General Authority of Sports and UAE Rugby Federation partner to improve rugby in the country

H.E. Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the General Sports Authority (GAS), visited the headquarters of the UAE Rugby Federation (UAERF) to examine various aspects of the game in order to develop it by using the previous achievements of the Federation’s rugby teams.

During the visit, H.E. Sheikh Suhail met with Qais Al Dhalai, President of the Asia and Arab Rugby Federation and Vice President of UAERF; Mohammed Al Zaabi, Secretary General of UAEFR; members of the Board and administrative and technical staff of the Federation, and the staff of the Asia and Arab Rugby Federation. H.E. was accompanied by Abdulaziz Al Shamsi, Head of Studies and Research department at GAS.

Sheikh Suhail said: “We appreciate the great work that the Federation is doing to develop rugby in the UAE. The UAE has become the capital of Arab and Asian rugby, and our male and female champions have achieved several accomplishment in this game. We laud the Federation’s efforts in further developing the game and supporting the aspirations of our government in this regard.”

He further explained that GAS appreciates the efforts of the Federation in forging partnerships with government entities and private sector institutions to contribute significantly to the stability and continuous development of rugby in the country, in line with the aspirations of our wise leadership and the Authority’s strategic objective. H.E. Sheikh Suhail thanked the strategic partners and sponsors of the Federation for their role in the development of the sport, which reflects their strong belief in the importance of encouraging a culture of sports and fitness in the country and achievements in this field.

H.E. Sheikh Suhail added: “This partnership has been one of the three major pillars of the General Authority of Sports’ work. We look forward to supporting the Federation in creating fruitful and long-lasting partnerships with various government and private entities. This forms part of our efforts to develop our operational strategy and create opportunities to help strengthen the UAE’s presence in various regional and international rugby championships.”

Furthermore, H.E.  visited rugby stadiums and the Asia and Arab Rugby headquarters to familiarise himself with the state of the rugby facilities, the development they have achieved over the past years, and the Federation’s plans for the future.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Al Zaabi expressed his gratitude to the General Authority of Sports for spreading awareness and offering necessary support to enriching the country’s sports culture. He added: “This visit reflects His Excellency’s commitment to networking with sports federations and getting acquainted with their achievements and the challenges they face. It shows his keenness to keep up with the activities of the Federation and rugby clubs. The General Authority of Sports is keen to help address the challenges faced by various sports and games federations in the country and provide them with the appropriate solutions.”

Discussions included the Federation’s general budget, status of international participations, and the means to benefit from previous achievements made in rugby to encourage young talents and promote a new athletic generation. H.E. Sheikh Suhail also reviewed key achievements of the Federation, such as its winning of the gold medal in the Asia Rugby Sevens Series, silver medal in the Asia Rugby Women's Sevens Series, and the bronze medal in the Arab Rugby Sevens Women's Series. The meeting further explored collaboration opportunities to promote the UAE’s position as a host for continental and international rugby events and championships.