"UAE Rugby" Adopts a road map towards the 2032 Olympics

Dubai, 5 February / WAM / The Board of Directors of the Emirates Rugby Federation, headed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, approved the high-level plan for the period from 2026 to 2032, as part of the federation’s strategic plan, which aims to qualify for the Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia in 2032, and achieve the gold medal in the Asian Games in Doha 2030.

This came during the first meeting of the Board of Directors in its new session, which was held yesterday under the chairmanship of Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, and in the presence of all members, to discuss the game’s files and plans for developing it during the next stage.

Mohammed Sultan Al Zaabi, Secretary-General of the Federation, confirmed that the meeting represented an important milestone for the launch of the new phase, pointing to the adoption of a clear road map for developing the national teams and enhancing their continental and international presence, in order to achieve the desired goals in major tournaments.

He pointed out that the next phase will focus on developing national players, male and female, and building a sustainable system starting from the bottom, in addition to strengthening partnerships and sponsorships to ensure the implementation of the approved strategy until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The meeting discussed the participation of the national teams in this year’s competitions, and the Board of Directors decided to cancel all committees working in the federation, and suffice with the “Rugby Rugby – RRR” committee to support the sister federations, and adopt the file work system, so that the national teams file falls under the supervision of the General Secretariat, with all members participating in the sponsorship file.

It was also decided to privatize the league competition through an external committee to manage the competition, and to form an independent committee for referees, with the aim of raising the level of competition and developing technical performance.

The Council reviewed the path of developing national players, male and female, through schools and organizing mini-tournaments in various emirates of the country, leading to a major tournament within the “Emirati Player’s Path” initiative in partnership with HSBC Bank.

The Council discussed searching for alternatives to the positions of CEO and General Coach, after accepting Apollo Berlini’s resignation, which expires at the end of this February.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum and the members of the Board of Directors thanked coach Apollo Berlini for his efforts during the recent period, and the Board decided to honor him and appoint him as an ambassador for the Emirates Rugby Federation in appreciation of his contributions to the development of the game.

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