Dubai Sports Council launches the Mu’Ahal programme for accreditation of coaches

The Dubai Sports Council and Dataflow Group announced the launch of the “Mu’Ahal” programme for accrediting coaches working in the public and private sports sectors in Dubai.

The programme employs a primary source verification mechanism and aims to establish a new standard of trust and transparency, enhancing governance within the sports system of the Emirate of Dubai. This is being done in full cooperation and coordination with local and international sports federations.

The announcement was made during a press conference held on at the Hamdan Sports Complex, where Ali Omar Al Baloushi, Director of Sports Development at the Dubai Sports Council, and Sunil Kumar CEO of DataFlow Group spoke, in the presence of Rafi Hatter CCO of DataFlow.

The launch of the “Mu’Ahal” programme – meaning “qualified” in Arabic - is a strategic step that directly supports the objectives of the “Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033”, which aims to build an integrated and sustainable sports system operating according to the highest international standards of quality and governance.

The “Mu’Ahal” programme contributes to achieving this vision by developing an integrated system for accrediting and regulating professional athletes, and raising the compliance rate of academies and technical staff with international standards to 100 per cent by 2033.

The name “Mu’Ahal” reflects the essence of this regulatory framework; it ensures that every element in Dubai’s sports system meets documented and internationally recognised standards and qualifications.

For the first time, all sports personnel working in federations, academies and fitness facilities registered in Dubai will be subject to a unified and documented framework. Professional certifications, educational records, work licenses and employment records will be verified directly by their original issuing bodies.

Ali Omar, Director of Sports Development at the Dubai Sports Council, said: “Today, Dubai is adopting the global benchmark for reliable sports workforce governance. The launch of the “Mu’Ahal” programme is a fundamental pillar for establishing institutional excellence and ensuring the quality of technical and training talent working in our sports sector, in line with the Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033. Through this programme, and in cooperation with our partners and sports federations, we aim to provide a safe and professional sports environment that protects athletes and institutions and cultivates future talent according to the highest international standards.”

For his part, Sunil Kumar, CEO, DataFlow Group, stated: “We are delighted to partner with the Dubai Sports Council to provide the advanced digital infrastructure and central registry that ensures the operational efficiency of the “Mu’Ahal” programme. Relying on primary source verification technology completely eliminates the need for copies or self-declarations, giving sports bodies and federations in Dubai a centralised and up-to-date database and an unprecedented level of reliability and confidence in the competence and readiness of their staff,” he said.

 “Dubai is building the benchmark for trusted sports workforce governance. With the launch of Mu’Ahal, we ensure that every professional operating in our sports ecosystem meets verified, internationally recognised standards. It is a commitment to the athletes, families, and institutions who place their trust in the professionals who serve them,” Kumar added.

All personnel whose documents are verified will be registered in a central registry accessible to the 53 federations registered in Dubai, academies and fitness facility operators via the TrueProfile.io platform. This process is unique in that it is completed only once per certificate, eliminating the need for future resubmissions.

It is worth noting that the programme will initially be mandatory for fitness trainers, personal trainers and fitness facility operators, with a clear roadmap for future expansion to encompass the entire sports sector in the emirate. This includes physical education teachers, coaches, sports club staff, athletes and those involved in organising sporting events. The framework also incorporates additional levels of oversight, including background checks and criminal record checks via CrossCheck, digital fingerprint verification and document authentication assessments using the Dataflow platform.