Games success will propel UAE sport

Dubai: A senior sports official feels that the success achieved by the UAE at the 15th Asian Games will be the turning point for sport in the country.

Dr Ahmad Sa'ad Al Sharif, a member of the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare, who helped lay out a blue print for the development of sport in the UAE, following a poor showing at the 2002 Asian Games, was more than happy with the results.

"The Asian Games is the first step, and we can only hope that we are able to keep this momentum and confidence for the 2008 Olympics in China," he said yesterday.

"This result only means that we were right in our observations. I think we have made the right start with so many medals at the Asian Games.

"But our goal has to be the Olympics and the 2008 Games are not very far away," Al Sharif stated.

At the request of the UAE National Olympic Committee (NOC), Al Sharif had laid out a blue print that was aimed at propelling UAE sport into the future.

The UAE won 10 medals at the Games including two golds in endurance and one in bodybuilding.

Al Sharif hopes that this success will spur on many more young champions for the future.

"This is the sort of spurt we needed for the vision we have laid out," he said.

Short period

Al Sharif reiterated that the UAE has done well over such a short period.

"We cannot compare ourselves with Qatar or Bahrain or even Kuwait. But we have taken the first step and we can be among the best," he added.

"We have been disappointing in track-and-field and swimming, and I think we can do much better. Of course a development programme needs time."