GAS completes the first session of ‘Transformation of Sports Federations’ project with a series of field visits to six federations

GAS completes the first session of ‘Transformation of Sports Federations’ project with a series of field visits to six federations

UAE, 29 January 2024– The General Authority of Sports (GAS) is conducting a series of ongoing field visits to six sports federations covered in the project ‘Transformation of Sports Federations’ since its inception. These federations encompass archery, judo, shooting, fencing, athletics, and cycling. This marks the initiation of the third and final phase of the first session of the project, which is one of three significant transformative projects among the 17 outlined in the National Sports Strategy 2031.

During these field visits, GAS is engaging in discussions on the primary strengths of the six federations and future strategies for enhancing their governance systems, administrative efficiency, and technical proficiency to improve overall performance. The objective of the ‘Transformation of Sports Federations’ project is to fortify the principles of management and institutional governance within sports federations. This is aimed at guaranteeing the successful implementation of their programs, objectives, and plans, fostering effective governance and leadership within each federation. The project further emphasises the professionalisation of the federations’ work systems, striving to create a productive system with managerial expertise.

H.E. Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at GAS, said: “Through the ‘Transformation of Sports Federations’ project, we anticipate a substantial transformation in the technical and administrative operations of sports federations. This initiative aligns with the strategic focus on ‘The growth of sports sector institutions and the enhancement of their contribution to the national economy,’ which is one of the three key directions outlined in the National Sports Strategy 2031. The project aims to achieve this transformation by providing increased funding, strategic guidance, and administrative support to targeted associations, thereby fostering enhanced managerial and technical capabilities within the federations. Moreover, the project is committed to ensuring financial independence, enabling federations to generate revenue from the private sector, aligning with wise leadership’s vision. This approach is in line with the ambitious strategy to elevate the sports sector’s contribution to the non-oil GDP eightfold, reaching 0.5 per cent. Additionally, the project aims to increase the number of athletes eligible for the Olympics to more than 30 by the year 2031.”

His Excellency added: “In this stage of the project, the focus is on the monitoring and evaluation of submissions from the sports federations. A dedicated team of professionals is conducting a series of on-site visits, employing their expertise to conduct a comprehensive assessment. This evaluation is designed to determine the federations’ preparedness levels and pinpoint areas for enhancement through integrated development strategies. The aim is to contribute significantly to the realisation of sports development objectives and pave the way for a brighter future for sports in the UAE.”

The final phase of the ‘Transformation of Sports Federations’ project is scheduled to run for three weeks. Throughout this duration, all field visits to the concerned sports federations will be completed, accompanied by a comprehensive review of the documents submitted by these federations. The objective of this review is to enable officials to thoroughly examine the on-ground visuals and generate relevant reports. This process will contribute to improving the federations’ performance and governance, propelling them to new levels. The project’s goal is to systematically address all sports federations in the UAE according to a predetermined timeline.

This marks the conclusion of project’s final phase of its first session, preceded by two comprehensive stages. In these stages, the General Authority of Sports (GAS) dedicated efforts to monitoring and analysing the strategies, objectives, and initiatives of the federations. They ensured alignment of key performance indicators with each federation’s strategic priorities and thoroughly examined their operational models. Furthermore, an assessment was conducted on the organisational structure, policies, procedures and regulations of all six federations. This encompassed various aspects including administrative and media communication methods, available technologies, and budget management mechanisms. The follow-up procedures and standards were clear, thorough, and easily implementable, reflecting the federations’ preparedness in a detailed manner.

The General Authority of Sports has signed a performance agreement with five key sports federations: archery, judo, shooting, fencing, and athletics. The ‘Transformation of Sports Federations’ project aims to strengthen the partnership frameworks between the General Authority of Sports and its collaborators in the sports sector within the UAE. Additionally, the project aims to professionalise the federations, enhance the skills of athletes, and transition from a fixed financing system to a performance-based financing model.

In the second stage of the initial project cycle, the General Authority of Sports deployed a specialised team to provide daily support to the federations and ensure continuous communication with them. Furthermore, GAS has organised customised workshops for each federation, providing essential guidance for the seamless implementation of the project. Regular meetings and sessions are conducted to monitor the progress of the six federations and provide ongoing support, fostering the development and adaptability of administrative work practices.

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