Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Ahmed Mahloof paddled out with international medalists and Maldives' most celebrated in bodyboarding and surfing, as a show of support to the profession.
Speaking to bodyboarders Ali Khushruwan, Ali Javed and surfer Hussain Areef, Minister Mahloof made assurances that the ministry would provide complete support towards creating future champions of watersports in Maldives.
The minister also expressed his enjoyment of the time with the celebrated sportsmen.
"We are here with the guarantee to support people with talent. We are also ready to produce champions in watersports in the future," he said.
Local bodyboarding champion Khushruwan called the opportunity to have the Minister for Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment come out for a surf " an honour", adding his wishes that Minister Mahloof might join them for more sessions in the future.
The former footballer has spent an extensive amount of time interacting with athletes and sports-related entities since his recent ministerial appointment by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
President Solih has also committed to providing a minimum of MVR 5000 as a salary for all national team athletes as part of his '100-day' pledges. The new administration has also allocated a minimum annual budget of MVR 500,000 for all sports associations.
In addition, the President pledged to start the construction of an Olympic sized swimming pool complex in his first '100-day' pledges.