Over 95% of UAE 'National Sports Strategy' first phase completed within a year

The Director-General for the General Authority of Sports, Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, has confirmed eight projects launched under the "National Sports Strategy - 2031" are nearly complete with the second phase now underway.

Al Hajeri emphasised the wide scope for development to achieve global recognition, focusing on enhancing infrastructure, supporting talent discovery and nurturing programmes, improving sports governance, and modernising sports entities with advanced technologies and training programmes. He also stressed the importance of uniting efforts to broaden community participation.

Speaking to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Al Hajeri discussed key strategic goals, including doubling the number of athletes qualifying for the 2032 Olympics. "This ambition underscores the necessity of talent scouting and development to international standards, with rigorous monitoring and comparison against global benchmarks," he said.

Al Hajeri provided updates on the successful completion of the first phase of the National Sports Strategy - 2031, with eight projects achieving over 95 per cent completion within a year. The second phase, consisting of seven projects, is underway and aims for completion in three years, with two more projects set to launch by 2031.

The strategy targets increasing sports participation to 71 per cent and raising the sector's contribution to the GDP to 0.5 per cent by 2031.

Al Hajeri underscored the significance of teamwork with the Olympic Committee and sports federations to achieve national sports goals, highlighting the coordinated efforts to develop talent, improve sports facilities, and enhance governance and sports management practices.

He also pointed to significant progress in women's sports, with female athletes comprising nearly 20 per cent of registered practitioners and an increasing international presence. He said "the authority is committed to empowering women in sports, organising numerous activities to foster their participation and collaborating with sports federations to expand women's competitions."