Kuwait, January 10 (QNA) - The Athletes' Committee of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has unveiled its plans for the new year, foremost among them the provision of grants to support 11 initiatives by National Olympic Committees across Asia through the Athletes' Projects Fund.

The committee held its first meeting of 2026 online, chaired by Ms. Ning Ding, who thanked all members for their efforts and commitment over the past year. She praised the work carried out by the committee throughout the year and expressed her hope for continued enthusiasm and cooperation in the year ahead.

During the meeting, Athletes' Committee Manager Jamyang Namgyal delivered a brief presentation on the Athletes' Projects Fund, revealing that grants will be awarded to 11 projects submitted by National Olympic Committees in Qatar, Cambodia, Iraq, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, the Maldives, Mongolia, Pakistan, Singapore, and Tajikistan.

He explained that the aim of these projects is to support athlete-led initiatives, encouraging committee members to continue offering assistance by sharing information and available resources related to the fund with athletes' committees in their respective regions.

The meeting also reviewed plans for the new year, taking into account that the Olympic Council of Asia will oversee three major multi-sport events during the year: the Asian Beach Games in China in April, the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in the summer, and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Riyadh in December.

Committee members exchanged views on priorities, emphasizing the importance of close coordination to ensure that athletes receive adequate support across all these events, while reaffirming their commitment to sustained cooperation throughout the year. (QNA)