Tashkent announced as the host for 2025 Asian Youth Para Games

The Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) announced that Tashkent will be the venue for the 2025 Asian Youth Para Games.

The decision was taken by the APC's executive board following a bidding process that saw a number of national paralympic committees express interest in hosting the event.

Uzbekistan, supported by the country's ministry for tourism and sport, submitted a bid to host the event in late September/early October in Tashkent which means that for the first time the event will be held in the same city and same venues.

Commenting on the decision, APC President Majid Rashed said: "There were a number of strong bids under consideration and we would like to thank everyone who submitted a bid. "We hope that they will consider future events but there can only be one successful bidder and we are very pleased that this announcement means that the central Asia sub-region will be holding its first major regional Games. We'd like to congratulate NPC Uzbekistan for putting together a strong bid that reflects their ambitions for para-sport in their country and we hope that the Games will act as a catalyst for the development of para-sport in the central Asia sub-region and beyond."

Uzbekistan Paralympic Committee President Mukhtorkhon Tashkhodjaev said: "We are an ambitious country and have steadily been increasing our delegation size and the number of medals won at both the Asian Para Games and the Paralympic Games. Staging the 2025 Asian Youth Para Games shows our commitment to developing the next generation of para-athletes and we are delighted that our country will be welcoming the best of Asia's youth to the Central Asian region in four years' time."

The 2021 edition of the Asian Youth Para Games will take place shortly in Bahrain from December 2-6. As many as 800 young athletes from across Asia are expected to compete in nine sports.