GAS and National Olympic Committee explore ways to strengthen cooperation to accomplish exceptional sports achievements in UAE

The General Authority of Sports (GAS) organised a joint meeting with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) in the presence of H.E Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, Director-General of the General Authority of Sports; H.E. Faris Al Mutawa, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee; and H.E. Sheikh Suhail Bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the General Authority of Sports, together with the working teams from both sides.

The meeting, held at GAS’s headquarters in Dubai, falls within the framework of the Authority’s ‘Sports Communication’ initiative launched to improve collaboration with partners in the UAE’s sports sector, including sports committees, councils, and federations.

It further comes as part of the efforts to encourage continued coordination and consultation between the two parties on several matters, including the UAE’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the next post-Olympic phase, as well as the technical, administrative, and financial aspects of UAE sport and regulations of the sports industry.

During the meeting, His Excellency Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri expressed his gratitude for the National Olympic Committee’s efforts to offer all means of support to Emirati athletes and national teams in their pursuit of achieving sporting excellence in competitions. H.E. also emphasised the significance of strengthening collaborative efforts to solidify the UAE’s position on the international sports scene.

H.E. said: “Coordinating efforts with our partners in the sports, government, and private sectors and fortifying special partnership frameworks with the National Olympic Committee will guarantee the UAE’s honourable representation at the 2024 Paris Olympics, various future sporting benefits, increased access for professional athletes to podiums. In addition to bringing over 30 athletes from the UAE to the 2032 Olympic Games, this also contributes to the ambitious National Sports Strategy 2031, advancing sports mobility in the UAE in keeping with the objectives and goals of our wise leadership.”

His Excellency Faris Al Mutawa asserted NOC’s commitment to supporting and implementing the National Sports Strategy 2031. H.E. stated that the sustained cooperation between GAS and NOC will contribute to achieving exceptional sports outcomes and achievements, in addition to improving the UAE’s status on the international sports stage.

H.E. added: “The UAE’s National Sports Strategy 2031 and its various initiatives and projects are all having a profound influence on the country’s sports development. The NOC, led by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the NOC, is committed to providing requisite support facilities for implementing initiatives, projects, and programs. The Committee works with a dedicated group of officials and teams in collaboration with the General Authority of Sports and other strategic partners. By nurturing athletes who can win major titles and medals in a variety of competitive sports, these initiatives hope to improve the sports environment in the UAE and elevate it to new heights of success.”

During this meeting, the two parties discussed the various methods required to implement the UAE’s National Sports Strategy for 2031. Furthermore, they also reviewed several reports, initiatives, and proposals regarding the future and enhancement of sports in the UAE. Both parties also emphasised the significance of exchanging experiences and ideas to achieve the shared goals, which are aimed at enhancing Emirati sports and fortifying the UAE’s status in the global sports scene.

Two sides further affirmed that these meetings represent a major step forward in strengthening cooperation and aligning efforts between the General Authority of Sports and the National Olympic Committee, to achieve the various sports goals aimed at improving the sports sector in the UAE. They also explored avenues for forging further strategic alliances between the two entities during this meeting as well as improving the frameworks for collaboration, thereby supporting the advancement of the UAE Olympic Movement in pursuit of national sports aspirations.