General Authority of Sports to organise 17th Annual Sports Achievements Ceremony

• During the ceremony, 144 athletes from 9 sports associations who have achieved a total of 139 medals in various regional, continental, and international competitions will be honoured
• Valuable cash rewards will be awarded to the honoured UAE sports heroes in recognition of their exceptional sports accomplishments and their role in representing the UAE in various sports arenas
• Exceptional recognitions and awards will be given to the achievers of world records, specifically Mohammed Al-Hammadi, a Paralympic athlete, and Abdullah Sultan Al-Aryani, a Paralympic shooter

Dubai, General Authority of Sports, December 19, 2023- Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the General Authority of Sports will organize its 17th annual awards ceremony to honour sports achievers for 2022. The event will be held at the Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi on December 21, 2023.

The occasion will be graced by the presence of His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education and Chairman of the General Authority of Sports; Saeed Abdulghaffar Hussain, Director General of the General Authority of Sports; and Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the General Authority of Sports. Additionally, numerous dignitaries representing sports organisations, along with strategic partners from the National Olympic Committee, sports councils, members of the Sports Coordination Council and presidents of sports federations, will also be present.

A grand ceremony will be held felicitating 144 athletes affiliated with 9 sports federations. The honourees encompass players, referees, administrators, coaches, and delegation heads, all hailing from diverse sports such as bodybuilding, fitness, jujitsu, cycling, shooting, sailing, rowing, equestrian, Muay thai, kickboxing, judo, and the National Paralympic Committee. Collectively, they have secured an outstanding total of 139 medals in a range of regional, continental, and international competitions throughout 2022.

At this upcoming event, individual honours will be given to Mohamed Al-Hammadi, a Paralympic athlete, and Abdullah Sultan Al-Aryani, a Paralympic shooter, for their exceptional world record-breaking performances. In recognition of their historic achievements in representing UAE sports, each of them will be presented with a special financial reward as a token of appreciation. Furthermore, all the UAE champions acknowledged during the ceremony will be awarded valuable financial prizes, recognising their outstanding athletic accomplishments and their significant contributions to proudly representing the UAE across various sporting arenas.

The General Authority of Sports underscored that the event is a key component of its initiatives to inspire exceptional Emirati athletes to surpass their achievements, attain greater success, and enhance the position of the UAE in diverse sports competitions. The objective is to cultivate a culture of accomplishment, acknowledgment and appreciation, a hallmark of UAE sports. This aligns with the visions and directives of wise leadership, which consistently provides unwavering encouragement and support to all promising talents and gifted individuals, with a special emphasis on the realm of sports.