Sport | Other Sports
Abdul Malek for fast track to professionalism
A senior UAE National Olympic Committee (NOC) official has called for quick implementation of professionalism in individual sports.
- By Sayed Ali, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:35 May 3, 2009
- Ebrahim Abdul Malek, the secretary general of the NOC and general secretary of the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare.
- Image Credit: Karl Jeffs/Gulf News
Doha: A senior UAE National Olympic Committee (NOC) official has called for quick implementation of professionalism in individual sports.
Ebrahim Abdul Malek, the secretary general of the NOC and general secretary of the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare (GAYSW), told Gulf News in Doha yesterday: "The time has come to implement professionalism in individual sports if we are to compete with the stronger countries in Asia and win medals."
Abdul Malek said all the countries who are winning medals at the Asian Games have professional athletes. "We have to go this way if we are really looking to catch up with the other countries," he said.
"Professionalism is the international language of sports and without implementing professionalism in individual sports we will not be able to achieve any success even if we participate in the Asian Games for the next 20 years."
Football shows the way
Abdul Malek pointed out that footballers in the UAE were turning full professionals to improve their standards and talent.
"I think it's time for sportsmen to turn professional for the same reason," he said.
"A professional athlete will train daily. Continuous training will help him or her improve and break his own records and compete [successfully] at events like the Games. It will help him compete powerfully and win medals."
At the 2002 Games in Busan, Abdul Malek said he had appealed to the government to give nationality to talented athletes who do not have UAE nationality.
"I think the authorities have to grant nationality to those who are the sons of UAE mothers, bearers of UAE passports but do not have UAE nationality and to the sons of Arab nationals born in the UAE," he said.
"This move will be in the interest of UAE sports."
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