Muscat: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth said the National Program for Discovering and Developing the Abilities of Talented Athletes will form part of a broader national approach to strengthening Oman’s sports talent development system.

The initiative will target talented athletes across the Sultanate’s governorates and bring together educational institutions, sports clubs, federations, committees and other organisations involved in the sports sector.

The programme is designed to expand the process of identifying talent, provide athletes with sustained support and create clearer pathways for their long-term development in competitive sport.

His Excellency Basil bin Ahmed Al Rawas, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Sports and Youth, said the initiative is one of the strategic projects under Omani Sports 2040.

He said the programme aims to establish a comprehensive system for the early discovery of sporting talent, develop athletes’ abilities and provide the necessary care and support to prepare generations capable of competing successfully at major sporting events.

H.E. Al Rawas stressed that achieving the programme’s objectives would require close cooperation between educational institutions, federations, committees, sports clubs and the wider community.

He also highlighted the importance of public participation in shaping the programme from its earliest stages.

As part of this approach, the ministry has launched a community campaign titled “The programme is national, and we choose the name together,” inviting members of the public, athletes and sports enthusiasts to suggest a short name for the initiative through a designated electronic form.

The ministry said proposed names should reflect the programme’s national identity and objectives while being clear, memorable and easily associated with the community.

The campaign is also intended to raise awareness about the importance of discovering and developing sporting talent and strengthen cooperation between institutions and society in supporting promising athletes.

The programme will operate as a unified national system linking education with the sports sector and supporting the development of athletes capable of competing at regional and international levels.

Its implementation will take place across three phases. The first, “Establishment and Launch,” covers 2025–2026. The second, “Activation and Expansion,” will run from 2026 to 2030, while the third phase, “Empowerment and Sustainability,” will extend from 2030 to 2035.

The project will also include a national supervisory committee, talent discovery centres across the governorates, a sports discovery licensing programme and an overseas scholarship programme for outstanding athletes.