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Gulf Today
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Minister of Sports honours winners of inaugural edition of UAE University Games
The inaugural edition of the UAE University Games concluded on Sunday with a grand awards ceremony at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, celebrating student-athletes and top-performing universities from across the country. Organised by the Abu Dhabi Entertainment Company (ADEC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and the UAE School and University Sports Federation, and supported by Solutions+ and MBME Group, the 2025 Games marked a major milestone in youth sports development and talent promotion in the UAE. The closing ceremony was attended by an array of distinguished officials. Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, presented awards to the winning teams and athletes, joined by Dr Sultan Bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs; Ghanem Mubarak Al Hajiri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports and Sheikh Suhail Bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the Ministry of Sports and Secretary-General of the UAE Sports Federation for School and University Sports. The event also welcomed senior figures from sports and education, including Dr Bakhit Al Kathiri, Chief Investment Officer at Mubadala; His Excellency Obaid Salem Al Shamsi, Second Vice President of the UAE Football Association; and His Excellency Abdullah Juma Al Darmaki, President of the UAE Volleyball Association. The American University in Dubai (AUD) emerged as the standout performer of the competition, capturing three titles in men's and women's basketball as well as women's volleyball, earning the prestigious 'Overall Excellence Shield.' The University of Sharjah followed closely, winning the men's football and men's volleyball titles to secure second place overall. The University of Rochester rounded out the top three. Speaking at the ceremony, Al Falasi hailed the Games as a key step in realising the goals of the National Sports Strategy 2031. He noted that the participation of more than 1,800 students from 28 universities reflected the growing importance of university sports in shaping a healthy, active, and socially responsible generation. He underlined the tournament's contribution to building a sustainable sports culture that spans all levels of education, complementing efforts such as the UAE School Games to identify and nurture national athletic talent capable of competing at regional and global levels, including the Olympics. Sheikh Suhail Bin Butti Al Maktoum described the University Games as a foundational pillar in creating a comprehensive and integrated university sports ecosystem. He praised the synergy between academic institutions and sports federations in delivering a successful inaugural edition. Sheikh Suhail highlighted the importance of aligning the university-level sports pathway with international best practices and partnerships in talent development and performance analysis. He emphasised that the tournament's outcomes reflected effective institutional collaboration and national integration, affirming the UAE's broader vision of empowering Emirati youth and supporting national teams with homegrown champions. The first edition of the University Games brought together 1,585 students from 28 universities, showcasing high levels of competition and enthusiasm. Organisers have expressed their intent to build on this momentum in future editions, solidifying university sports as a cornerstone of the UAE's sporting and youth development landscape. WAM
Al Etihad
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
Minister of Sports honours winners of inaugural edition of UAE University Games
5 May 2025 18:30 ABU DHABI (WAM)The inaugural edition of the UAE University Games concluded on Sunday with a grand awards ceremony at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, celebrating student-athletes and top-performing universities from across the by the Abu Dhabi Entertainment Company (ADEC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and the UAE School and University Sports Federation, and supported by Solutions+ and MBME Group, the 2025 Games marked a major milestone in youth sports development and talent promotion in the closing ceremony was attended by an array of distinguished officials. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of Sports, presented awards to the winning teams and athletes, joined by Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs; Ghanem Mubarak Al Hajiri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports; and Sheikh Suhail Bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the Ministry of Sports and Secretary-General of the UAE Sports Federation for School and University event also welcomed senior figures from sports and education, including Dr. Bakhit Al Kathiri, Chief Investment Officer at Mubadala; Obaid Salem Al Shamsi, Second Vice President of the UAE Football Association; and Abdullah Juma Al Darmaki, President of the UAE Volleyball American University in Dubai emerged as the standout performer of the competition, capturing three titles in men's and women's basketball as well as women's volleyball, earning the prestigious 'Overall Excellence Shield'. The University of Sharjah followed closely, winning the men's football and men's volleyball titles to secure second place overall. The University of Rochester rounded out the top at the ceremony, Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi hailed the Games as a key step in realising the goals of the National Sports Strategy 2031. He noted that the participation of more than 1,800 students from 28 universities reflected the growing importance of university sports in shaping a healthy, active, and socially responsible underlined the tournament's contribution to building a sustainable sports culture that spans all levels of education, complementing efforts such as the UAE School Games to identify and nurture national athletic talent capable of competing at regional and global levels, including the Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum described the University Games as a foundational pillar in creating a comprehensive and integrated university sports ecosystem. He praised the synergy between academic institutions and sports federations in delivering a successful inaugural Suhail highlighted the importance of aligning the university-level sports pathway with international best practices and partnerships in talent development and performance analysis. He emphasised that the tournament's outcomes reflected effective institutional collaboration and national integration, affirming the UAE's broader vision of empowering Emirati youth and supporting national teams with homegrown champions. The first edition of the University Games brought together 1,585 students from 28 universities, showcasing high levels of competition and enthusiasm. Organisers have expressed their intent to build on this momentum in future editions, solidifying university sports as a cornerstone of the UAE's sporting and youth development landscape.
Al Etihad
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
UAE Sports Minister hails impact of University Games
2 May 2025 01:17 KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, has expressed confidence that the recently concluded UAE University Games will 'provide a professional pathway for individuals with the aptitude and potential to compete and win championships' in ensuring a bright future for Emirati youth. The inaugural edition of the Games was held in the period November to April and ended amid plenty of fanfare and joyous celebrations after days of intense competition in seven sporting disciplines, featuring 1,822 students, male and female, from 28 universities across the Al Falasi said: 'The success of the inaugural University Games reflects our vision of advancing sports and tapping into the younger generation's potential to make sports an integral part of life in educational institutions.' A significant example of the lengths to which the sports ministry went through to organise the Games, along with the Abu Dhabi Entertainment Company (ADEC), was the fact that technology and artificial intelligence-enabled devices were used by players in the closing stages of the Games' various tournaments to track performance, as reported by Aletihad. These devices from two companies – PlayerMaker and Precision Football – along with other AI-based visual production services, gathered data which scouts and performance managers can utilise. Top companies were enlisted to fulfil this eventful Games, Dr. Al Falasi said, 'demonstrate our unwavering commitment to supporting young athletes and enhancing the role of universities in fostering a passion for sports among students. We will continue working with various sports organisations in order to support young athletes and build on this event as a crucial base for advancing community sports in higher education institutions.' Dr. Al Falasi made an appearance during the semi-final rounds and is expected back at the awards ceremony, which will be held on Sunday at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, amid a festive atmosphere to celebrate the success of the first national championship.A medals ceremony on the final day at Al Jazira club in the emirate was graced by the presence of Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director at the General Authority of Sports and Secretary-General of the UAE School and Higher Education Sports Federation. 'We congratulate the title-winning universities and thank all participating institutions for their sportsmanship, outstanding performance and cooperation with organisers,' he said.'These collective efforts strengthen our resolve to continually grow and improve the event. The inaugural edition of the University Games represents a significant milestone in advancing collegiate sports and discovering exceptional talent. Given the recent success, we hope to further expand participation in upcoming editions.'Referring to the use of technology, Sheikh Suhail Al Maktoum emphasised the importance of continued collaboration with clubs and federations in providing data and performance metrics of young athletes to the relevant sports data, he noted, is essential for the athletes' integration into targeted development programmes aimed at boosting sports performance and community participation at university level. He also publicly acknowledged the student athletes for their enthusiasm and dedication. The Games aim to identify national talent and help develop strategies as part of the Ministry's long-term plan. It was the largest showcase of talent in the country and stands as a key achievement stemming from the 'Future of Sports Retreat' organised by the Ministry late last year.
Al Etihad
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
UAE University Games on right track with AI
24 Apr 2025 01:11 Kuumar Shyam (Abu Dhabi)The UAE University Games, initiated by the Ministry of Sports, proved not just a much-needed platform for the youth of the country, but showed that the administrators are looking to stay ahead of the curve in the technology by Abu Dhabi Entertainment Company (ADEC), in cooperation with the UAE School and University Sports Federation, the inaugural season drew a total of 1,585 students from 28 universities across the UAE in, competing in seven sporting top achievers may have gone home with medals and trophies, but the real success was achieved by the organisers, who created a platform where talented athletes can develop and showcase their talents, gain exposure and further their to the UAE's innovative way of doing things, multiple agencies and consultants had been enlisted to generate performance-related data for the participants, which will help in analysing the various metrics and even help scouts from around the world assess the talent of the agencies is PlayerMaker, which issued tracker chips to the participants in the crucial stages of the competition, except in the football, which was handled by another contracted company."We have worked in international organisations like FIFA, NBA and even closer here to the UAE with Dubai Sports Council, Al Nasr, etc," said Steve Barratt, Vice President of Sport Performance at PlayerMaker, as he collected the bands with the data chips from the youth players. One band can cost between Dh2,500 to Dh5,000 dirhams, Barratt told Aletihad . In addition, there were artificial intelligence-enabled cameras tracking the action, which, supplemented by the movement data, can help coaches and technical analysts assess performance, while providing talent scouts with valuable data, said Barratt."We as a company collect data on footwork movement, including speed of acceleration and deceleration, direction changes, foot adjustment in response to game scenarios and utilisation of AI cameras to gather technical and session-based statistics."The data collected will help coaches analyse player weaknesses and enhance performance. Thus we cover three very important bases – technical, tactical and physical. Two staff members have specially flown in for this project to help us."Additional scouts from the UK and Europe are involved in observing games and providing insights. Plans are to bring in 12 more scouts for talent profiling across various sports in the next stage."With the combination of physical data collection, video analysis and scout observations completing the process, agencies such as PlayerMaker, says Barratt, will be able to collate the data into reports which the Ministry of Sports can then use."So we have a human resource, computer resource, AI resource. And AI is not just limited to cameras; it's in other fields as well, other domains. The insights that we are providing, you can get that on any grassroot-level player but also you can have it on Champions League players, World Cup winners, Ballon d'Or winners. We have it across the spectrum and work with many national governing bodies," he University of Dubai's basketball coach Issam Termanini was oblivious to the gadgets strapped to his players' shoelaces during the final against University of Sharjah."I have no idea what these are supposed to do [the gadgets were used only for the knockout stages]. We barely had time to prepare because the team travelled to Greece to play in a tournament three weeks ago and now got this great platform to play college basketball for their own university," Termanini UoS team took the lead in the first quarter and Termanini made a strategic switch to get his players to first neutralise the threat of Sharjah's key players before going on to win the title, just as they did in Greece. In addition to the silverware won, the data compiled during the Games will go a long way to launching the international careers of the young players.
Al Etihad
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
Inaugural UAE University Games are a smash hit
23 Apr 2025 00:21 KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)The inaugural UAE University Games, under the aegis of the Ministry of Sports, came to a flourishing finish this weekend, culminating in a lot of stories of hope and confidence for the youth of the country, which has been a frontrunner in promoting all codes of sport in the best of young local talent was seen spread across the emirates when the six finals across disciplines for boys and girls were held over the past week at the Al Jazira Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Notably, the girls from Higher College of Technology, Abu Dhabi, took the football title while the boys' title went to University of Sharjah (UoS). In basketball, the UoS girls lost out but among the boys, it was American University of Dubai (AUD) who emerged latter took the college title for a second crown in three weeks, having travelled to Greece and ended up winning an international tournament. 'We have nine players who have played in big or professional leagues. Then there is an Emirati [Abdul Aziz Khalifa] who has been an MVP award winner in the Under-20 age category among the ranks; we have one similarly from Serbia,' said the AUD coach Issam Termanini in conversation with Aletihad minutes after leaving the court post the final the squad depth, AUD youth were trailing their opponents from Sharjah in the first quarter, but their experienced coach quickly made amends with a strategic move. 'We identified their main threat and closed him out first to shore up our defence, then we found ourselves scoring as we would have liked,' Termanini University of Sharjah joined AUD in taking two titles home but they also ended runners-up in three more events. The football final for the boys – the 'main' title, according to the UoS official – went Sharjah's way. Yet, it needed a dramatic end involving two brothers to ensure the University Games got the final flourish befitting the strong competition. Mixed Bag for Sharjah Having taken the lead before rivals American University of the Emirates found the equaliser, the tiring boys were deep into extra time and two minutes away from a penalty shoot-out. Then Rashid Nabil took the ball on the counter from the midfield in his half and ran down the left flank, drawing out three defenders and crossed to younger brother Ahmed who had enough time to control and slot in the winner.'We actually reached the final in all of the games, in basketball, in volleyball, and today the main one, which is football,' said Prof Eid Kanan, the UoS Dean of Student Affairs. 'Winning the competition is a target, but not the main one. As a university, we try to give the chance for all of the students – [more than 20,000, he adds] – in extra-curricular activities. In football, we had 32 students alone. We have specialised coaches; two in football in this case...'Our aim is to get every chance to participate in the UAE sporting federations' competitions. We have great sporting facilities which are open six days a week from 10am to 10pm. They work hard and we also look after them,' the dean said, adding on a lighter note that it would be a day off from university for the students who endured a two-hour journey back home after celebrations went long into the by Abu Dhabi Entertainment Company (ADEC), in cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and the UAE School and University Sports Federation, with support from other partners, the Games drew a total of 1,585 students from 28 universities from across the UAE. The CEO of ADEC, Basma Ahmed Al Nasr, affirmed that the success of the Games' launch has motivated her team to double their efforts and continue raising the bar. 'We are only too eager to ensure that the status of this sporting event is one of stature, capable of stimulating the spirit of youth and highlighting their potential in society in a positive way,' she said.
