Under the framework of implementing the second phase of the decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, for the development of supervisors and administrators working with clubs and football companies in Dubai, the Dubai Sports Council has been meeting relevant government departments and entities to develop a comprehensive educational and development program for those who have passed the first stage.

The development program comes within the framework of the Dubai Sports Council’s efforts to develop the administrative staff working at Dubai clubs and sports companies, in order to optimise the investment of human resources, enhance the work atmosphere and create a positive relationship between the clubs and families, which will attract more people to these facilities, help promote sports among the community and increase the pool of Emirati sports talents.

More than 200 administrators and supervisors nominated by their clubs and football companies took part in the first stage of the program, which was a competency and personality assessment test conducted in cooperation with the Competency Assessment Centre of Dubai Government Human Resources Department.

After receiving the evaluation results of the competency and personality tests from the first stage, Dubai Sports Council determined the basic personal, technical and athletic qualifications required for appointing supervisors and administrators to work during the next phase. The qualifications and basic conditions include: the supervisor and administrator must be a citizen of the UAE; be of good conduct; have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent for supervisors; have a high school diploma or its equivalent for administrators; and should pass the job test successfully.

The additional conditions, which would be a reference scale for choosing between two equally qualified candidates, are: proficiency in English language; mastery of computer skills; he or she should have played the sport for a duration that will be determined by the sports institution; previous experience in sports management, the duration of which will be decided by the sports institution.

The Dubai Sports Council has sent a circular to clubs and football companies regarding the adoption of these conditions as a basis for new appointments during the coming period, and asked them to amend the status of current supervisors and administrators who do not meet the basic conditions no later than the beginning of April.

The second phase of the development program will see the Council organise workshops, training programs and lectures for eligible supervisors and administrators throughout the sports season, with the aim of updating them about the latest and global best practises in dealing with athletes of differences ages, as well as other development and trends in all other spheres of their work. The lectures will also focus on important topics like strategic planning, team leadership skills, ability to cope with change, communication and the ability to negotiate and persuade, and sports management.