The first international basketball tournament held in the Maldives this year has kicked off.

Vice President Faisal Naseem attended the inauguration ceremony of the Five Nations Championship 2023 basketball tournament on Wednesday.

VP Naseem met with the basketball teams from Maldives and Bangladesh during the ceremony.

In order to prepare for the competition, the team from Maldives held its training in Bengaluru, India.

Being held at the Maldives Centre for Social Education (MCSE) indoor hall, the Five Nations Championship 2023 basketball tournament will proceed from June 14 – 22.

Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan are also participating in the tournament.

The incumbent administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has been working to promote the Maldives as a sports destination and provide opportunities for local athletes to compete against international teams.

The tournament was initiated as part of these efforts.

The government also plans to host other international sporting events in the Maldives to enable local athletes to compete and advance at the international level.

This is the third international basketball tournament the archipelago is observing during the Solih administration.