Syrian Arab Republic

His Excellency Mr. Mohammed Sameh Hamed currently serves as the Minister of Sports and Youth in the Syrian Arab Republic, following his appointment in March 2025 as part of the transitional government.

His leadership coincides with the historic establishment of the Ministry of Sports and Youth as an independent institution, succeeding the General Sports Federation which had served as Syria’s highest sports authority since 1971.Born in 1976 in Kafr Takharim, Idlib Governorate, Minister Hamed holds Syrian nationality and is married. He began his journey in sports as a basketball player in Kafr Takharim Club from 1990 to 2005, later serving as a board member and then director of the club until 2011. Under his guidance, the team reached Syria’s First Division League in 2011. In 2018, he founded Al-Nukhba Club and successfully led it to the First Division in northern Syria by 2020. Between 2021 and 2024, he served as Director of the General Directorate of Youth and Sports under the Salvation Government, where he oversaw the rehabilitation of the municipal stadium in Idlib and established federations for both team and individual sports. His tenure was marked by strategic planning and tangible achievements in youth engagement and infrastructure development. Minister Hamedh also led the Syrian national basketball team during the second qualifying window for the FIBA Asia Cup in Qatar (2024). In the same year, he was appointed President of the General Sports Federation, and subsequently assumed his current ministerial role in 2025. He holds a certified coaching diploma in basketball, and a third-degree referee license. His Excellency is recognized for his practical leadership, deep commitment to youth empowerment, and his ability to elevate local sports initiatives to national and international standards.