ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 24th Jun, 2020) The UAE Football Association, UAEFA, in partnership with the Pro League and the International Sports Convention, ISC, organised a webinar titled ‘COVID-19 and Football: How to Shape a New Future?,’ on Wednesday.
Organisers said the conference is an important turning point in painting the future of football in the region and the entire world post COVID-19.
The conference was attended by H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, President of the UAE Football Association, UAEFA, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, President of the Asian Football Confederation, AFC, Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, as well as other local and international sports personalities.
In his opening speech, Sheikh Rashid welcomed Sheikh Salman, Infantino and the event’s participants, stating, "Today, we unite our ambitions to advance international football to a new era after the coronavirus pandemic, by studying the pros and cons of the situation."
"We have seen the world unite during this pandemic, proving that challenges, no matter how considerable, are not obstacles when people unite to overcome them," he added, noting that facing the coronavirus crisis requires true leaders who make vital decisions that protect communities and the whole of humanity.
The UAE is one of the best countries in dealing with the pandemic, through adopting a set of precautionary and preventive measures, which have inspired everyone to follow the same approach taken by the country’s leadership, he further added.
"We were keen to harness our efforts and expertise to preserve the resources of football in the country over the past months, and we have developed plans for containing the crises and its risks, in line with the highest international standards. We have also employed working teams that are constantly communicating with Asian and international federations and relevant national authorities, to help us make the right decisions during this situation," Sheikh Rashid said.
"I am pleased to be among the group of experts and specialists in international football, to benefit from their expertise and draft new solutions that will support football around the world," he said in conclusion.
The first Webinar of its kind in the middle East brought some of the brightest sports and football leaders and minds from around the world together to discuss the latest industry drivers for shaping a new future for football and to bring together the football industry to share and debate some of the most pressing issues facing the global football industry in a generation from grassroots, to player development, from commercial challenges to opportunities in football.
Top decision-makers in world football addressed virtual sessions on COVID-19 – The legal Challenges for the Football Industry, The Competitive Edge: Player Recruitment and Development Efficiency Post COVID-19, COVID-19 – The Commercial Implications and Opportunities for the Football Industry, COVID 19 & Grassroots Football: Securing the Future of the Game, and Training Methods and Referee Development Post COVID-19.
This Webinar is part of the electronic transformation process led by the UAE Football Association represented by the International Relations Committee headed by Salim Ali Al Shamsi, domestically in light of the coronavirus pandemic, in terms of benefiting from the conferences held virtually and the exploitation of sufficient resources to support football in the UAE in particular and the world in general, as this is the second international Webinar that the UAE Football Association holds after the Medical Webinar, which was held in partnership with the International Football Association, FIFA, last week.
