Kosovo Cycling Faces Financial Hurdles
The President of the Cycling Federation of Kosovo, Avni Nuha, spoke about the development of cycling in the country, the challenges faced by clubs, high costs, and ambitions to host major international races in Kosovo, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.
In an interview, Nuha stated that cycling has grown significantly since the pandemic, with nine licensed clubs currently active. The strongest team is "Kastrioti" from Ferizaj, which makes up over 80% of the national team.
“Since 2020, cycling has seen an extraordinary boom, not just in Kosovo but globally. We hope to introduce it into school curricula, working with the ‘School Sports’ program to discover young talent.”
Nuha warned that a lack of financial support from municipalities threatens the survival of clubs.
“This is a very expensive sport. You can't compete with low-cost bikes. Just the equipment for one cyclist costs over €10,000 — bikes, clothing, helmets, shoes, etc.”
He emphasized the physical demands of the sport and revealed ambitions to host the Balkan Cycling Championship in Kosovo within two years, which would benefit both sport and local tourism and economy.
“Our natural beauty allows us to host major cycling events. It’s not just sport — it’s tourism and economic development.”
Nuha also noted that the federation aims to move from Category C to B in the Ministry of Sport's classification system, which would bring increased funding.
