Sports minister meets leader of International Olympic Committee in Seoul

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung (L) and President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach in Seoul on October 18 (Photo: VNA)

Seoul (VNA) – Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung met with President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, on October 18.

The meeting took place within the framework of the 26th General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).

Highly valuing Vietnam’s efforts to develop sports in the country, he expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Government will give more attention to and investment in boosting sports, especially Olympic ones, so that the country can secure a higher stature at continental and international sport arenas.

He affirmed the IOC’s attention to Vietnam and noted he hopes to have a chance for in-depth discussion with Minister Hung to learn more about sports in the country so as to provide appropriate assistance.

For his part, Hung said the Vietnamese Government always pays attention to sports development.

He added the National Assembly issued the revised Law on Physical Training and Sports in 2018, which is a solid legal corridor for sports development in the country.

The working session between Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung and James Macleod, Director of the IOC’s Department of Relations with National Olympic Committees (Photo: VNA)

At a working session with James Macleod - Director of the IOC’s Department of Relations with National Olympic Committees, Minister Hung said as a responsible member, Vietnam has fully taken part in activities of the IOC such as sending athletes to the Olympic Games and cooperating with organisations to promote the Olympic movement in the country.

In particular, thanks to more support for women to practise sports, a number of female athletes of Olympic sports have obtained high achievements at regional and continental tourneys, he went on.

The official proposed the IOC increase training courses for athletes of such Olympic sports as football, swimming, shooting, and weightlifting, which Vietnam wishes to foster. He also called on the IOC to carry out a project on building the headquarters of the National Olympic Committee of Vietnam early.

Macleod said the IOC is delighted at Vietnam’s successes, especially in developing sports with the engagement of women, which is meaningful to not only sports but also society.

He underlined that the IOC is always ready to work with Vietnam in the issues Hung mentioned, noting aside from organising training courses, providing technical assistance, and granting scholarships for sport talents, there remain many areas in which the two sides can cooperate./.

VNA