At present, the global community highly values the attention given to young people in Uzbekistan and the wide range of opportunities created for them in the country. Gifted youth play an essential role in governmental and public administration and the development of all sectors. Given this, the President of Uzbekistan supports ambitious, energetic, and courageous young people who possess modern knowledge and skills, strive to achieve high goals, and are ready to contribute to the development of their homeland.

Every year, the achievements of Uzbekistan youth in sports become increasingly significant. Nowadays, finding someone in the country who has not engaged in sports or physical culture is hard. Even people with disabilities have all the necessary conditions to pursue the sports they are interested in.

In Uzbekistan, special attention is paid to supporting socially vulnerable groups, including young people with disabilities, by providing them with material and moral assistance, opportunities to receive an education, improve their health, acquire professions that match their interests and aspirations, engage in sports, and demonstrate their resilience, determination, and courage on international stages.

Mukhtorkhon Tashkhodjayev, Chairman of the National Paralympic Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, reported on the systematic work being carried out to promote sports and a healthy lifestyle among the population, as well as to involve people with disabilities in sports activities and develop the sports and Paralympic sectors:

– Today, great attention is given to the sports sector in our country. We once again witnessed the practical results of this focus at the video conference chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, which addressed issues related to the development of the Olympic and Paralympic movements, elevating adaptive and mass sports to a new level and increasing the physical activity of the population.

To be more precise, this is the first instance of such a large-scale meeting being held as part of the preparations for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This means that we have entered a new phase of reforms on the path to building a New Uzbekistan.

In this regard, we should view the new tasks set by the President as yet another essential step toward establishing the Third Renaissance.

Several issues concerning public health and the formation of a harmonious generation were discussed at the meeting. The tasks were defined based on the understanding that sport is the foundation of a healthy society. It was noted that sports should be regarded not only as a competition but also as the most effective instrument and a crucial endeavor to glorify the nation’s gene pool and strengthen its power and prestige.

At the same time, attention should be paid to the phrase “the gene pool of the nation”. We are rightfully proud of our ancestors. They possessed immense potential in science and state-building – an indisputable fact. We must be worthy of our ancestors. To achieve this, preserving the nation’s gene pool is essential. A person who is physically weak will suffer from various illnesses and lag in intellectual development. Therefore, preserving the nation’s gene pool is one of the key aspects of building the Third Renaissance. For this reason, physical health is of utmost importance.

Indeed, sport strengthens a person in every respect. I am convinced of this every time I meet para-athletes. I see a firm confidence in the future and in themselves in their faces. Many among them have changed their lives and become active members of society after they began engaging in sports. In this sense, the broad inclusion of people with disabilities in sports activities within local communities is a sensible solution to some social issues. In short, it brings young people with disabilities out of their homes and into the community.

We are pleased that adaptive sports receive such significant attention in New Uzbekistan. In particular, since 2022, mass sports competitions titled “Paralympics of Five Initiatives” have been held in three stages in local communities among people with disabilities.

Now, let us turn to the numbers: In 2024, 29,062 people with disabilities aged between 16 and 30 expressed their desire to participate in this competition. Registration is carried out through the website 5tashabbus.uz. As a result, 18,416 young people took part in the competitions. This represents a unique opportunity for more than 18,000 young people with disabilities to showcase their talents and realize their significance in society. Based on the tasks set by the Head of our state, this year we plan to involve 45,000 young people with disabilities in these competitions.

Positive changes are expected in organizing the mass sports competitions “Paralympics of Five Initiatives”. For example, individuals with hearing impairments previously could not participate in these competitions. With the expansion of the disability category, starting this year, people with hearing issues will also be allowed to participate in the “Paralympics of Five Initiatives”. Special emphasis is placed on ensuring fairness. Individuals who have not passed the disability classification can no longer register. Such an athlete will not be admitted to the competitions. Consequently, serious attention is being given to classifying more than 7,000 parasport athletes by the type of their disability.

Another innovation is that the number of sports disciplines has increased this year. Notably, this enhancement aims to ensure that the “Paralympics of Five Initiatives” are conducted at a high level. It is gratifying to note that people with disabilities residing in local communities are actively participating in this competition. Overall, there is a positive trend in the growing interest in parasports in our country.

Previously, only 33 schools in our country offered sports sections for this youth category. Today, that number has grown to 235. As a result, the number of people regularly engaged in adaptive sports has quadrupled, exceeding 7,000 individuals. Now, opportunities in this field will be further expanded. To that end, 39 sports schools in the regions will specialize in various types of parasport.

Most importantly, these young people, especially girls, have also been allowed to participate in other sports. This fosters a spirit of love for life among young people with disabilities. It reinforces their belief that they are not inferior to others. On the contrary, they can work on themselves and achieve even more outstanding results than their non-disabled peers.

Currently, the topic of a healthy lifestyle is frequently discussed in society. Undoubtedly, healthy people are strong people, so “Healthy People – Healthy Nation” should become a nationwide movement. Physical activity and proper nutrition are crucial for a person’s health. Therefore, these two essential aspects must be widely promoted. The figures also demonstrate how important this is for our nation.

At present, 44 percent of Uzbekistan’s population leads a sedentary lifestyle. Additionally, 36 percent of the population does not adhere to the principles of proper nutrition. Consequently, industry experts should conduct outreach in accessible language to increase the consumption of legumes, grains, fruits, and vegetables. At the same time, it is essential to understand that fast-prepared products containing high carcinogens should be avoided, as they can cause various diseases. Unfortunately, the sales of such products have increased, with fast food being most commonly consumed by people under forty. This indicator alone underscores the necessity for actively promoting a healthy lifestyle. For this to be successful, officials at all levels must be equally active and set a personal example for society. Only then can we achieve the goal set by our Leader – to reach every family by promoting healthy eating and physical activity.

Another important aspect is that these issues must be enshrined at the legislative level. Accordingly, the Law “On Physical Culture and Sports” will be analyzed. The goal is to adapt the law to contemporary requirements, as a solid legal framework undoubtedly ensures consistency and clarity in reforms.

Each task mentioned above signals the start of significant reforms aimed at broadly promoting a healthy lifestyle in our country.

In adaptive sports, a new approach will be applied to attract young people with disabilities to participate in sports and ensure the effectiveness of their involvement. To this end, cooperation will be established with the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia. A separate Faculty of Adaptive Sports will be opened at the University’s branch in Tashkent. Moreover, a scientific approach plays a crucial role in every endeavor. Without it, achieving significant results is difficult. That is why, within the framework of this cooperation, scientific methodologies and standards aimed at increasing efficiency will be developed.

In accordance with the demands of the times, the procedure for forming national parasport teams will be changed. From now on, young people will be admitted to the national team not only based on competition results but also on their performance in meeting sports standards. This change will allow young parasport athletes to demonstrate their talents fully. To ensure fairness in this process, a separate online platform will be created to monitor the results of athletes with disabilities.

As the Head of state noted, the organization of competitions and sports events will now be transitioned to the Olympic and Paralympic system. This means that parasport competitions will coincide wherever a championship is held. Thanks to this practice, a truly inclusive system will be established, boosting the confidence of athletes with disabilities.

We are striving to elevate the preparation for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games to a new level. In this regard, the specific and systematic measures outlined by the Head of our state serve as an essential guideline for further actions. In short, we aim to double the number of medals at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Javokhir Tashkhodjayev, UzA
Photos of Husniddin ATO