid Al Alawi, Abdulhakim Al Shino, Ali Isa and Ruqaya Al Ghasra.

The Board also reviewed the administrative report of 2013, featuring the programmes and events organised by different directorates of the committee, in addition to the overseas participations and different achievements that were accomplished last year.

Hamad Buhijji, BOC financial resources director, made a special presentation at the Assembly on the financial plan for 2014 highlighted the measures taken by the Committee to reduce the impact of budget cuts, and analyze the percentage decrease in the committee and sports federations' budget.

The Assembly saw 27 of the 28 National Sports Federations in attendance with just the Cricket Association having no representative.

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