Minister Abdullah Rafiu has stated that although the Ministry of Sports and Fitness has many resources, there hasn’t been a way to maintain these resources until now. He added that with the establishment of new Fitness and Recreation Centers, this issue will be resolved. The Minister said that permission has now been granted to hire civil servants for the newly established centers. He emphasized that the most important task of these centers will be to maintain them and prevent deterioration.
After signing the agreement to establish outdoor gyms and Fitness and Recreation Centers, Minister Rafiu provided details about the activities that will take place in these centers. “Fitness and Recreation Centers are not just places for sports; they include board games and aerobic activities as well,” the Minister said.
The Minister stated that various training programs organized by the ministry will also be held at the Recreation Centers. He mentioned that classroom training programs could be conducted at these venues, and there would also be space for training programs run by other ministries. The Minister noted that in the future, these recreation activities would be seen as places that unite and bring together the general public, in addition to sports. He added that the newly established facilities would cater to all age groups.
Establishing outdoor gyms and Fitness and Recreation Centers on all inhabited islands of the Maldives by the end of 2026 is a pledge of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. Highlighting that the work on establishing fitness centers has begun in line with the President’s pledge, the Minister said that starting work on establishing facilities in an additional 134 islands is the biggest step in this project.
The Minister has emphasized that this project is an important and beneficial one for the Maldivian people. “The most important reason is that it’s a crucial step taken for our citizens to maintain fitness, to stay active, and to maintain a healthy body and good health,” the Minister said.
So far, the Ministry of Sports has assigned the establishment of 87 FRCs (Fitness and Recreation Centers) to state-owned companies and private companies. Of these, three fitness centers have been completed, while work on 28 projects is currently ongoing.
Additionally, while the contract phase for establishing 43 fitness centers is underway, the Ministry of Sports has revealed that 21 more FRCs will be assigned for establishment this year and next year.
