Page 37 - GAS PR REPORT - August 2024

8/5/24, 5:06 PM GAS launches ‘Sports Talent’ platform to discover and empower promising sports talents in UAE – UAE Business and Travel Insights…
and Sustainability of Sports Talents’ project aims to expand the base of sports practices for promising talents,
fostering their sports culture and developing a professional mindset through the recently launched ‘Sports Talent’
platform. Through these efforts, we seek to ensure the sustainability of sports talents in alignment with the goals
and values of ‘Year of Sustainability’. Furthermore, it integrates talent identification procedures to ensure a
promising future for Emirati sports signifying the unwavering efforts of the Authority in collaboration with its
partners from the sports, government and private sectors. Our goal is to devise national strategies to recognise
and empower sports talents and ultimately boost the UAE’s sports landscape.”
Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at GAS, said:
“Through this initiative, we seek to create a comprehensive database of sports talents in the UAE using the
‘Sports Talent’ online platform, which is designed to be accessible to all young talents, whether they are involved
in sporting events or not. It will serve as the primary communication channel with talented athletes across the
UAE.”
Furthermore, he emphasised that increasing the number of events dedicated to talent discovery and
empowerment will significantly bolster their national identity among our sporting stars and help realise our
national sporting ambitions. “By providing financial and administrative support to promising athletes and sports
federations, we can improve the prospects of success for those athletes aiming to qualify for the Olympics. This
support will also enhance the chances of Emirati athletes succeeding in international competitions and achieving
sporting excellence at all levels. Our goal is to meet the targets set out in the National Sports Strategy 2031,
which aims to qualify over 30 Emirati athletes for the 2032 Olympic Games,” he added.
The key goals of the ‘Sports Talent’ platform include identifying sports talents according to different age
categories, monitoring and documenting initiatives and programs to discover and empower sports talent,
boosting the number of participants as well as programs linked to discovering sports talent and developing a
comprehensive database on sports talent in different competitive sports.
The Authority has set out several criteria to improve the identification and support of sporting talents. This
initiative aims to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders to uphold the principles of effective sports
management and corporate governance. The key goal of the initiative is to ensure commitment to the successful
execution of plans, programmes, objectives and sports strategies for all involved parties. Some of the key criteria
include:
● Formulate strategies that aid in the proactive preparation and creation of a suitable environment for the early
identification of gifted individuals, empowering them through programmes, resources, activities and scientific
assessments.
● Regular assessment of the implementation and execution of the plan on the basis of the designated indicators
and initiatives. This includes ensuring that tests are conducted to evaluate the abilities and levels of talent, using
scientific principles and standards to measure both the current performance of these individuals and their
potential future capabilities.
● Continuous monitoring and implementation of development of programmes and systems to nurture sports
talents through training camps and encourage participation in both national and international events while
offering comprehensive support and sponsorship across various areas.
● Regular assessments and ongoing support for athletic talents and determining strengths and areas for
improvement to enhance performance development.
The Authority is accelerating its efforts to position this platform as a key contributor towards attaining national
sports goals. It aims to achieve this by supporting the development of a competitive sports environment that
helps to nurture talent through dedicated and thoughtful plans and programs to achieve outstanding sports results
and raise the flag of the UAE high in various sports events.
The ’Empowering and Sustaining Sports Talent’ project is integrated with the transformative project ‘Talents’.
The project, in collaboration with relevant sports federations and sports bodies, conducts a wide array of
competitions, tournaments and sports festivals as well as using new mechanisms to identify sports talent and thus
expand the scope of competitive sports.

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