UAE Olympic Solidarity Commission Holds Inaugural Meeting Following Board Approval of its Formation

UAE Olympic Solidarity Commission Holds Inaugural Meeting Following Board Approval of its Formation

• The Commission approved its annual action plan and defined the mechanism for receiving and reviewing applications submitted by sports federations seeking to benefit from its programmes

• Faris Mohammed Al Mutawwa: UAE Olympic Solidarity Commission plays a leading role in supporting athletes throughout their sporting journeys and backing their significant efforts to represent the nation

• The diversity of Olympic Solidarity programmes ensures comprehensive coverage of all aspects required for athletes’ success and excellence, during their sporting careers and after retirement

The UAE Olympic Solidarity Commission held its inaugural meeting last Thursday at the headquarters of the National Olympic Committee in Dubai, following the decision issued by the Board of Directors last month to establish the Commission. The meeting reviewed the Commission’s work strategy for the upcoming phase and examined priorities for maximising benefit from the wide range of Olympic Solidarity programmes.

The meeting was attended by His Excellency Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, Vice President of the National Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Executive Board, and was chaired by Faris Mohammed Al Mutawwa, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee and Chairman of the UAE Olympic Solidarity Commission.

Commission members in attendance included Qais Al Dhallai, Chairman of the Marketing and Financial Resources Commission; Dr Nasser Mohammed Al Tamimi, Chairman of the Technical Commission at the National Olympic Committee; Abdulaziz Al Salman, Chairman of the Planning Commission; Amal Boushlakh, Chairman of the Gender Balance Commission; Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Assistant Undersecretary for Sports Development and Competitiveness at the Ministry of Sports; and Safa Taryam, Chief Executive Officer of Elite Sport UAE.

Also present were Mohammed bin Darwish, Executive Director of the National Olympic Committee; Abdulaziz Sulaiman Ali, Director of the Secretary General’s Office and Commission Rapporteur; Ahmed Al Tayeb, Director of Technical and Sports Affairs; and Dr Mohammed Fadlallah, Legal Advisor to the National Olympic Committee.

The attendees reviewed the decision establishing the UAE Olympic Solidarity Commission and its mandates in accordance with the Statutes of the National Olympic Committee. Discussions covered the Commission’s operating mechanisms, the frequency of meetings, coordination with the General Secretariat, and an overview of the Olympic Solidarity programmes approved for the 2025–2028 Olympic cycle. The meeting also examined priorities for benefiting from these programmes across athletes, coaches, administration and governance, with the identification of target groups from national sports federations.

The meeting approved the annual action plan of the UAE Olympic Solidarity Commission and defined the mechanism for receiving and reviewing applications submitted by sports federations to benefit from Olympic Solidarity programmes. This included evaluation criteria and selection procedures, approved financial frameworks, disbursement and follow-up mechanisms, oversight processes, periodic reporting to the Board of Directors of the National Olympic Committee, and coordination mechanisms with the International Olympic Committee and relevant stakeholders.

Attendees were also briefed on the mandates of the UAE Olympic Solidarity Commission, which include developing the national strategy for benefiting from Olympic Solidarity programmes in alignment with the strategic plan of the National Olympic Committee and the Olympic Charter. These mandates further encompass proposing programmes and projects eligible for support in athlete preparation, workforce development, sports administration and institutional governance; designing funding plans for UAE Olympic Solidarity programmes; and maintaining direct coordination with International Olympic Solidarity on support plans, financial allocations, and accreditation and follow-up requirements.

The meeting discussed Olympic Solidarity programmes, including support for athlete preparation for the Olympic Games and core athlete development initiatives, most notably the Olympic Scholarship Programme, regarded as the cornerstone of Olympic Solidarity programmes. The initiative provides individualised and tailored support to elite athletes selected by National Olympic Committees worldwide and supported 1,557 athletes from 185 National Olympic Committees during the Rio 2016 Olympic cycle.

Faris Mohammed Al Mutawwa said: “The UAE Olympic Solidarity Commission plays a leading role in supporting the sporting journeys of Emirati athletes and in backing their significant efforts to represent the nation. We are committed to closely monitoring Olympic Solidarity programmes and maximising the impact of our initiatives and structured plans aimed at raising athletes’ performance levels. We also place strong emphasis on sustained coordination with International Olympic Solidarity to ensure athletes remain informed of developments and fully aware of the importance of these programmes in enhancing performance and developing capabilities.”

He added: “The diversity of Olympic Solidarity programmes provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects required for athletes’ success and excellence, both during their sporting careers and after retirement. These include the Olympic Scholarship Programme for Athletes, the Continental Athlete Support Grant, which offers financial and technical support to National Olympic Committees in preparing athletes for regional, continental and international competitions, the Athlete 365 Programme, which provides a comprehensive resource platform featuring training guidance and competition-related information from global experts, as well as career transition support to help athletes prepare for life after retirement.”