Al Kamali plans indoor track in the UAE
Re-elected as President of UAE athletics body for second term
Dubai: The President of the UAE Athletics Federation (UAE AF) has a new indoor track on his agenda after being elected to a second four-year term on Tuesday.
“I am elated with this result as this is an affirmation of the trust and faith the general body has in me to lead athletics in the UAE for the next four years till the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games,” Ahmad Al Kamali told media after winning 148-134 against Abdullah Al Kaabi.
“We have made a start in track and field at the London Olympics and we already have a development squad getting prepared with our next big goal being the Rio Games. But we would urgently need an indoor track to take athletics to the next level in the UAE,” he added.
A former long-distance runner from 1974 to 1988, Al Kamali has served in various capacities including as assistant coach, team manager, general secretary, vice-president and then president for the past four years with the UAE AF. “We have achieved a lot in the past four years and the general assembly has believed in what we have done so far. And by voting for me they have given me a signal that we should be pursuing the various programmes that we have initiated in putting UAE athletics right there on the top,” Al Kamali said.
“When I work I don’t have a habit of looking at my watch. I promise the general assembly, the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare (GAYSW) and all the clubs that our future in athletics will be better than what we have achieved in the past four years.
“We have a lot of ongoing programmes so that we will be in a better position to prepare for the Asian Games (2014 in South Korea), the World Championships (2013 in Moscow) and then the Rio Games in 2016,” he added.
However, the president stressed that none of this will be achievable without the right support from the public and private sectors.
“We are definitely looking forward to some more support from the government and considering that we have more than six months of summer, an indoor track would be the biggest priority for us,” Al Kamali said.
He further added that the recent launch of the UAE School Olympics would go a long way in boosting athletes and the sport.
“This was something we had wanted for a long time to tap talent at the grassroots level. I am confident we can be assured of a bright future for athletics in the UAE,” he smiled.
