Hamdan bin Mohammed welcomes winners of The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and the Patron of The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award, said that fostering communities and further enhancing their capabilities calls for a keen interest in unlocking potentials that hold out positive benefits for society, with sport being a prime example.

Sporting champions and star athletes must live up to the responsibility to inspire the youth and encourage them to positively contribute to building a brighter future, Sheikh Hamdan added.

Sheikh Hamdan’s remarks came ahead of the 12th edition of Award, with the awards function taking place on 10th January at the Arena Hall, Madinat Jumeirah. Sheikh Hamdan welcomed all the winners and expressed his appreciation for their contributions to the sports sector. It was richly deserved that such athletes were celebrated on a special stage that celebrated excellence and creativity in sports regionally and globally, he added.

“Our leadership has charted a clear pathway that aims to launch quality initiatives for a brighter future across various sectors. We are proud that The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award, part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiative, is among the initiatives that empower communities through sports; and we are keen to celebrate quality accomplishments that positively impact society,” Sheikh Hamdan said.

“By recognising and honouring creative athletes in the UAE, the Arab region, and from around the world, we aim to further promote their role as inspiring role models for their communities, especially those who display exemplary determination, perseverance and resilience in facing up to challenges in order to achieve the highest levels of sporting excellence,” he added.

Sheikh Hamdan said that the Award itself has seen a remarkable evolution as nominations for the 12th edition had increased 33 percent compared to the previous edition, adding that this edition will also honour prominent local and international sports figures including presidents of international sports federations such as FIFA, FIBA, and the International Weightlifting Federation.

The Award will celebrate 30 creative athletes, teams, personalities, and institutions from across the UAE, the Arab region, and the world who were chosen from among a total of 545 entries received across various categories, including individual, collective and institutional categories, in addition to youth and honorary categories.

Of the nominations, 168 entries were received from the UAE, 367 from the Arab region, with ten entries from the rest of the world. A total of 456 entries were submitted to compete for the creative individual sports category, 35 for the collective category, and 54 for institutional ones. The total number of nominations for the Award since its inception in 2009 has reached 3,142, with entries received from all over the world.

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