MOC President Hosts Special Lunch Honoring Coach of Maldives’ First Olympic Team

The Maldives Olympic Committee (MOC) hosted a special luncheon to welcome Mr. Shunji Fukushige, the coach who travelled with the Maldives’ first-ever Olympic team to the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. The gathering was hosted by the President of the Maldives Olympic Committee and brought together several pioneering athletes and former members of the Athletics Association of Maldives who were part of the nation’s earliest steps onto the Olympic stage.

The event served as a heartfelt reunion filled with reflection and gratitude. Guests shared memories from the historic 1988 Games—an important milestone that marked the Maldives’ debut at the Olympics and laid the foundation for the country’s sporting future. Stories of early challenges, proud moments, and the enduring friendships formed during that journey created a touching atmosphere of nostalgia and appreciation.

Coach Shunji Fukushige was part of the Maldives’ first Olympic journey at a time when organized sport in the country was still in its early stages. His presence and support during the 1988 Seoul Games remain a meaningful part of that pioneering experience for the athletes who represented the nation for the very first time. The reunion offered an opportunity to acknowledge the shared memories and the significance of those early steps in shaping the Maldives’ Olympic story.

The Maldives Olympic Committee expresses its heartfelt appreciation to Coach Fukushige for being part of this important moment in the nation’s sporting history. The MOC was honored to welcome him back and celebrate the spirit of friendship and camaraderie that marked the Maldives’ debut on the Olympic stage.