The incumbent administration is making “significant” progress in its efforts to ensure sports equality, says President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

The president said this during a meeting he held with the chess team from Maldives, at the President’s Office on Wednesday.

Highlighting that hosting international sports tournaments in the Maldives enhances the administration’s efforts to ensure equality in sports and equal access, President Solih stated that hosting high-profile international sports events in the Maldives also paves the way for much-needed exposure and experience for local athletes and players.

The meeting also saw President Solih presented with a commemorative jersey of the national team.

The Maldivian chess team will participate in the “Western Asian Junior Chess Championship 2022”, to be held in Ukulhas island of Alif Alif atoll, from June 16 – 23.

The nine-day championship was organized by the Maldives Chess Association.

A total of nine countries will be joining the championship, deemed the biggest international championship to be hosted by the Maldives, to date.

Teams from Maldives, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be competing in the championship.

The Maldivian team comprises of 30 members. They will also be joined by 30 more local participants from host island itself .

The championship is on the theme “Smart kids – use only non-violent solutions to problems”.

The championship will proceed under six age groups, in both women’s and men’s divisions and will feature 160 participants between the ages of eight and 18.

Privately-run television station, RaajjeTV recently signed on as media partner for the Western Asian Junior Chess Championship.