5000 participants representing 220 schools to compete in Dubai Schools Games

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

For the first time ever, all public and private schools in Dubai have the opportunity to compete against one another in both team and individual sports in the Dubai Schools Games, an initiative launched by the Dubai Sports Council.

The event is free for all schools and students to enter and has 220 schools from across the emirate registered so far. This year we are excited to bring 22 different sports to our schools and students across 90 event days, spanning the entire school year.

Dubai Schools Games are proud to announce a new partnership with Liv. as title sponsor for the year, and the series will now be known as the Liv. Dubai Schools Games.

Liv. an Emirates NBD product, is the first digital-only lifestyle bank. Having this sponsorship will allow DSG to grow, by increasing the number of sports on offer and therefore the number of students and schools participating at premium venues across Dubai. Liv. are excited to embark on this journey, collaboratively, investing in youth empowerment through sports and development.

Ahmed Salem Al Mahri, Director of the Sports Development Department at Dubai Sports Council, said: “The organization of the course comes within the framework of the efforts of the Dubai Sports Council to develop sports in the school sector and an affirmation of the pivotal role that schools play in developing the sports movement in the country as the base of the correct sports pyramid from which promising talents that support clubs and teams and lead them to the podiums.

“In various international forums, where school sports tournaments represent the first foundational stations in the process of selecting and developing sports talents before joining clubs, the council also aims by organizing the course to raise awareness in schools of the importance of sports and physical activity as a way to promote physical and mental health and well-being for all.

Mahri added: "The Dubai Sports Council seeks to strengthen the relationship between schools and clubs and increase the number of athletes belonging to Dubai clubs by increasing the number of sports practitioners in schools and enhancing the process of discovering sports talents through school competitions in which students of different ages and nationalities compete, and the opportunity for clubs to choose the best talents among them and their inclusion in their teams in various games, and also benefiting from the students’ competition in various sports with their peers in Dubai schools.

“The sports course is a model for sports cooperation between the Dubai Sports Council and the private sector, a cooperation that witnessed the launch of many initiatives, including the corporate sports tournament and championships Ball academies, corporate golf tournaments, and many other different sports courses and tournaments.”

Along with Liv. as title Sponsor, DSG also has many other fantastic partners on board this year, Mai Dubai as the water partner, GO Sports as presenting partner and Aster Clinics as medical partner. Liv. Dubai Schools Games are grateful for the support from these partners and the opportunity to make competitive sports available to all students in Dubai.

Tom Foley, General Manager, GO Sport Middle East, said: “We are proud to partner with Dubai Schools Games and work together towards our mutual ambition of empowering young people and their respective communities to fulfill their full potential through the power of sport.”

A steering committee, comprising various school curricula from both public and private schools has been reappointed for the upcoming season to provide equal opportunities across the education spectrum and create an inclusive playing field for all 5000 participants registered so far.

James Bedford, Chairman of the Dubai Schools Games Steering Committee, said: “This young initiative, supported by the Dubai Sports Council is crucial to give the students in all of our schools the chance to compete in the sports they enjoy and compete against students from various other schools and backgrounds.

“This will be invaluable to the development of these students and their sporting endeavors while at school.  Also with the talent identification measures we have at all of the competitions, who knows, we may identify and help develop the next Olympian.”