The General Authority of Sport launches transformative Mawaheb project to explore and cultivate sport talent aiming to enhance UAE’s competitiveness in sports

The General Authority of Sports launched the transformative ‘Mawaheb’ project, dedicated to identifying and fostering sports talents. The goal of this initiative is to boost the UAE’s competitiveness in the sports sector and inspire younger generations to adopt sports as an integral part of their lifestyle. Aligned with the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, which aims to engage and empower every member of society in sports, this project makes a substantial contribution to the national aspiration of building the world’s most prosperous society.

The core goal of this project is to identify 1,500 promising talented individuals in sports. Its primary objective is to inspire consistent engagement in sports, further fostering the spirit of competition among them to present their best sporting levels. Through the promotion of healthy competition, the project intends to bring about positive lifestyle changes. Additionally, it strives to create a database of sports talents while increasing the number of identified talents each year.

 His Excellency Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, Director General for the General Authority of Sports, said: “The ‘Mawaheb’ project strives to develop a mechanism for discovering sports talents, encouraging them at an early age to actively participate in competitive sports. Through this initiative, the project aims to enhance their skills, improve their physical and mental well-being, and instil a sense of good sportsmanship. In collaboration with relevant sports committees and federations, the Authority and its partners are dedicated to honing the talents of these students, ensuring continuous professional development. This collective opens doors to global and Olympic achievements, thereby enhancing the reputation of sports in the UAE both regionally and internationally, in accordance with the wise leadership’s vision.”

His Excellency Sheikh Suhail Bin Butti Al Maktoum, the Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the General Authority of Sport, said: “GAS has expressed a keen interest in the transformative ‘Mawaheb’ project as part of its commitment to devising long-term strategies that prioritise the nurturing, development, and empowerment of these talents, aligning with government directives and the ambitious vision of We the UAE 2031. Through substantial investments in human capital and strengthened collaboration and coordination with partners in the sports and education sectors, GAS aims to empower promising talents, ensuring a consistent stream of young athletes for national sports teams. These talents will be provided with exceptional opportunities to fulfil the objectives outlined in the National Sports Strategy 2031 and future plans, including the qualification of over 30 UAE athletes for the 2032 Olympic Games.”

The ‘Mawaheb’ project hosts a range of competitions, tournaments, and sports festivals. which are designed to include all age groups under 14 years, serving as an ideal platform for identifying talents. Operating in partnership with diverse sports federations, and other pertinent sports entities, the project employs innovative mechanisms for talent discovery. Its goal is to expand the scope of competitive sports across 9 varied sporting disciplines.

The “Mawaheb” project has been launched with three events so far, which are “Future Falcons Festival for Golf Talent Discovery”, “the first festival for budding athletes was held to discover talents in athletics” and “Abu Dhabi Racquet Sports Club Festival for Badminton Talent Discovery”, out of 18 sports events and festivals.

The project comprises nine sports federations, namely the UAE Athletics Federation (UAEAF), the Emirates Golf Federation, the UAE Archery Federation, the UAE Judo Federation, the UAE Table Tennis Federation, the UAE Badminton Federation, the UAE Fencing Federation (UAEF), the UAE Tennis Federation, the UAE Shooting Federation, in addition to the Abu Dhabi Racket Club. These organisations are set to coordinate a total of 18 sports events and festivals in collaboration with the General Authority of Sports. The aim is to identify and foster talents across age groups under 14 years old. The project is scheduled to take place from February to the following June.

The General Authority of Sports (GAS) operates with a distinctive vision, aspiring to build a leading sports community that attains global recognition. This vision is reflected through various projects, programs and initiatives designed to cultivate a sports culture across diverse segments of society, making sports an integral part of the community’s lifestyle. Furthermore, the Authority makes conscious efforts to instil a culture of professionalism among the upcoming generations by implementing a national initiative dedicated to discovering and nurturing sports talents at early age, in collaboration with relevant authorities. This initiative is geared towards consistently and methodically enhancing the position of sports in the UAE and elevating the country’s representation in global sporting events.