The Yemeni Olympic Committee has launched a rigorous three-tier testing and selection process to evaluate athletes vying for spots at the upcoming 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, scheduled to run from December 11 to 21, Saba reported.
Physical Evaluations Underway Across Four Yemeni Cities
Athletes from six combat and strength disciplines—taekwondo, karate, judo, weightlifting, boxing, and wrestling—began general physical evaluations at regional hubs in Sanaa, Aden, Seiyun, and Hodeidah. In the capital, trials took place at the Al-Muraisi Stadium within the Madinat Al-Thawra Sports City. Technical director Jamal Al-Jabli, along with technical staff members Badr Al-Muradi, Abdulaziz Al-Jaradi, and Bakr Al-Akwa, oversaw the proceedings alongside national team coaches. Regional sessions also ran concurrently at Jawas Stadium in Seiyun, located in the Hadramout governorate, and on the Shabab Al-Jeel club grounds in Hodeidah. Today marked the first part of this initial phase, focusing on high-level physical conditioning and endurance, and this step will continue next Wednesday with the execution of the remaining physical tests.
Structured Selection Protocol Overseen by Experts
The Yemeni Olympic Committee manages the candidate pool through its newly established Commission for the Approval of International Participations, an independent body composed of academics and sports experts created by the committee’s board of directors. The board instituted the commission to vet athlete nominations submitted by various sports federations. Alongside the combat sports evaluated in the opening phase, Yemen intends to field competitors in eight total disciplines at the December games, adding cue sports and chess to its delegation.
Technical Trials and Medical Clearances Scheduled for October
Athletes who successfully navigate the initial endurance and high-level physical screenings advance to a specialized technical phase. These discipline-specific evaluations are scheduled for October 25 and 26 inside official federation training facilities. Competitors who clear both athletic hurdles will then face a final medical examination phase on October 26 and 27 across designated sports medicine centers in Sanaa, Aden, Hodeida, and Seiyun. He insisted on the necessity for athletes to give the best of themselves at each stage in order to demonstrate that they deserve to represent Yemen during this important Asian event.
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