Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Igor Levitin and other officials during the meeting.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education and Chairman of the General Authority of Sports, met with Igor Levitin, Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation for Sports Affairs and Transport, to explore collaboration prospects in the field of sports.

The meeting was held at the headquarters of the General Authority of Sports (GAS), during Levitin’s visit to the UAE, where both the party’s discussed cooperation in several areas relevant to the growth of the sports industry.

The meeting further emphasized developing a system or a mechanism to identify and nurture talents as well as encouraging sports investment and collaboration in the field of sports medicine.

Falasi said: “The UAE seeks to further collaborative efforts to enhance the sports industry, by utilizing various best international practices. Russia is a key partner in a number of industries, including sports. We look forward to making investments in the mutual relations between the two nations, which were further reinforced by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit to Russia and his meeting with Vladimir Putin.

He added: “Russia has a long history of success in a variety of sports. By collaborating with Russia, we look forward to increasing the interest in sports as well as identifying and nurturing more sports talents, in addition to investing in human capital, and relying on the best international practices.

“We will further focus on exchanging expertise between both nations, to create work mechanisms in the sports sector based on three chief pillars of the UAE’s sports work system - governance, partnership, and achievement. Additionally, this collaboration allows us the chance to reinforce our global partnerships as well as analyze various new ways to encourage technical and administrative cadres in the sports industry.”

Igor Levitin emphasized the relations between the two countries and expressed Russia's interest in expanding collaboration in many sports-related areas.

He added: “The UAE has established itself as a major player in the sports world, and we are constantly looking forward to forging new paths to strengthen our collaboration in the field of sports. This is to foster the growth of the industry in both the nations as well as inspire investors to see the sports sector as a promising area for investments.”

Both parties discussed several ways to build on the previously signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both nations in the areas of enhancing cooperation to develop sports facilities and institutions, exchanging expertise in sports to develop sports talents, and exchanging institutional sports investment experiences between the two nations.

In addition to fostering more collaboration in the area of sports medicine, the MoU further encourages investors in both countries to make investments in the industry, as well as develop sports facilities.

The General Authority of Sports strives to boost and strengthen its international collaborations, in order to accomplish the objectives of the UAE Sports Sector Strategy 2032. In addition to improving the administrative work in all institutions within the sports sector, the objective for the UAE Sports Sector Strategy 2032 encompasses developing talents and boosting opportunities to achieve more continental and international achievements, strengthening governance, and training future sports leaders.