Dubai will host global sports meet in December

Dubai: The Dubai Sports Council (DSC) has confirmed its 7th Dubai International Sports Conference will be held on December 27 and 28.

The annual event — held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of DSC — has consistently brought in top-class footballers and officials to pass on their experience to the professional set-up in the UAE and the region.

One of the highlights of this year's conference will be the visit of the Uefa president and former French footballer Michel Platini, who confirmed his presence at the Globe Soccer press conference last month.

The announcement was also attended by former England coach Fabio Capello, Italy's World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro, former captain of Ghana Abedi Pele and ex-chairman and owner of Torino FC and AS Lazio, Gianmarco Calleri.

"The dates have been reviewed and finalised and we are glad to disclose that our annual conference will be held on these two days," Dr Ahmad Sa'ad Al Sharif, general secretary of the DSC, told Gulf News.

"It has always been our motive to bring in the best from the sporting world so that the sportspersons from the country and the region benefit due to the presence of such high-profile legends during the conference.

"We have hosted the best of the best from the world of football during the last six editions of this conference and this year is going to be no different as we continue playing a role in portraying football as the industry it has grown to be."

Discussing crucial issues

The Dubai International Sports Conference has been one of the main platforms for the sporting industry in the UAE in discussing important issues related to football and sports in general over the past six years.

Last year, Real Madrid and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo was a huge draw.