President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has conferred the most prestigious awards of the Maldives Sports Awards 2022. He presented the awards at a ceremony organised by the Ministry of Youth Sports and Community Empowerment.
President Solih conferred the Special Recognition Awards on Minister of Youth and Sports of Bangladesh Mohamed Zahir Ahsan Russel, Minister of Youth and Sports of Sri Lanka Namal Rajapaksa, Vice Minister of Sports of Saudi Arabia Al-Kadi Badr Abdul Rahman, Honorary President of the Maldives Tennis Association Ahmed Nazeer, and Hussein Afeef. The special recognition awards were conferred on individuals who promoted societal progress and change through sports.
Additionally, the president presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to 15 individuals in recognition of their long service in sports, and the Sports Icon Award to 16 international sportspersons for their role in creating positive social change through sports. He also handed over awards to the male and female Specially-abled Athletes of the Year, and Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year.
Meanwhile, Vice President Faisal Naseem presented the awards to the male and female Most Promising Athletes of the Year. They were joined at the ceremony by senior government officials, athletes, and top sportspersons from across the globe.
The awards ceremony was held to recognise, encourage and celebrate Maldivian athletes who saw the presentation of 108 awards in 18 different sports.