The Dubai Sports Council has thanked and lauded the country’s wise leadership for their vision and support during the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, and their efforts to protect the nation and the members of its community from the virus.

The Council also hailed the leadership for ensuring the smooth supply of essentials and other daily requirements of the community, as well planning and preparing for the post-COVID-19 period.

The Council also commended Al Nasr and Shabab Al Ahli Dubai clubs for hosting COVID-19 drive-through test centres at their premises, and thanked all the volunteers from Dubai Sports Council and elsewhere, who worked alongside the medical and security teams, as the first line of defence in the efforts to protect the community from the pandemic.

This came during a meeting of the Board of Directors of Dubai Sports Council, which was held remotely under the chairmanship of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council.

His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Council, and His Excellency Major General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, participated in the remote meeting alongside other members of the Board: HE Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Ali Bujsaim, Mohammed Al Kamali, Ahmad Al Shafar, Mariam Al Hammadi, Moaza Saeed Al Marri, and HE Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Council. Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary General of the Council, also participated in the meeting.

HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed appreciated the efforts of all the professionals and volunteers who are working in the first line of defence against COVID-19, implementing the directives of the nation’s wise leadership to protect the community in this critical period. He also saluted the vision of the country’s wise leadership and their efforts in providing medical and food security, community care and technical development in the fields of education and communication, and in preparing for the recovery phase in all sectors.

His Highness also expressed his happiness with the role played by sports institutions, who participated in the national efforts to contain the pandemic by providing their facilities, as well as by communicating with members of the community and providing them with advice on how to continue exercising and playing sports at home or in non-crowded places while following the instructions of competent authorities in this field.

Discussing the restart of sports activity, the meeting stressed that the restart is linked to the implementation of all preventive measures determined by relevant government authorities in this regard, and the strict implementation of the instructions and decisions of the Supreme Committee for Crisis and Disaster Management of Dubai.

The Board, meanwhile, reviewed the performance report of the Council for the period March 15 to May 15, 2020, and the events and initiatives launched and implemented by the Council during the period, which were focused on encouraging all members of the community to exercise daily and stay physically active. The Council organised and supported a number of ‘Virtual’ events involving different sports during the period, and launched the ‘Be Fit, Be Safe’ campaign to encourage members of the community to remain physically active at home.

The ‘Be Fit, Be Safe’ initiative has received widespread support with dozens of top international football stars backing the campaign and encouraging members of the community to keep exercising through video messages.

The Council has also organised a number of virtual sports events and webinars under the ‘Be Fit, Be Safe’ during this period, including the world’s first ‘Marathon at Home’, and a Virtual Tour Challenge for cycling enthusiasts, and it has been encouraging sports event organisers in the Emirate to embrace virtual sports and esports, and to come up with innovative solutions to keep members of the community engaged in physical activity at home.

The meeting also confirmed the implementation of the directives of His Highness the President to appoint Emirati assistant coaches in all the first teams for team games. The Board also reviewed the current budgets and proposed budgets for the upcoming seasons, and also discussed meetings of clubs to complete the final draft of a number of regulations and work manuals presented, as well as initiatives to celebrate the World Safety and Health Day.

In the field of social responsibility, the Council’s performance report included the establishment of two COVID-19 testing centers in Al Nasr and Shabab Al Ahli clubs, as well as the mention of Council members who donated blood, and volunteered to work at the COVID-19 testing centers among others.

The meeting also reviewed the report of the Development and Future Committee and the report of the Investment and Projects Committee, as well as the mechanisms for implementing Council Resolution No. 1 on the governance of sports clubs in the Emirate of Dubai, which included: holding several meetings with club councils, organizing a number of training workshops for club departments and football companies, setting six policies and work systems, issuing 10 guidelines and approved forms, as well as setting performance indicators for club departments, especially in the field of player contract management, the management of players and coaches affairs, and the establishment of disclosure and transparency rules.

The meeting also reviewed activities and future plans, and a number of other topics within the agenda and took appropriate decisions in this regard.