Dubai: The UAE sports fraternity has welcomed President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s groundbreaking directive to allow children of Emirati women, married to expatriates, to compete in official sports competitions in the UAE.
By declaring that “from now on one need not be an Emirati national to participate in official sports competitions held in the UAE, including those whose passports are under process, as well as those born in the UAE,” the directive is set to become a major driver for the sports scene in the country.
Shaikh Khalifa has also directed the Cabinet to put in place the necessary regulations and conditions for the implementation of the directive in order to achieve its objective.
Speaking to Gulf News, Mattar Al Tayer, Vice-Chairman, Dubai Sports Council, said: “I thank Shaikh Khalifa for his vision as this is a gift from a father to his sons and daughters. Shaikh Khalifa’s vision has always been for the benefit of his sons and daughters and he has always been working for the progress of the UAE and development of the community.
“By this order, a very important segment of the UAE fabric enters the mainstream through sport as a medium. It shows that our leaders are open to change and they give cognisance to the fact that people born here are talented and determined and, over the years, they have shown their love to belong to the UAE.”
Ahmad Al Kamali, President of the UAE Athletic Federation said: “It is a historical decision. Allowing all UAE born to represent UAE in sports will surely lift the overall standard of sports in the country.
- Mohammad Tauqir » Former UAE cricket team captain
“It will also add strength to all UAE teams. The biggest beneficiaries will be individual sports like swimming, cycling, and in a big way, athletics too. There are many talented sportsmen and women here who are born to Emirati women married to expatriates,” he added.
“Also permitting all those born in UAE will go a long way in boosting sport in the country. We, at the UAE Athletic Federation, are opening doors to all those born here, and we are also planning a conditioning programme for the talented ones.”
Rise in participants
Marwan Bin Galita, President of the UAE FA, said that the directive highlights the strong leadership and good governance of the UAE.
“The high-level directive will give great vitality to supporting and increasing the spread of Emirati sports, raising the levels of competitions, and give them more strength, expansion and momentum.
- Ahmad Al Kamali » President of the UAE Athletic Federation
“It doubles the number of participants who possess the competence, skills and talent, in various sporting activities and competitions and will also double the base of the mass following of expatriates who will fill the terraces in our stadiums.”
The new directive comes in line with the government’s move to activate, promote and support various sports activities, to benefit from the talents in athletes, and to enhance their participation in various sporting activities and official events held in the country, reaffirming that sport is an integral part of peoples’ and nations’ civilisation and progress.
Mohammad Tauqir, who captained the UAE cricket team in the 2016 World Cup, said: “It is a welcome decision and will be a big boost for all sports.
“I think it is a great decision because, after all, those who will be getting the chance because of this decision are all born and brought up here.
“It will now benefit all sports in the UAE.” Tauqir is a UAE citizen born to UAE national father and an expatriate mother.
- With inputs from Ashley Hammond, Staff Reporter
