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Sheikh Mansoor chairs first meeting of Dubai Sports Council’s newly-formed Board of Directors

The number of private sports institutions in Dubai has climbed to 1,200

Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, chaired the first meeting of the Council’s newly-formed Board of Directors.

The meeting, which reviewed the Council’s 2021 performance results, was held in the presence of Mattar Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Board, Lieutenant-General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, and the Council’s Board members, including Saeed Hareb, Secretary-General of the Council; Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary-General of the Council, Hala Yousef Badri, Sami Al Qamzi, Mohammed Al Kamali, Maryam Al Hammadi, Moza Al Marri, and Saleh Al Marzooqi.

The Dubai Sports Council Board of Directors expressed its gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, for the unlimited support he has extended to the emirate’s sports sector and for entrusting the Chairman and members of the Board with the task of overseeing the development of the sector.

During the meeting, Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed said that the Dubai Sports Council is working under the guidance of Sheikh Mohammed to ensure the sports sector follows global best practices in the field and maintains the highest excellence.

The Chairman of Dubai Sports Council expressed confidence that the Council’s Board will continue to strengthen the UAE and Dubai’s leadership in the global sporting sector.

"The Council’s main objective is to make Dubai a preferred destination for athletes, sports teams and global sports organisations. Working closely with the private sector, the Council seeks to constantly enhance Dubai’s investment attractiveness in the sporting field, which will ultimately help boost the sector’s contribution to the GDP," Sheikh Mansoor said.

The Council presented its performance report for 2021, which covers the council’s accomplishments at the administrative level and highlights the pioneering initiatives it has launched. The report also highlights the achievements made by football teams and companies in Dubai across various categories. This includes the titles won and details on the distinguished players in academies and junior teams who were able to join first teams in their clubs as well as national teams.

The Council’s performance report for 2021 records the significant growth of the emirate’s sports sector and the collaborations that took place with the private sector. According to the report, the number of private sports institutions in Dubai has climbed to 1,200.

More than 20,000 are employed within these institutions and over 51,000 athletes are registered members practicing 56 types of sports and participating in hundreds of tournaments.

Over the past year, the number of sporting events organised annually under the supervision of the Council, including community sporting events, has increased to 155, the report states.

The report also revealed the number of international sports events in 2021, which went up to 130, while the number of camps for international clubs and teams reached more than 70. International championships and events hosted in Dubai were being watched in 200 countries.

During the meeting, the Council also reviewed its 2021 financial report and its budget for 2022. The list of sports events being organised in the coming period was also reviewed in the meeting. Among these events is the ninth edition of the Nad Al Sheba sports tournament, which is the largest sports tournament to be organised during the Holy Month of Ramadan and features eight different sports championships. Other events being organised include the World Fencing Championship for Youth and Juniors, which will be organised in the Hamdan Sports Complex; the World Wheelchair Basketball Championship, air sports championships, as well as other tournaments.

The Board of Directors has also decided to restructure the Council’s permanent committees. The Football Companies Development Committee, is headed by Muhammad Al Kamali; the Investment Committee, is headed by Sami Al Qamzi; and the Sports Development and Excellence Committee, is headed by Maryam Al Hammadi.