General Authority of Sports organises ‘Practice Sports and enjoy life’ initiative

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The General Authority of Sports organized “Practice Sports and Enjoy Life” initiative at Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Fujairah, to foster the culture of exercises and sports among people, including youngsters.

With many participants including athletes and community members, this initiative comes as part of the ‘Sports for Life’ strategy, aimed at promoting and encouraging participation in various sports.

Sheikh Suhail Bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the General Sports Authority, asserted that this new approach is in line with the UAE Centennial 2071, which seeks to foster social connection through sports and combine optimism while making positivity and happiness a way of life. “Through these initiatives, the General Authority of Sports believes that the practice of social sports allows for the discovery of new athletic talents and strengthens federations by including distinct categories.

“They also contribute to providing a better quality of life, prosperity, and health, all of which the government heavily emphasized in its strategic objectives.”

“The coming years will witness a distinct variety of high-quality events and initiatives, to encourage more people to engage in sports. To ensure that everyone adopts the culture of exercise and sports into their lifestyle, a scientific technique will be employed on a regular basis to measure the impact of social sports,” he added.

Ahmed Al Abdouli, Director of the Community Sports Management at General Authority of Sports, said: “The social sports initiatives are fundamental to the Authority’s objectives, as per the directives of our wise leadership and the Sports Sector Strategy 2032, aimed at promoting the international presence of UAE sports.

“We are committed to implementing strategies and initiatives through the Authority that will encourage all segments of the community to participate in sports."

He added: “Through this initiative, we look forward to encouraging individuals to adopt sports as part of their daily routine. We have a number of facilities in the UAE that assist people to practice different sports, and we hope to fully utilize them by fostering social sports.”

From students and families to senior citizens and athletes, a variety of people participated in the initiative. The participants walked 2-km to encourage sports as a daily activity.

In partnership with the governmental entities, sporting institutions, and the corporate sector, the General Authority of Sports has organized several initiatives as part of the "Sports for Life" endeavors, to strengthen the Authority's role in achieving social goals of sports.