President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has been presented with a team jersey and the official promotional t-shirt of the Maldives’ National Bodyboarding Senior Team participating in the Visit Maldives Pro 2022.

This was done during a meeting held at the President’s Office, where the new National Bodyboarding Senior Team sat down with the president for discussions regarding the International Bodyboarding Corporation (IBC)’s first Bodyboarding World Tour event on the Asian Continent, the Visit Maldives Pro 2022.

Shedding light on the priority the incumbent administration accords for the development of water sports in the country, President Solih extended well wishes to the local athletes for a successful tour.

He also noted that bodyboarding has the potential for further development and progress in the island nation, given that the country is enveloped by the ocean.

Further, the president remarked how the country had hosted several international sporting events over the past two years, despite being engulfed by the challenges and impacts of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Minister of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment Ahmed Mahloof, who also joined the meeting, shed light on the presidential pledge during President Solih’s presidential address, to hold an international bodyboarding competition in the Maldives.

The sports minister also expressed gratitude for the president’s cooperation in improving water sports in the island nation and added that the international participants in the competition would help promote Maldives’ tourism industry.

The meeting also saw the president briefed on the information about the competition.

As such, officials of the bodyboarding team stated that over 100 international athletes, in addition to the locals are contesting in the Visit Maldives Pro 2022 and that world champions in bodyboarding are also included among the contestants.

Tuesday’s meeting was also joined by senior officials from the sports ministry, the Maldives Bodyboarding Association and team members as well as officials from the National Bodyboarding Senior Team.

The Visit Maldives Pro 2022 is scheduled to be kicked off on July 29 and will proceed until August 7.

The competition will be held in the Maldives capital, Malé City.