His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, has confirmed the implementation of the directives of the Executive Council of Government of Dubai regarding the financial self-sufficiency of football companies in Dubai as it is one of the most important elements of successful professionalism, and a major incentive for developing effective work plans, for optimal investment of resources and for activating investments in football companies.

His Highness also stressed that the Dubai Sports Council will continue to honour the pioneers of UAE’s sports sector as part of its Dubai Sports Excellence Model to consolidate the values of giving and loyalty in sports, and to recognise those who have left a clear imprint at their clubs and national teams, and contributed to laying the foundations of success and excellence in Dubai clubs.

This came during the second meeting of Dubai Sports Council’s Board of Directors for the year 2021, which was held virtually, through video conferencing, on Wednesday, March 30. The meeting was chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Council, participated in the meeting alongside His Excellency Major General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, and members of the Board of Directors – HE Dr Abdulla Al Karam, HE Maryam Al Hammadi, Mohammed Al Kamali, Ahmad Al Shafar, Moaza Saeed Al Marri, and HE Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Council – and Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary General of the Council.

The meeting discussed the implementation of the financial self-sufficiency initiative in Dubai football companies, for which a timeline was set in accordance with the directives of the Executive Council of Government of Dubai and to meet the strategic objectives of Dubai Sports Council. The initiative was also in line with the requirements of professional football.

The meeting also discussed a technical report prepared by Dubai Municipality in cooperation with Dubai Sports Council for the maintenance of Shabab Al Ahli’s Rashid Stadium in Al Qusais and and Al Wasl’s Zabeel Stadium, and the development of a number of areas within the stadiums. The Board is keen to implement these suggestions and upgrade the facilities at Dubai’s stadiums because, in recent times, the UAE, Dubai in particular, has emerged as the favourite destination of top football clubs and national teams for their training camps and offshore friendly matches.

Dubai Sports Council has a long-standing partnership with Dubai Municipality and they have worked together on the construction, development and maintenance of sports facilities over the years, and their cooperation has resulted in the construction of some of Dubai’s most-iconic sports landmarks like the Hamdan Sports Complex and Al Nasr’s Al Maktoum Stadium, as well as the Hamdan Bin Rashid Stadium, the home of Hatta Sports Club, and a number of swimming pools and sports halls.

Regulations for using Dubai’s name in sports tournaments

In accordance with the decision of The Executive Council of Dubai, the Board of Directors reviewed the terms and conditions for using “Dubai” in the name of sports events. Dubai has emerged as a symbol of excellence and creativity, synonymous with success in all spheres, and sports events using the Emirate’s name should be commensurate with the status Dubai enjoys internationally.

The terms and conditions for using Dubai’s name by sports events will be sent to the official legislative authorities of the Emirate of Dubai for the purpose of issuing them as part of an official decision that is binding on all parties working in the organisation of sports events in Dubai and the sectors supporting them.

Dubai Sports Excellence Model

The meeting approved the organization of the eighth edition of Dubai Sports Excellence Model, which will honour Dubai’s athletes, clubs and football companies for their excellence in two distinct set of categories: Institutional Excellence and Individual Excellence.

There will be four awards categories under Institutional Excellence: Sports Excellence Award-Clubs; Sports Excellence Award-Football Companies; Best Club and Company in the Face of Covid-19 pandemic; and Best Club and Company in the field of Institutional Efficiency.

In the Individual Excellence segment, there are five Award categories: Best Player in Individual Sports; Best Player in Team Sports; Best Football Player; Best Athlete of Determination in Individual Sports; Best Athlete of Determination in Team Sports.

The Board of Directors also reviewed the names of sports personalities who will be honoured at the 8^th Dubai Sports Excellence Model awards ceremony within the appreciation category called “Pioneers of Sports Work”, which seeks to acknowledge and honour athletes and individuals, whose sincerity and dedication have laid and strengthened the foundations of Dubai’s sports sector.

The Board also discussed the activities Dubai Club for People of Determination and stressed on their keenness to provide all means of success for the Club, which caters to an important segment of the community and provides them with opportunities to practice their favourite sports, and also hosts a number of local and international competitions throughout the year.

Dubai International Sports Conference

The Board of Directors reviewed the plan of the organizing committee of Dubai International Sports Conference and Dubai Globe Soccer Awards, which will be held in December in the Expo 2020 district.

Expo 2020 Dubai, which takes place from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, under the theme “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, is the first World Expo to be held in the MENA and South Asia region. It will feature pavilions of 190-plus countries and is expected to bring more than 25 million visitors to Dubai.

A global gathering of nations dedicated to finding solutions to pressing challenges of their time, World Expos are unrivalled among international events in their size, scale, duration and visitor numbers and serve as a bridge between governments, companies, international organisations, and citizens.

As this year’s Dubai International Sports Conference and Dubai Globe Soccer Awards coincide with Expo 2020, Dubai Sports Council is keen to make the 2021 edition of the twin events a memorable one by hosting it at one of the Expo 2020 centres and by matching the grandeur of Expo 2020 by assembling the cream of the global football family, and its biggest stars and decision-makers.

Nurturing Innovation

The meeting reviewed the latest reports of the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, which included a section on the “Human Resources Pulse” device that has been designed and implemented by the Corporate Support Department of Dubai Sports Council to provide its staff with more than 43 services in six different categories. The “Pulse” has contributed towards the Council becoming a “100 per cent Paperless” institution, and it has also led to a reduction in the number of employees working in the Human Resources Department.

The “Pulse” allows the Council’s employees to obtain any official document or letter at any time of the day or night, within 30 seconds.

The Board of Directors expressed its appreciation of the efforts of the team behind the “Pulse” and stressed on nurturing and implementing innovation at work in line with the government’s guidelines, which emphasize on continuous development, innovation and the creation of a better future.

The Board of Directors also reviewed a number of other issues on the agenda, and appropriate decisions were taken.