DUBAI, (Pakistan Point News - 14th Sep, 2023) H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC), stressed the need to advance the Olympic movement in the country and intensify efforts to bring greater Olympic glory for the country in all sporting disciplines. Athletes should represent the UAE with all their heart and raise their level of competitiveness when targeting medals, His Highness said.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed welcomed the newly elected members of the board of Directors of the NOC, noting that concerted action to map priorities was critical to galvanising the Olympic movement. Implementing new ideas and contemporary planning methods, ensuring robust technical and physical preparations and boosting administrative efficiency in coordination with other national entities are critical to the nation’s sporting success, he added.
The review came during the first meeting of the elected NOC Board of Directors for the 2021-2024 term, which was presided over by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed. Many key decisions were approved at the meeting, including new administrative appointments to the committee and external appointments in national sports delegations.
New administrative positions of the NOC were decided upon at the meeting in keeping with provisions of the NOC’s statute. Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi and Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi were appointed Vice Presidents of the NOC, while Faris Al Mutawa was appointed Secretary-General of the Olympic Committee and Director of the Gulf Youth Games.
The NOC’s Board of Directors approved the appointment of Al Falasi as President of the Executive Office of the NOC and the membership of Al Mutawa and Mohammed bin Darwish, Executive Director of the NOC, to the Executive Office. The Secretary-General was tasked with coordinating with members of the Board of Directors and submitting a report to Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed on the appointment of the other three members in keeping with the NOC’s statutory provisions.
The NOC’s Board of Directors also approved the official delegation of the UAE for the 19th Asian Games. Al Nuaimi was appointed head of the delegation. The Asian Games, to be held in Hangzhou from 23rd September to 8th October, will see 12,000 athletes from 45 Asian nations in action. The UAE contingent will include 140 athletes (102 men and 38 women) competing across 20 individual sports and group disciplines.
During the meeting, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed was named President of the First Gulf Youth Games in the UAE. Al Nuaimi was appointed President of the Higher Committee of the Games, while Al Mutawa was appointed President of the Organising Committee and Director of the Games.
The NOC’s Board of Directors reviewed the proposed dates for the First Gulf Youth Games (during December), which were submitted to the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council for the GCC to circulate among the Gulf Olympic Committees for approval. The NOC’s Board of Directors also approved the report of the NOC Election Committee, which sets out all procedural stages of the electoral process, from the announcement of the opening of candidacy to the announcement of the final results of the elected Board of Directors.
Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi expressed his pride in the confidence of the NOC’s Board of Directors to assign him the new positions and the tremendous responsibility they entail given the high aspirations of the people whenever the UAE participates in international sporting events.
Al Nuaimi emphasised the need to enhance coordination and engagement among all members and forge constructive partnerships to achieve the vision of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed to raise the UAE’s sporting profile.
Al Nuaimi also called for making full use of the presence of a representative of the Athletes Committee among the members of the NOC’s Board of Directors to constantly follow up on the suggestions of athletes and draw from their experiences and expertise to enhance the UAE’s sporting performance.
