Dubai: Badminton in UAE is set to get a huge boost following the recent decree of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to include expatriates into top sports administrative bodies.
Shafi Ul Mulk, who has been repeatedly winning badminton tournaments at the senior level in the UAE and was a former Andhra Pradesh junior and senior champion and played in India’s national tournaments, has been nominated as chairman of the UAE Badminton Committee. Following this appointment, plans are afoot for a proposed UAE Badminton Federation with Ghazi Ahmad Al Madani of Dubai Sports Council to be appointed as chairman of the federation.
Speaking to Gulf News, Al Madani said: “We have offered the highest post of chairman of the committee to Shafi (Ul Mulk) as per the UAE rules to include expatriates in sports development by taking into consideration his tremendous contribution to badminton in UAE as an ardent supporter of this game and even as sponsor of major tournaments. The UAE Badminton Federation Committee team is being formed with the goal to spread awareness about the game across the country in line with the vision of a healthy and happy community.”
Shafi, who is busy drawing out plans for the promotion of badminton, said: “I feel humbled and elated to become the first Non-Resident Indian (NRI) to be nominated for this prestigious post and I express my gratitude to Al Madani for entrusting such a task and having the confidence in me.”
Shafi, who has trained and played alongside greats of the game like Prakash Padukone and Syed Modi in India’s junior badminton camps, said: “Badminton is an under represented sport here and a lot needs to be done to revive its old glory. As a start we plan to take the sport to schools, colleges and corporates. We will spread the news that it is a sport that can lead the whole community into an active lifestyle and develop the spirit of competition which in turn can lift character and team-building qualities in everyone.”
Shafi, who is a doctor by profession and is the chairman of Mulk Healthcare enterprises, wants more facilities for badminton. “One of our primary objectives will be to overcome shortage of infrastructure and professional coaching staff with right impetus to private sector to invest in this sport. Badminton has a great potential to spread across the communities in this region as it is relatively a very fast-paced game and considered by many sports experts as an ideal fitness regime.”
Shafi who trains regularly on mornings at the India Club revealed that the rush to fill all the courts at the club is an example of the growing popularity of this sport. “We will plan to spread the sport in many corporate and senior management sectors. It is important to get them involved by creating more corporate leagues and encourage business sectors to participate and take an interest. It will also help generate funds for the growth of the sport at the grass root level.”
