Athletes have confirmed that Emirati sports are full of talents capable of honorable representation in major international forums in individual games, which is considered a “fruitful tree” that needs watering and care, and providing the requirements for its success, to repeat a new achievement at the level of the Olympic Games, which was limited to two historic medals, with a gold. Archery was imitated by Sheikh Ahmed bin Hasher Al Maktoum in “Athens 2004”, and a bronze medal in judo by Sergio Coma in “Rio de Janeiro 2016”, and there is still hope for a third historic medal in the “Paris 2024” Olympics, scheduled for the period from July 26 to 11. Next August.
They told “Emirates Today” that “the achievements would have been doubled if small details had been available, most notably administrative and marketing professionalism, to provide financial liquidity in the interest of increasing the federations’ budgets and directing them towards more support, to advance those with achievements and talents towards achieving Olympic glory.”
They explained that “football, for example, enjoys a huge budget, but it does not achieve the desired results for UAE sports, which calls for fairness to individual sports with achievements.”
They called on national companies to support clubs, federations and individual sports champions, and not to neglect their responsibility towards local sports, similar to their support for international clubs and championships, pointing out that the need has also become urgent to return to schools, as they are considered a “gold mine”, but they are currently only interested in sports in a formal way. As they put it, they remind schools to return to allocating two physical education classes per week, to facilitate the process of discovering talents, in addition to organizing school tournaments throughout the year, and not limiting this to school Olympiads only.
Small details
The star of the national snooker team, Mohamed Shehab, who won 112 medals in his career, said: “The individual games and achievements achieved by the champions could have been doubled if small details had been available, the most important of which is professionalism in the administrative and marketing aspects.”
He explained: “I have represented the national teams since I was 17 years old, and my career is full of great achievements, including giving Emirates Snooker the first gold medal in Asia in 2006, and repeating the Asian achievement in 2016, before continuing the journey and reaping more achievements, the most recent of which was my victory last March in the ( Q2 World Professional Championship, in a championship followed by 10 million people around the world, which is an important marketing number, which could have been worked on to obtain sponsors and supporters who would generate additional financial revenues that could be directed to support the career of achievers and develop talents.
He concluded: “The achievements of individual games, most of which came with great dedication from the state’s athletes at the expense of their work and future careers in order to raise the state’s flag in major forums, compared to collective federations that do not achieve the desired achievements despite the huge budgets spent on them, such as football, which enjoys support.” There is a lot of money in addition to very professional marketing, and from here I demand justice for individual games, and directing the compass to further support their heroes.”
Heroes… and sacrifices
Vice President of the Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Mohammed Al Dhaheri, confirmed that Jiu-Jitsu is a model of the brilliance and success of individual sports, and the focus of attention of those in charge of the sports system in the country.
Al Dhaheri said: “Individual games are the secret to any country’s superiority in continental and international championships, to win the largest number of medals and achievements, especially in the Olympic Games.”
He explained: “Jiu-Jitsu has a special place in the country, thanks to the great support it enjoys from the wise leadership, as it has maintained its brilliance and distinguished results at the level of national team participation, confirming that it is proceeding according to a planned and scientifically studied plan and strategy, as the support has paved a safe path for the sons of Jiu-Jitsu. And the daughters of the nation to shine in various forums.”
He added: “At a time when everyone was gathering with their families and loved ones on occasions, the male and female national team players continued to undergo intensive training in foreign camps, because of their belief that representing the country is a great responsibility and a sacred duty, to set the most wonderful examples of sacrifice and giving through their achievements.” .
Specialization is important
Head of the Show Jumping Committee at the Equestrian and Racing Federation, Director General of the Sharjah Equestrian Club, Sultan Al Yahyai, stressed that individual sports are a “fruitful tree” whose benefits must be sought to be reaped by investing in sports talent at a young age.
Al-Yahyaei said: “Specialization is very important, and the basis for the success of any business,” explaining that “a person may have knowledge of the laws of football and many of its details, but that does not mean that anyone can work in discovering talents or training, and the same applies to football.” The level of individual sports such as equestrian and archery.
He added: “Developing purposeful and practical programs, establishing academies that care for young people, building talents between 12 and 14 years old, and integrated training programs, establish the foundation for achieving achievements, provided that this is compatible with the study and education program. It is not logical for a player to attend school for eight hours and then go to training.” “He is physically and mentally exhausted, and then we demand that he achieve achievements.”
Where are the national companies?
The star of the modern sailing team, Adel Khaled, said: “My entry in 2015 into the list of the five best sailors at the ocean team level did not come out of nowhere, and it reflects the extent of support and interest that the country’s athletes enjoy, as federations, especially in individual sports, work to provide all means of success, but social responsibility must be present in supporting those with achievements, especially on the part of national companies that take the initiative to support international clubs and championships as part of their promotional goals, and sometimes neglect to carry out the same responsibility in supporting athletes in the Emirates with achievements who represent… The country participates in international tournaments that enjoy a large following on television networks and social media platforms.”
“Goldmine” Schools
The technical director of the Emirates Chess Federation, Mohammed Abdullah, said: The success of any program or plan to develop sports in the country must depend primarily on returning to schools, which are considered the “gold mine” for the renaissance of Emirati sports.
He explained: “In the 1970s, schools included an athletics track and a football field, and the same applies to basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics, while at the present time, schools are no longer interested in sports except in a formal way.”
He explained: “Schools are the foundation and pillar that must be relied upon in the search for talent. For example, in the past, students received two physical education classes per week, in addition to drawing and music, which helped discover athletic or other talents.”
He pointed out that “launching the School Olympiad is not enough, as several tournaments must be organized throughout the year, and each school must have its own tournaments in more than one game, thus establishing the foundation for the formation of a team in the name of the school, to participate in a tournament that includes a number of schools, as these tournaments “It was previously a mine of talent in various games.”
Hope in karate
The former national team star and current coach of the national teams, Ahmed Salem Baselaib, confirmed that karate is one of the individual sports that is on the right path to regain glory. He said: “Although the beginning of the UAE sport’s participation in the Asian tournaments was in Hiroshima 1978, karate was… He was a pioneer in giving the country its first historic medal in the Asian Games in 1994, an achievement that came through Mohammed Salem bin Ghalita.
He added: “Now, the current generation is on the right track in restoring the game to its natural position internationally, as young Emirati talents succeeded in making a strong mark in the first Gulf Youth Games, which finally closed, by grabbing 18 medals, including nine golds, in an embodiment of the extent to which “The effort made to continue the process of achievements.”
He concluded: “Despite the obstacles of weak budgets, the game presented several talents who emerged strongly on the continent, including Sheikha Al-Rifai (15 years old), who last November gave the UAE and the Arabs the first medals in Asia for the (junior women) category by winning silver in (kata) in the Kazakhstan Championship.” .
• Schools that only care about sports in a formal way.. Go back to the seventies.
• Small details obscured multiple achievements due to the absence of administrative and marketing professionalism.
• Most of the achievements were achieved at the expense of the heroes’ future careers.
• National companies support international clubs and championships and neglect their responsibilities locally.
• Discovering talent in the past was easier with “two physical education classes” per week.