MUSCAT: The Oman Basketball Association (OBA) has moved to strengthen the technical and physical development structure of its athlete preparation centres by appointing Tunisian coach Iskander bin Mohammed al Nabuli as general technical supervisor and Tunisian Mohammed Amin bin Munir al Zalfani as physical preparation supervisor.
The two-year agreements, which are renewable, are part of a wider effort by the OBA and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY) to raise the standard of training across the basketball preparation centres operating at Seeb, Al Amerat, Nizwa, Al Bashayer, Salalah, Sohar Sports Complex and the girls’ centre at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher.
The contracts were signed at the OBA headquarters at the Oman Olympic Committee and Sports Associations building in Bausher by Eng Khalfan al Naabi, Chairman of the OBA, in the presence of Jaber al Shabibi, Director of the Sports Preparation System Development Project at the ministry, Abu Bakr al Jahwari, OBA Vice-Chairman, and Said al Habsi, Acting Secretary-General of the association.
The appointments mark a new phase in the development of the centres, which have become an important pathway for identifying and preparing young players for clubs and national teams.
Eng Khalfan al Naabi said the presence of specialised technical and physical preparation supervisors represents a major step in improving the quality of player development. He thanked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for its continued support, noting that the project has begun to show clear results through improved technical levels among players in the approved centres.
He added that the launch of the Athlete Preparation Centres League had helped reveal several promising talents capable of supporting Omani clubs with better-prepared players. Al Naabi also highlighted the progress made in girls’ basketball, saying the centres had contributed players to national women’s teams that achieved positive results in recent competitions. He pointed out that the girls’ national team, which includes players from the Bausher centre, is preparing for the GCC Games in Qatar this month.
Jaber al Shabibi said the signing of the new supervisors comes within joint efforts between the ministry and the OBA to improve the technical and administrative standards of the centres. He said the recent period had witnessed clear progress in player selection, coach development, daily training programmes and competitions.
Abu Bakr al Jahwari said the addition of a physical preparation specialist is an important qualitative step, stressing that modern player development requires a balanced approach covering technical, physical, psychological and personal aspects.
For his part, Iskander al Nabulsi thanked the OBA for its confidence, saying he looked forward to working closely with the ministry, the association and national coaches to build a new generation of players capable of competing locally and internationally. He added that future plans include expanding the programme to younger age groups, helping build players from the grassroots and supporting the wider growth of basketball in Oman.
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