Bhutan and Malaysia Sign First Olympic Cooperation MoU at Asian Games
Bhutan and Malaysia have signed their first National Olympic Committee cooperation agreement during the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, with an initial focus on badminton, archery, athlete development and technical exchange.
The Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC) and the Olympic Council of Malaysia have signed their first formal cooperation agreement, creating a framework for closer collaboration in athlete development, coaching, training and sports science.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on September 20 at Hilton Nagoya in Japan, during the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
His Royal Highness Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, President of the Bhutan Olympic Committee, signed the agreement with Tan Sri Dato’ Sri (Dr.) Mohamad Norza Zakaria, President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia.
Building stronger sporting systems
The agreement covers athlete and coach development, joint training opportunities, technical knowledge exchange, sports science and performance preparation.
For Bhutan, the partnership comes as the country continues to strengthen the systems supporting athletes beyond individual competitions. This includes developing coaches and technical personnel, improving training opportunities and creating clearer pathways for athletes to progress over the long term.
His Royal Highness said the agreement should also contribute to closer relations between Bhutan and Malaysia, while creating practical opportunities for sporting development.
The cooperation complements Bhutan's wider efforts to strengthen its sporting ecosystem, including through Ecosystem Upgrade 2.0. The focus is on developing not only competitive athletes, but also the coaches, technical expertise and support systems needed to sustain sporting progress.
His Royal Highness also expressed the hope that the MoU would develop into a long-term and structured partnership through which athletes and coaches from the two countries can train, learn and develop together.
Badminton and archery to be initial areas of cooperation
Malaysia has offered technical support to Bhutan, with badminton and archery identified as the first two sports for cooperation.
“On behalf of NOC Malaysia, I would like to offer our technical support to NOC Bhutan, initially focusing on 2 sports, Badminton and Archery,” said Dr. Norza ZAKARIA.
Malaysia has an established international record in badminton, and the partnership could give Bhutan access to its coaching knowledge, facilities and technical experience.
“We have identified Badminton because Malaysia is one of the powerhouse nations in the sport, with strong expertise, experience and state-of-the-art facilities. We are pleased to share our knowledge and experience to support the further development of Badminton in Bhutan,” Dr. Norza said.
Archery was selected because of its importance in Bhutan, where it is the national sport and has a strong cultural tradition.
“We have also selected Archery because it is a traditional sport commonly practised in Bhutan. We believe there is meaningful potential for cooperation in this area, particularly through the sharing of technical knowledge, coaching expertise and development opportunities,” he said.
The two National Olympic Committees plan to begin with practical areas of cooperation before expanding the partnership over time.
“Ultimately, our objective is not only to develop sport, but also to strengthen friendship, understanding and solidarity between our 2 countries through the Olympic Movement,” Dr. Norza said.
“May this MOU mark the beginning of a strong, meaningful and enduring partnership between NOC Malaysia and NOC Bhutan,” he concluded.
A first formal agreement between the two Olympic committees
The MoU is the first formal agreement between the National Olympic Committees of Bhutan and Malaysia.
The initiative was developed through Dr. Norza and His Royal Highness Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, who also serve as Vice Presidents of the Olympic Council of Asia for the Southeast Asia and South Asia zones respectively.
“The MOU between NOC Malaysia and NOC Bhutan marks a meaningful milestone in the Olympic Movement for both NOCs, as it is being signed during the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, the premier gathering of the Olympic Movement in Asia,” His Royal Highness said.
The agreement is expected to provide a foundation for cooperation in sports development, technical expertise, knowledge-sharing and capacity-building.
Representatives from both National Olympic Committees attended the signing, including their secretaries general and members of Bhutan's Asian Games delegation.
Team Bhutan competes in four sports in Japan
The agreement was signed as Bhutan's athletes compete at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, being held from September 19 to October 4.
Bhutan is represented by 13 athletes across four sports: archery, athletics, boxing and taekwondo. It is the country's 11th participation in the Asian Games.
Seven athletes are competing in archery. Kinley Tshering, Lam Dorji and Sonam Penjor are representing Bhutan in recurve archery, while Tandin Dorji, Dorji Dolma, Kezang Norbu and Tshetrim Gaytshay are competing in compound archery.
In athletics, Gawa Zangpo is competing in the men's 5,000 metres, while Sangay is entered in the men's 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres.
Bhutan's boxing team consists of Kinga Wangmo in the women's 54kg category, Migma Dorji in the men's 55kg category and Kinley Phuntsho in the men's 60kg category.
Dorjee Yangkee is Bhutan's sole taekwondo athlete at the Games, competing in the women's -67kg category.
The 13-member team represents Bhutan on one of Asia's largest sporting stages while the new agreement with Malaysia looks beyond the current Games towards longer-term opportunities for athletes, coaches and the country's developing sporting system.
