President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced at the opening ceremony of the event that the monetary prizes awarded to the winners and medalists of the Presidential Olympics in Uzbekistan will be increased by 2.5 times starting from 2027.
Under the new regulations, school graduates who win in the Olympics and set a national record will be admitted to higher education institutions with sports specialties without exams, based on a state grant. Additionally, a system for providing them with a one-year scholarship will be introduced. It is planned that 50 winners will be sent abroad to international training sessions every year.
The scope of the Presidential Olympics will also be expanded: the number of sports disciplines in the competition program will reach 35, and students aged 14–17 will be involved. Furthermore, sports schools that achieve the best results in their field will be equipped with necessary facilities. The Olympic Glory Museum in the capital will be moved to the Olympic village.
At the opening ceremony of the Presidential Olympics, President Mirziyoyev congratulated young athletes and coaches. This year, over 3,500 young athletes from various regions of the country will compete in 26 Olympic and Paralympic sports, accompanied by 1,500 coaches.
The President emphasized that Uzbek athletes have won 5,518 medals in major international competitions over the last ten years, including 1,675 gold medals. He also recalled that the Uzbek team was the second winner at the World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, secured fifth place with 70 medals at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, and third place with 145 medals at the ParaAsian Games.
Addressing the young athletes, Mirziyoyev stressed the importance of strong willpower and discipline in achieving victory, saying, 'Believe in yourself! Work on yourself! Be worthy of your country!' At the end of the ceremony, Mirziyoyev officially declared the 2026 Presidential Olympics open.
