President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has announced national matches can be played across the country with the completion of turf works of 26 football pitches. He made the announcement while delivering the Presidential Address at the Parliament of the Maldives, President Solih stated development of the sports sector can be seen by establishing quality facilities.
Noting many sports personnel wish to bring glory to the Maldives from different sports, the president expressed the glory brought by sportsmen is not only for them but the whole country. The president mentioned efforts will be exerted to develop indoor sports complexes in all parts of the country.
Furthermore, President Solih said major projects allocated for the year include the development of the National Stadium and building complexes for table tennis, volleyball, handball, and netball in Male' City. The president further said major efforts will also be made to introduce the Maldives as a water sporting destination for the world. As such, the president announced Asian Surfing Championship and Bodyboarding World Tour will be held in the Maldives.
The current administration has allocated about USD32,500 as the minimum budget for sports associations. The administration has also begun giving an allocation of USD324 for national team players.