Sport is placed at the forefront of the leisure activities in UAE. From traditional camel races to modern motor racing extravaganzas, people take part with overwhelming enthusiasm in various forms of sporting activities.
Abu Dhabi Sports Council
Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) was formed in 2006 to develop sports and support and supervise the Emirate’s sports clubs. which consists of the representatives of major Abu Dhabi sports clubs including Al Wahda, Al Jazira, Bani Yas, Al Ain and Al Dhafra sports clubs. The Council is mandated with formulating new strategies and plans to support sports clubs in the Emirate. It also seeks to establish Abu Dhabi as the sporting capital of the region.
Special Sports
People people of determination from UAE have left their footprint in the history of UAE sports, and special sports get great attention from the sports authorities.UAE’s people of determination sporting stars have made several outstanding achievements, regionally and internationally, notably, Mohammed Khamis, who won the weightlifting silver medal in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
UAE’s Khamis Masood Mubarak won the shot-put gold medal at the Birmingham World Championship in 1999, and qualified for the Sydney Olympics 2000.
Recently, the UAE people of determination team has presented an outstanding performance in the Asian Championship held in Singapore.
International Partnerships
To support the government’s vision to create a sport-conducive environment and raise the country’s profile in the international sporting arena, the Emirate has partnered with many leading international organisations. Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), in association with Inter Milan Football Club, launched the Inter Milan Football Academy in Abu Dhabi in 2011 as part of the plan to hone the sporting skills of youngsters in Abu Dhabi. The first of its kind in the Middle East, the Academy caters to youngsters aged between 9 to 12 years of age, and provides football coaching clinics and training workshops for the coaches of Abu Dhabi’s professional football clubs.
Sports Awards
HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of UAE, always takes a keen interest in the patronage and honouring of distinguished performers in sports.
HH Sheikh Khalifa honours the accomplished sportsmen with annual grants worth AED 10 million distributed during an award ceremony organised under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
Emirates Appreciation Award for Sports
UAE recently launched the Emirates Appreciation Award for Sports, a pioneering initiative aimed at the advancement of sports in the country. The award seeks to support UAE sports and voluntary activities, honour accomplished sportsmen and sporting administers, develop the skills of talented sportsmen and support scientific research in the sports sector.
Emirates Appreciation Award for Sports carries a cash prize of AED 200,000 for winners in three categories:
- Administrators including chairmen of associations, clubs and committees.
- Players of both genders and different age groups.
- Referees and their assistants.
