"Asian Camel Racing"/ A qualitative shift during the era of the UAE presidency

Abu Dhabi, 2 November / WAM / Over the past five decades, the UAE has established its leading global position in interest in camel sports, developing racing, and adopting qualitative initiatives to spread this heritage sport globally, and support racing, owners and breeders in the region, Asia and the world.

The UAE played a pivotal and strategic role in the development of the Asian Camel Racing Federation, as the UAE era, headed by His Excellency Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi in the past and current sessions, witnessed the achievement of many successes, the development of ambitious plans to develop this sport, hosting races, and strengthening cooperation with Arab, continental and international bodies and institutions, to hold races.

The Asian Camel Racing Federation consists of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, and Yemen.

The step to approve the holding of camel racing in the Asian Games “Bahrain 2025”, last October, embodied the culmination of fruitful cooperation between the members of the Executive Office and the countries that are members of the Federation, in addition to the inclusion of this sport in the Islamic “Solidarity Games” scheduled for this November in Riyadh.

The Asian Camel Federation enjoys great support from His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Advisor to His Highness the President of the State and President of the Camel Racing Federation, and continuous follow-up of its various activities and programmes, and his directives to host major events held in the UAE, which confirms the prestigious value of camel sport, and the national and cultural heritage it represents.

Many events for the Asian Camel Federation will be held during the coming period, most notably the Asian Open Camel Races at the Zayed Grand Prix Festival in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi (November 2025), the heritage race races at the His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Festival in Al Dhaid (December 2025), the Third General Assembly of the Asian Camel Federation, and the Third Asian Championship in Abu Dhabi (May 2026).

His Excellency Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi, President of the Asian Camel Racing Federation, confirmed that the Federation has achieved great leaps and sustainable growth indicators, with the unlimited support of the wise leadership for camel sports inside and outside the country, and the interest that camel racing receives in Asia and the Arab countries.
He added that the Asian Federation has its permanent headquarters in Abu Dhabi, and works according to an approved constitution and a clear strategic plan aimed at developing this sport, especially since the UAE has a world-leading position in organizing camel racing, thanks to the advanced fields and tracks it possesses, and the distinguished facilities and facilities in the various emirates of the country.

Al Muhairi praised the great support and tireless efforts of the Emirates Camel Racing Federation, headed by His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, in organizing and hosting events for this heritage sport, providing all the requirements for its excellence, elevation and development, and providing incentive prizes to participants in its activities.

Hamad Al Shamsi, Chairman of the Technical Committees of the Emirates Camel Racing Federation and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Asian Championship, explained that the UAE is a global destination for races and festivals specialized in this ancient sport, in addition to the foreign races it organizes, which receive wide interaction and great interest.

Al Shamsi noted the pioneering role of the Asian Camel Racing Federation, headed by His Excellency Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi, in developing competition programs, organizing events, enhancing cooperation with continental and international federations, expanding the scope of races, and moving to Arab and Asian gatherings such as the Asian Games in Bahrain and the Islamic Solidarity Games in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

For his part, Mohammed Abdullah bin Adid Al Muhairi, member of the technical committee of the UAE Camel Racing Federation, said that the great development achieved by the Asian Camel Racing Federation has enhanced interest in this sport, and that the influential qualitative role of the UAE in organizing and hosting various events has made it one of the most important global centers for management, development and international decision-making in this field.

He pointed to the federation’s future plans that aim to enhance the passion for camel racing, develop its activities, and reach the largest number of practitioners at the continental level, in addition to having more countries join the continental federation.

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