Crown Prince has a keen interest in sports

Khaleej Times Online - full article

Hisham Al Gizouli (Staff Reporter)
2 February 2008

DUBAI - The sports community within the United Arab Emirates has enthusiastically welcomed the appointment of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as Dubai’s Crown Prince.

Shaikh Hamdan, is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which is known for educating and developing outstanding leaders. The young Shaikh Hamdan is already filling leadership positions. He is the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Dubai Executive Council, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council and he spearheads the Center for Young Business Leaders which was called into existence by Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Besides his official duties and obligations, Shaikh Hamdan is an enthusiastic and successful sportsman. He has won several gold medals for endurance horse races. His biggest triumph was the gold medal for the team endurance race that was won by him along with his brothers Shaikh Rashid, Shaikh Ahmad and Shaikh Majid during the Asian Games in Doha in 2006. Shaikh Hamdan also won the Zabeel Billiard Championship thereafter.

Shaikh Hamdan is equally a talented footballer and took part in many friendly tournaments along with his elder brother Shaikh Rashid where he displayed plenty of skills.

He was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Dubai Sports and Cultural Club a few years ago before he became the President of the Dubai-based club Al Ahli.

According to Khalifa Sulieman, chairman of the club’s board of directors, Al Ahli is one of the most successful clubs in the UAE since its foundation in 1970. It took Al Ahli only four years after its establishment to win the UAE league twice consecutively in 1975 and 1976 then again in 1980. Drawing hometown fans, Al Ahli have been and continue to be one of the most popular sport teams in the UAE. After a period of decline, Al Ahli back on top under Shaikh Hamdan, winning its fourth league title in 2006 and continued to be dominating club in UAE by winning its sixth President Cup’s title.
Prominent sportsmen, including Lt. General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police Force, Matar Al Tayer, director-general of the Roads & Transport Authority and Qasim Sultan, vice-chairman of the National Olympic Committee, Ebrahim Abdul Malik, secretary-general of the NOC and other top officials have all praised the move saying that it has come in the right time for the best interest of the sports community and the nation at large.