Dubai: Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, CEO and Chairman, Emirates Group will be joined by Prince Albert II of Monaco and Mohammad Raouraoua, President, Algerian Football Association (AFA) as the three international winners of the Sixth Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award.

The names of the 26 winners of the sixth cycle of the award were announced by Saeed Hareb, General Secretary, Dubai Sports Council (DSC) in the presence of Mattar Mohammad Al Tayer, Vice President, DSC and Chairman of the award and Dr Atef Audhaybat, member, board of trustees of the award, on Tuesday.

Participation and nomination for the award is open to eminent sportspersons, sports personalities, officials and associations for their contribution to sports and allied fields in the UAE, the Arab world and across the world.

The winners of the 18 categories of the sixth edition of the award will be rewarded at the presentation ceremony to be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on January 14, 2015.

As the person leading one of the biggest airlines in the world, Shaikh Ahmad has been chosen for his contribution to Emirati sports coupled with the growing portfolio of sports sponsorships with clubs and bodies from across the world through the Emirates Group.

Raouraoua, who was elected unanimously in 2009 for a second term in office at the AFA, was also elected as one of the African members on Fifa’s influential executive committee. Prince Albert II has been involved through his various international charities in uplifting sports among children.

“This is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of sports with a budget exceeding Dhs 12 million bearing the name of Shaikh Mohammad. Announcing the winners at this moment has been deliberate so that it coincides with our UAE National Day celebrations,” Al Tayer noted in his remarks.

The screening committee of the award had received a total of 226 nominations for the 18 categories in the award this year, indicating a 93 per cent jump in international participation alone.

Along with the international personalities, due acknowledgement is also accorded to Arab and UAE sportspersons in various categories. The screening committee currently has the names of six junior athletes, and after following the laid-down process, will choose the best junior sportsperson in the UAE.

Special sports athletes Mohammad Sultan Al K’aabi and Salem Ahmad Abdullah Al Sheh’hi, tennis junior Faris Abdullah Mohammad Al Janahi, Chess International Master Aamna Nuaman Mohammad Al Ali, UAE cycling champion Rashid Abdullah Suwaidan and table tennis player Eisa Ebrahim Al Baloushi are the six juniors who have made it to the shortlist. After due screening the winner will be announced on January 14.

The screening committee received a total of 116 nominations from 16 countries during the inaugural year of the award in 2009. In 2010, there were 132 nominations followed by 135 nominations in 2011. From the fourth edition in 2012, the award was opened to international participation and this witnessed 190 nominations followed by 203 nominees last year. So far, 96 sports personalities and bodies, of which 42 are Emiratis, have won in the last five editions of this award.