The Mediterranean Games “Prishtina 2030” are being seen as a historic opportunity for Kosovo to present itself not only as an organizer, but also as a contender for important sports results.
In addition to traditional disciplines, local federations are also building long-term strategies for newer and developing sports, such as padel, rugby and 3×3 basketball, with the aim of creating competitive teams that can adequately represent the country in the Mediterranean arena by 2030. The Secretary of the Kosovo Padel Federation, Jusuf Kika, tells KosovaPress that the federation has already drawn up a clear development plan with a focus special to the Mediterranean Games in Pristina, investing in infrastructure, schools for children and expanding the base of athletes.
“It is the action plan of the Kosovo Padel Federation since it started earlier, the 2025-2030 action plan with a special focus on the Mediterranean Games ‘Prishtina 2030’. Where we as a federation have a strategy, we have drafted one in order to increase the capacities within our country. This is being seen through the results, such as the increase of sports capacities, investments in new padel centers, the opening of schools for children, and at the same time the inclusion of padel in sports, that is, we are doing a good job so that padel is promoted and the target is definitely among the younger generations so that after a long-term preparation, there will be a team in Prishtina in 2030… We are lucky to have players who are dedicated to the sport of padel who live here in Pristina I believe that the majority of them, I don’t want to say that they are of the same age or that they have converted from another sport to the sport of padel, but we are doing the research that later players who gradually start from the younger age groups, after that I call that dough the padel, even after passing to the professional level much easier”, said Kika.
Meanwhile, the Rugby Federation is waiting for the final decision for this sport to be included in the program of the Mediterranean Games, while it has already started preparations with the new age groups aiming for rugby to be one of the attractive sports of the 2030 edition.
“As a federation we are doing our best for rugby to be part of the Mediterranean Games ‘Pristina 2030’. What we are waiting for now is only a confirmation from the Mediterranean Games Committee. They make a decision. We have done our part and we hope that rugby has been in the Mediterranean Games. I am convinced that yes, because we have already started the youth engagements because we think that the youth has been part of the Games.” The 17-18-year-olds are ready for the Mediterranean Games. We are looking for camps outside of Kosovo. I hope that it will be something attractive, as we know that football has not been a part of the Mediterranean Games. And rugby will not replace this sport is massively invested in football fields, why shouldn’t rugby be a sport in the Prishtina 2030 Mediterranean Games”, announced Rexhepi.
Even 3×3 basketball is being considered as one of the most important sports projects on the eve of the Mediterranean Games, with the Kosovo Basketball Federation starting to identify players and coaches to build a competitive team that will aim for medals in Pristina.
“This year we have renewed the teams in both competitions and we are thinking more strategically about 3×3 basketball, considering that in the Mediterranean Games ‘Prishtina 2030′ it has been one of the main sports. So we have started again with the teams until we find the best possible module to create a team, and then we have invested the next four years for that team to appear and aim one of the medals in Pristina 2030… The Basketball Federation has hired two coaches in the offices of the Basketball Federation. It is about the two coaches of Representative A, both men and women, Bujar Loci and Fidan Klokoqi, and together with them and the president of the coaches’ association, Albert Sylejmani, we are working in the direction that identified both the coaches, the players and the players 3×3, so that those who are right we invest for four years for the appearance in Prishtina 2030. But at the same time, this, starting from Taranto 2026 Mediterranean Games, is an opportunity, FIBA has opened an opportunity for the countries that win in the Mediterranean Games to have easier access to the Olympic Games”, stated Dushku.
The representatives of these federations estimate that investment in new generations, the growth of sports infrastructure and long-term planning are the key elements for Kosovo to have not only mass participation, but also concrete results in sports that are gaining more and more ground on the eve of the Mediterranean Games “Prishtina 2030”. /KosovaPress/
