Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Văn Hùng chairs the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports on October 16 in Hà Nội. Photos of Việt Nam Sports Team

HÀ NỘI — ASEAN’s sports leaders are turning up the heat on regional collaboration, as ministers and partners edge close to completing the 2021-25 Action Plan on Sports and set their sights on even stronger development in the next phase during the eighth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS 8), which opens on October 16 in Hà Nội.

It is the first time that Việt Nam hosts such a high-level event on sport, featuring delegates from 10 regional countries, Timor-Leste and partners, along with representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat.

"Sports is not only a means to improve health and physical fitness but also a bridge that nurtures friendship, solidarity and mutual understanding among nations," Việt Nam's Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Văn Hùng said in the opening ceremony.

"In recent years, alongside notable achievements and progress in ASEAN sports, we have continued facing numerous challenges including disparities in sports development conditions among member states, the need for governance innovation, as well as the trends of integration and professionalisation.

"The AMMS 8 provides a valuable occasion for us to review the achieved accomplishments, exchange experiences and set future direction for ASEAN sport cooperation towards comprehensive, sustainable and inclusive development.

"Việt Nam reaffirms its commitment to working closely with ASEAN member states and partners to realise our shared goals, making sports a source of pride for the community and contributing to building a peaceful, prosperous and cohesive region."

Deputy Prime Minister Mai Văn Chính said sports united people through shared faith and aspiration. It creates a space where individuals challenge themselves, push beyond their limits and celebrate the joy of victory together.

"Throughout ASEAN's journey of formation and development, sports has always served as a bridge of friendship, solidarity and progress. From the SEA Games, ASEAN Para Games to various sports exchange programmes, they all have helped bring the peoples of ASEAN closer together, nurturing the spirit of One Vision - One Identity - One Community," he said.

ASEAN sports in 2021-25

At the meeting, Deputy Director of the Sports Authority of Việt Nam (SAV) Lê Thị Hoàng Yến reported the results of the 15th and 16th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (SOMS).

Accordingly, in the period of 2021-25, ASEAN countries have completed about 94 per cent of the targets of the Action Plan on Sports in various fields such as community sports development, school sports, sports for people with disabilities and management and training capacity improvement.

Delegates take part in the AMMS 8's first session on October 16 in Hà Nội.

Cooperation programmes have been effectively implemented thanks to the support of dialogue partners such as China, Japan, South Korea, FIFA, WADA and many other international organisations.

She says these results affirm ASEAN as a cohesive, responsible community oriented towards sustainable development through sports.

Việt Nam has always attached importance to the role of sports in the national social welfare system, considering it an essential tool to improve people's health, enhance quality of life and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoàng Đạo Cương presents a summary of the results of SOMS 16 and new initiatives.

In particular, Việt Nam has completed a draft ASEAN-FIFA Memorandum of Understanding on football development and sports integrity, expected to be signed at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia in October 2025.

The ASEAN-WADA MoU on Anti-Doping has been approved by the countries, aiming to improve compliance capacity and standardise doping control procedures in the region.

Regarding plans for 2026-30, Deputy Minister Cương proposes four key priorities: innovation in training coaches and athletes; application of digital transformation in management and organisation of sports events; promotion of sustainable and environmentally friendly sports; and strengthening the role of sports in building a united, peaceful and prosperous ASEAN community.

ASEAN initiative

In his speech at the meeting, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Malaysia Nagulendran Kangayatkarasu presents an initiative to build the ASEAN Centre of Excellence for Sports Coaching.

It is considered a strategic initiative to improve the capacity of coaches, standardise professional qualifications and enhance the sharing of sports knowledge among member countries.

Malaysia aims to turn this centre into a “hub of excellence” – a leading sports training convergence point in the region, contributing to the building of a modern, sustainable and ASEAN-identified coaching ecosystem.

In addition, Malaysia also focuses on promoting regional sports industry development, linking sports with economy and tourism, and expanding international cooperation, especially with FIFA and WADA.

Deputy Minister Kangayatkarasu affirmed that during the 2025 Chairmanship, Malaysia will continue to promote the spirit of “Sports for solidarity and sustainable development”, moving towards a common vision of a dynamic, creative and sustainable ASEAN.

Vision to 2030

Delegates at AMMS 8 highly agree with Việt Nam’s proposals and assess that the new initiatives will contribute to completing a comprehensive ASEAN sports cooperation framework, creating a foundation for the 2026-30 development period.

All heads of delegations believe that sports will continue to be a source of inspiration for the younger generation, and a tool to promote peace, cooperation and sustainable development in the ASEAN Community.

Việt Nam is praised for its effective coordination, leadership role and deep integration in the regional sports sector.

At the end of the morning session, Minister Hùng said: “AMMS 8 is not only a place to evaluate achievements, but also an opportunity for us to work towards a more prosperous ASEAN, where sports become a driving force to unite, develop and spread human values, peace and happiness.”

He again affirms the importance of sports in the three main pillars of ASEAN: politics and security, economy, and culture and society.

He particularly appreciated Indonesia’s initiative in proposing a common programme towards the Olympics, considering it an opportunity for ASEAN countries to learn and develop together.

He also noted Malaysia’s proposal on developing the sports economy as a practical direction to link sports with sustainable growth. VNS