DUSHANBE, November 13, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- The president of the World Olympians Association (WOA) Richard Douglas has promised to provide assistance with development of sports in Tajikistan, Murodali Teshayev, a spokesman for the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Tajikistan, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, Mr. Douglas remarked that during his working visit to Tajikistan on November 7-9.  The purpose of the visit was for the WOA president to hold talks with relevant Tajik officials to discuss development of sports in the county and get acquainted with the situation of sports in Tajikistan.

During his stay in Tajikistan, Mr. Douglas, in particular, met with Mr. Maliksho Nematov, chairman of the Committee for Youth, Sports and Tourism Affairs, Mr. Qohir Rasoulzoda, governor of the Sughd province, and Tajik athletes that had participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and visited a number of sports complexes in Dushanbe.

“The WOA president promised to provide assistance with development of sports in Tajikistan and rehabilitation of a number of sports complexes in the country,” Teshayev said.

The World Olympians Association unites Olympians from around the world regardless of their age, sport, nationality or other definitive measure and involves them in the promotion of the values and virtues that make the Olympic Movement. Its activities include the dissemination of Olympic ideals, the promotion of fair play, advance environmental protection, educate against doping – drug use, supply educational resources, work against violence and intolerance, support diversity and equality, contribute to sport related charities, host special hospitality centers, involve Olympians in social support, display positive role models, advance sport management and promote culture of which sport is a part of.

Olympians are WOA members through their local National Olympians Associations. IOC President, Juan Antonio Samaranch created the World Olympians Association following the Centennial Olympic Congress, Congress of Unity, held in Paris in 1994. Formally, the WOA was established during a meeting held in the Olympic Museum on November 21, 1995 by 25 founder members.