Dubai: UAE Rugby on Wednesday announced a tie-up with Dubai Airports for sponsorship of the all-Emirati Shaheen Pathway rugby programme.
The Shaheen Pathway is UAE Rugby’s Emirati talent development programme, which focuses on the seven-a-side game and offers a stepping stone for the 3,000 Emirati juniors currently in the school’s Player Pathway Programme to continually improve their skills and fitness levels. This development pathway is critical to achieving elements of the strategic plan that aims to support and focus on homegrown talent, who will in due time represent the UAE.
Speaking about the tie-up, Anita Mehra, Vice-President of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Dubai Airports said: “Dubai Airports is proud to support the grassroots Shaheen Pathway Emirati development programme, aimed at attracting and encouraging thousands of UAE nationals to the sport of rugby and create an international quality talent pool for the national side.
“This is in continuation of our efforts to support young Emirati talent across a spectrum of fields, including academics, literature and sports and, we believe, the best way to give back to the community is by nurturing the youth of the UAE.”
Identified as UAE Rugby’s Olympic roadmap, the development programme is designed to develop and provide playing talent to the national team, which is focusing on competing at the international level in all IOC events with the Asian Games as a major target. Emirati players will have the opportunity to play in international and local tournaments with a specific playing and training schedule implemented by UAE Rugby’s Performance Manager and National Coach, Roelof Kotze.
