The Russian International Olympic University (RIOU) took part in the Third Bahrain Sports Summit – a leading discussion platform for the MENA region dedicated to the development of sport and international cooperation. The summit was held on 10–11 February in Manama, the Kingdom of Bahrain. The invitation was extended by Bahrain’s General Sports Authority (GSA), following high-level talks in Russia.

RIOU Rector, full member of the Russian Academy of Education, Professor Lev Belousov, and GSA Chief Executive, H.E. Dr Abdul-Rahman Askar, first met in Samara, Russia, in November 2025 during the 13th International Sports Forum "Russia – Nation of Sports". The two sides agreed at the time to strengthen ties, and this month’s summit marks a concrete step towards that goal.

The summit's programme covered a wide range of current issues, including relationships between sport, media and culture, investment in sport, sports management and law, the integration of artificial intelligence, the role of women in the sports industry, and talent identification.

RIOU Rector, Professor Lev Belousov commented: "We thank Bahrain’s General Sports Authority for the invitation and the opportunity to contribute to such a high-level discussion. RIOU's presence at such international platforms allows us to showcase the strengths of our educational offering to a broad audience and to build lasting academic links with partners from across the world."

The summit’s concluding recommendations highlighted the importance of sports management education for training highly-skilled professionals for the sports industry, which is rapidly becoming more complex and increasingly technology-driven.