UAE Olympic Vision: Aiming Higher for the Future

Photo: Dubai Government Media Office 

His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the President of the UAE Olympic Committee, shared his thoughts about the country’s strong focus on developing people in all areas of life. He said that the UAE's modern way of thinking and its clear goals send a powerful message to all organizations: we must work together, think creatively, and build a better future for the next generations. He also said that these goals match well with the values of the Olympic Movement.

Sheikh Mansoor spoke about how the main ideas of the Olympics—like peace, respect, friendship, and excellence—should be part of everyday life. He explained that these values connect to things like health, education, arts, culture, the environment, and entertainment, which are all areas the UAE Olympic Committee works with. He said the UAE’s Olympic achievements show how these values are already a part of the country’s progress.

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He also said that the growth of the Olympic Movement helps athletes perform better at international competitions. He added that one of the main goals of the UAE Olympic Committee is to see the UAE flag raised proudly at major world sports events.

Sheikh Mansoor made these remarks during a meeting of the UAE Olympic Committee’s Board of Directors, which he led. The meeting took place at the Committee’s office in Dubai. Many important leaders attended, including Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, the Minister of Sport and Vice President of the UAE Olympic Committee, and Faris Mohammed Al Mutawa, the Secretary General.

During the meeting, the Board decided to start the process of officially changing the name of the "National Olympic Committee" to the "UAE Olympic Committee." This change follows international naming rules used by Olympic committees in other countries.

Sheikh Mansoor also congratulated the UAE team for their amazing performance at the 3rd GCC Beach Games, which took place in Muscat, Oman from April 5 to 11. The UAE sent a team of 330 people and won a record total of 23 medals—eight gold, eight silver, and seven bronze. This was the country’s best-ever result in the history of the Games. He thanked the athletes and all the sports federations for their hard work and good preparation. He also reminded everyone that the UAE has taken part in all three editions of the Games—winning five medals in Bahrain in 2010, ten medals in Qatar in 2015, and now 23 in Oman in 2025.

The meeting also looked at the UAE’s plans to take part in big sporting events coming up this year, like the World Games in Chengdu, China (August 7–17), and the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain (October 22–30).

Board members also talked about possibly holding a workshop to explain the latest updates to the Olympic Charter. These updates, which started on January 30, 2025, bring important changes to things like athlete eligibility, how athletes qualify, and the role of national Olympic committees in choosing host cities.

The team also talked about organizing the upcoming Sports Law and Governance Conference. They discussed who would be part of upcoming UAE sports delegations and which international events the UAE might try to host in the future—including a possible bid to host SportAccord 2027. They also made plans for the UAE’s involvement in the OCA General Assembly and the GCC National Olympic Committees Presidents’ Meeting in Kuwait this May.

Another topic was a new electronic platform for sports, which was launched last month. Sheikh Mansoor was there when it was signed. This platform was created by the Ministry of Sport and the UAE Olympic Committee. It aims to improve how the sports sector uses technology and supports new ideas.

The Board also approved a new strategic plan from the Olympic Planning Committee. This plan focuses on three main goals: improving how sports are managed, building strong sports leadership, and supporting athletes.

They also accepted suggestions from the Committee on Marketing and Financial Resources.

One important decision from the meeting was to start the ‘Best Member Federation Award.’ This award will go to the most outstanding Olympic federations based on many different factors, such as sports results, programs, innovation, women’s participation, media work, leadership, money management, facilities, international reputation, and care for the environment.

At the end of the meeting, Sheikh Mansoor took a group photo with the UAE athletes who won medals at the 3rd GCC Beach Games – Muscat 2025, to celebrate their achievements.