Dubai: Dubai World Cup horse racing, DP World Tour Championship and the Dubai Tour — three of Dubai’s marquee sporting events — have retained their 5-star rating in the fourth edition of Dubai Sports Council’s Sports Events Ranking System while the Gov Games received the top rating on its introduction.
Dubai World Cup finished at the top of the rankings with a score of 95.3 while the DP World Tour Championship, the climax of the European Tour Race to Dubai, came in second with 94 points. The Dubai Tour was just 0.1 points behind with 93.9 points while the inaugural Gov Games received a score of 91.3. Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, has given his seal of approval to the rankings for 2017-18.
The 2018 Julius Baer Gold Cup polo topped the charts among four-star events with a score of 89.8. They were followed by four other events that scored 89 points and above — Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens (89.7), Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships (89.5), TTD Super Cup (89.3), and the 2017 Dubai Badminton World Superseries Finals (89).
Shaikh Hamdan said in a press release: “The Dubai Sports Council designed and implemented a unique indigenous system that fits the needs of Dubai, a diverse city with a character of its own, home to more than 200 different nationalities, all living in harmony and working for a better future.
“The past years have witnessed increasing growth in the sports sector and a rise in its contribution to the national economy through the creation of jobs and construction of sporting infra structure. Sports events not only contribute to the development of this sector but also encourage members of the community to embrace sport and a physically active lifestyle. The atmosphere that these events create and the stars and heroes they bring play a big role in inspiring the community to adopt a sporting and fitness culture.”
Congratulating the events that topped the ratings, Hamdan urged them and the others to continue their pursuit of excellence, grow their following among fans and attract even greater participation from the community.
Mattar Al Tayer, Vice-Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, thanked Hamdan for his many sporting and community initiatives that have inspired the residents of Dubai to embrace a sporting lifestyle. “We are working in an innovative and integrated government system, and an important and vital sector: the sports sector, which must witness progress that matches the progress and development we see in all other aspects of life in Dubai,” he said.
