Dubai: Some of Dubai’s top football academies, including Manchester City, Barcelona and Juventus, have reopened their doors for training after weeks of closure due to COVID-19 pandemic. Few others like Real Madrid, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are waiting for restrictions to ease on players under the age of 12.
Manchester City Football Schools, Barca Academy and Juventus Academy Dubai have already resumed training players in the 12-18 age group in accordance with the safety and preventive regulations approved by the Dubai government as well as the guidelines issued by Dubai Sports Council. Other prominent academies who are waiting for easing of restrictions on Under-12 trainees are Real Madrid Foundation Football Academy, Liverpool Football Academy, Arsenal Soccer School, Manchester United Soccer School and AS Roma Academy.
In the first phase of reopening of sports facilities in Dubai, authorities have not permitted children below the age of 12 and people above the age of 60 to take part in sports activities at these facilities.
Manchester City returned to two new indoor venues on Sunday with a coaching programme throughout June for boys and girls aged 12-18 years.
The training sessions are being held at two venues in Dubai – Koora Dome at Al Wasl and Just Play at Al Quoz – and the timings are from 6pm to 7pm on Sundays to Thursdays.
A statement from Dubai Sports Council, meanwhile, says the council is keen to support and provide all means of success for the sports academies sector, which includes hundreds of official and private academies, which are linked to sports clubs, sports federations and private sports institutions.
These academies offer training and coaching in more than 50 different sports, including football, tennis, basketball, karate, cricket, badminton and squash. The academies are distributed across the emirate of Dubai and employ thousands of trainers, technicians, medical staff, fitness and nutrition specialists.
The Dubai Sports Council organizes a number of tournaments annually, in different sports and age groups, to support the academies and to encourage children by provide them with a platform to showcase their skills as well as gain experience of competitions.
