Page 55 - GAS PR REPORT - August 2024

8/5/24, 5:07 PM GAS launches 'Sports Talent' platform to discover and empower promising sports talents in UAE
Through these efforts, it seeks to connect skilled athletes with the right opportunities, thus allowing
them to hone their capabilities and channel their potential in the right direction.
Ghanim Mubarak Al Hajeri, Director-General for the General Authority of Sports, said: "Our
'Empowerment 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.

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