Sulaimaniyah – The city of Sulaimaniyah will host the Asian Archery Championship from October 23 to 30, with the participation of 19 Asian countries, as part of the world rankings qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The president of the Iraqi Archery Federation, Saad Al-Mashhadani, stated to the news agency Video that hosting the championship represents a historic and important event for Iraqi sports, as it provides participants with an opportunity to record scores and achieve results qualifying for the upcoming Olympics, confirming that the final registration of participating countries is complete.
He added that the championship will see the presence of the president of the Asian Archery Federation, the secretary-general of the international federation, along with several members of the international federation and the executive office of the Asian federation, reflecting the importance of the event on both continental and international levels.
Al-Mashhadani explained that the federation is working in coordination with the ministries of interior, foreign affairs, youth and sports, as well as the Iraqi National Olympic Committee, to provide the requirements for the success of the championship, pointing to the role of the Iraqi media network in covering the competitions and broadcasting them on television.
He indicated that the list of participants includes Arab and Asian teams, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, India, and Malaysia.
Regarding support, he pointed out that the available support is currently limited to moral support, given the current financial circumstances, urging government authorities and officials to provide the necessary support for the success of the championship.
Al-Mashhadani confirmed that hosting this event represents Iraq and that its success will send a message to the world about the country's ability to host major sports championships, expressing hope for a concerted effort to secure the hosting requirements and present the championship in a way that befits Iraqi sports.