Sport | Other Sports
Officials from UAE Weight Lifting Association cry hoarse over state of affairs
UAE Weight Lifting coach feels government needs to do something fast to assist development of the sport.
- By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:14 July 5, 2008
Dubai: Top officials from the UAE Weight Lifting Association have been crying hoarse on the state of the sport in the country.
"I cannot take this any longer. We have worked hard to bring in the glory for the country, but none of the officials or the government seem to be bothered," UAE national team coach Abdullah Ahmad Abdul Latif told Gulf News.
The coach was conducting a training session held at a private gym in Rashidiya to prepare for the GCC Weight Lifting Championships starting in Oman on Sunday.
"We do not even have a proper gym to train the national team," the coach lamented.
With the Ministry of Sports laying a lot of emphasis on individual sports in the country, coach Abdullah feels he has a genuine grievance.
Resurgence
"My friends want to come and conduct training camps for their national teams here, but can I tell them that we do not even have a gym to train our own lifters?" he questioned.
Coach Abdullah obtained his credentials as a coach from Hungary and followed this up with a refresher coaching course in Iran. He then went on to become a member of the prestigious USA Weight Lifting based in Colorado Springs.
"There is a resurgence in weight lifting the world over. And even in the UAE we are achieving great things in other spheres, but what about individual sports like weight lifting?" he asked.
His lament, though, is not unjustified. Lifters from the UAE have time and again brought in glory for the country at regional and continental competitions.
The last was when 17-year-old Maher Jasem bagged a bronze at the Asian inter-club Weight Lifting Championships held in Syria. "What did the poor boy get? Nothing!" the coach stated.
Before he switched over to coaching, Abdullah was a successful lifter representing the UAE at three Asian championships, three Arab competitions and six Gulf level events.
"We have a history and we now need to take steps forward and grow," he said.
In the past the lifters have trained at Al Ahli, at Al Shaab and even at the Dubai Police Officers Club. "But we are no longer welcome at any of these clubs, and the fault does not lie in us," he shrugged.
VP may step down
The Vice President of the UAE Weight Lifting Association (UAE WLA) has given himself a time frame of six months before he steps down from his post.
"We definitely need more support. If it does not happen in the near future then I will resign," Abdul Karim Mohammad Saeed, Vice President of UAEWLA told Gulf News.
In fact, he had left his position some two years back in disgust, only to be brought back from Sultan Bin Mijren, President of the UAEWLA.
"None of the clubs in the country want to entertain us. I met the president and he has promised some changes in the near future. I hope this happens, failing which I will have no choice but resign," he added.
In 1984, he opened up the World Gym in Rashidiya, possibly the oldest training facility in the country. "What I need now is at least three places to train - possibly one each in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah," he said.
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