His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, has praised the resilience of Dubai’s innovative sports sector as it bounces back from COVID-19 pandemic.
Dubai’s sports sector has seen a gradual return to normalcy in recent weeks, with DSC taking a staggered, safety-first approach in opening up the sports sector, before finally giving permission to the marine sport sector last month to organise competitions.
The opening of the sports sector has been welcomed by Dubai’s diverse community. The Emirate’s sports centres, fitness clubs and academies have been bustling with activity since the reopening and DSC said attendance numbers were almost matching pre-COVID figures.
“Sports in Dubai is not just a recreational and health activity, but it is a way of life for our community, and the enthusiastic numbers that we have seen at our academies, and sports and fitness centres since reopening only confirm that,” HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed said.
“It is a vital sector of our society, supporting the government’s strategic objectives and creating a community that is happy and healthy, and among the most physically-active in the world.
“The sports sector is also crucial for the national economy because it creates jobs opportunities for thousands of people, and attracts a huge number of tourists to the many top international events that we host here in Dubai around the year.
“Now, as the sports sectors opens up following the COVID-19 lockdown, and our children return to their academies and elders to their favourite sports and fitness centres, or parks, we can be proud of the work we have put in.
“Together, we have shown our resilience in overcoming all the challenges that the sports sector in Dubai faced over the past few months, and now we are planning for the next stage with all our stakeholders. Very soon, the Council will be announcing new initiatives and plans that will strengthen the sports sector and give it boost heading into the post COVID-19 phase.”
HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed made those observations after being surrounded in positivity after chairing a virtual meeting of the Board of Directors of DSC.
The meeting reviewed the performance report of the Council for the period May 15 to July 1, which included the measures taken by the Council for the return of sports activity in Dubai and the safety protocols it developed for the reopening of sports and fitness centres and academies.
During this period, the Council participated in a sports events and COVID-19 webinar organised by World Health Organisation an organised a major forum in co-operation with Dubai Police to discuss safety protocols for the return of spectators to sports stadiums.
The Board of Directors also reviewed plans and preparations for major international sporting events that are scheduled to be held in Dubai in the coming period, and also discussed requests and proposals made by several international sports federations to organise their events in Dubai, in co-operation with the DSC.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Vice-Chairman of DSC, participated in the meeting along with Board members HE Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Ali Bujsaim, Mohammed Al Kamali, Ahmad Al Shafar, Moaza Saeed Al Marri, and HE Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Council. Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary General of the Council, was also present at the meeting.