The National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan has issued an official statement regarding the relocation of the 2025 Asian Youth Games from Uzbekistan to Bahrain. The NOC reportedly withdrew its bid on Monday.

The statement said that the OCA Executive Committee reviewed the request of the NOC and the Ministry of Sports at an online meeting.

“Considering that due to restrictions in the post-pandemic period, there were delays in the supply of the necessary funds for the construction of the Olympic Village and, accordingly, the deadlines for commissioning the facilities were shifted, therefore the Uzbek authorities had asked the OCA to postpone the games by one year,” the statement said.

“However, since the Olympic sports competitions within the Asian Youth Games serve as a qualification for the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar in 2026, the OCA emphasized the importance of holding the games in 2025,” the NOC noted.

As a result, the right to host the III Asian Youth Games was transferred to Bahrain.

The OCA recommended that Uzbekistan focus on preparing for the organization of major international events, such as the Islamic Solidarity Games or the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.

The NOC added that the OCA representatives who visited Uzbekistan "highly appreciated the scale of construction work carried out in the country."

"The Olympic village being built in Tashkent is conceived not only as a venue for the Asian Youth Games, but also as a scientific and methodological cluster capable of taking the development of Uzbek sports to a new level. In addition to modern sports facilities, the complex will house the Ministry of Sports, offices of federations and associations, a sports academy, and a scientific and practical center for sports medicine. This will create a unique environment where the theory and practice of training national teams will be integrated," the statement said.

"Uzbekistan remains committed to the development of mass sports and the Olympic movement. The construction of the Olympic Village, its effective use and transformation into a base for further development of sports in the country remain among the priority tasks. All the President's instructions related to this project will be completed, and the complex itself will be fully prepared to host major sports events in the future," the NOC concluded.