A GOLDEN ERA FOR SPORT IN THE UAE
▶ Legislation paves way for all residents to represent the country
All residents will soon be eligible to join local clubs and represent the country in all sports in what is being hailed as a “ground-breaking occasion in the history of UAE sports”, after a decree from the President, Sheikh Khalifa.
As of September, men married to Emirati women, born in the UAE and any player who lives in the UAE can register for sports clubs and could represent the country.
The Presidential decree was declared in November and the Federal National Council approved the regulations and conditions drafted by the UAE General Sports Authority.
“It was approved on Monday and we are announcing it today,” said Mohammed Al Rumaithy, president of the General Sports Authority, at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council auditorium on Tuesday.
“Indeed it’s a ground-breaking occasion in the history of the UAE sports and we are extremely delighted of the milestone. The expatriate community that has helped us to build the nation is now provided the opportunity to play a role in sports.
“This is long-awaited for the expatriate community. Their participation in local sports will create a bigger pool of players for the national federations, aside from the competition they will provide for the Emirati players.”
All UAE sports federations including those for football, basketball, volleyball and rugby will start to implement the Cabinet-approved regulations in September and local clubs can start the registration process.
“We are excited and honoured to issue this statement for the participation of players in this category,” Mr Al Rumaithy said.
“It will encourage more athletes to participate in sports.
“Of course, this is a pathway that’s new and we’ll have some teething problems at the beginning. We’ll know where we stand at the end of the first season and if amendments are required, we are prepared to do that.”
While many of the country’s mainly expatriate sports, such as rugby and ice hockey, already have a high number of foreign players, the UAE Football Association and the basketball, volleyball and handball federations will be first entities to trial the regulations.
The presidential decree means that UAE football clubs can register an unlimited number of expatriates in all agegroup competitions, male and female, from the ages of 4 to 18.
But teams can register only six players – three born in the UAE and three living in the country but born elsewhere – in their 18-year-old and 21-yearold squads and senior squads.
The unlimited number of foreign players who can be registered at age-group teams will also apply to the country’s basketball, volleyball and handball clubs.
However, each of these teams can register 10 players born in the UAE and 10 players living here, male and female, in their over 18s and senior squads.
The sports authority has asked that the federations make their own proposals and guidelines about participation by the newly registered players.
Teams which play in Arabian Gulf League, the top tier of football in the country, are allowed to register four foreign players in their squad. It is unclear if players registered from next season can qualify for the UAE national team.
“As of now, football is open for all registration except youth and first teams, which the federation will approve,” said Ibrahim Abdulmalik, general secretary of the authority.
“This is just for registration. In the three years, each federation will approve one or two players. Some of those federations may request to approve all and we might approve them all. However, the authorisation will come from the government.”
Aref Al Awani, a board member of the authority and general secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said the decree was based on the need to involve the expatriate community in sports, adding it could also help boost each team’s economic model.
“The initiative came from the country’s leadership and it will benefit our players and national teams,” Mr Al Awani said. “It will help us fill the stadiums with lots of families and fans. Obviously, there will be a lot of talent emerging.”
The decision is also in line with the country’s Centennial 2071 Strategy to put sports at the heart of society and reinforce family cohesion, as it is also the latest move to benefit the children of Emirati women who are married to foreigners.
The children of those couples are not automatically entitled to Emirati citizenship and have in the past not qualified to join official sports teams and compete in national competitions.
The judo and ice hockey federations in the UAE have also welcomed the decree.
Senior figures within UAE football have declared the decision to allow expatriates born or living in the Emirates to represent local clubs, and potentially the national team, as a great move for the future of the game in the country.
On Monday, the Federal National Council approved regulations drafted by the UAE General Sports Authority to make eligible from September expats, including foreign men married to Emirati women, to join clubs and play for the country in all sports.
That followed a November degree from the President, Sheikh Khalifa. Mohammed Khalfan Al Rumaithy, president of the General Sports Authority, described the decision as “ground-breaking”.
The Football Association, along with the UAE’s basketball, volleyball and handball federations, will be first entities to trial the new regulations.
The decree means UAE football clubs can register an unlimited number of expats in all age-group competitions, male and female, from ages 4-18.
Teams can register only six players – three born in the UAE, three residing in the country – in their 18-21-year-old squads and senior squads.
Abdulla Naser Al Junaibi, vice president of the FA and chairman of the Pro League Committee (PLC), the body that governs the Arabian Gulf League (AGL), said the announcement could prove a significant boost to UAE football and help overcome a number of the key issues affecting the game here, including low attendances and clubs’ finances.
“We all agree that this is a real major and important decision for sports overall,” Al Junaibi said.
“As we know, when looking at the nationalities in the country, the locals are in the minority. So choosing such a decision will help first of all in terms of the engagement of all nationalities and people who live in the UAE. This is a very important issue, which we are trying to really tackle. This decision will extremely help in supporting our efforts in that.
“Another thing that it might give is a big base of players.
“It will help in the number of players available and therefore in the options and opportunities for the high talent in the country.
“And thirdly, it will also definitely affect what we’re trying to do in regards to introducing the salary cap and cutting the budget for a lot of the clubs. So it is a wise and very welcome decision.”
Al Junaibi said the onus is now on the different sports federations resolving how to implement the decision going forward and that, for UAE football, it will require collaboration from the FA, the PLC and the league’s professional clubs in determining the new regulations.
He said the FA plans to meet “within the next few days” to begin the process.
Asked if it could effectively open up the national team later this year to expat players – from next season, AGL clubs will be able to field four foreigners irrespective of their nationality – Al Junaibi said: “That’s another story, because it’s a political decision.
“It could also give a significant base for that, but regarding the nationalities themselves and how to be a UAE national, that’s a political issue rather than a sports call.
“The most important thing is the decision has been made. To have a really positive outcome, I think it will take a couple of years to start seeing the results. But again, let us see first.
“We need to assess all the angles and find out everything we can use. Once we do, we will announce what form it will take. But I can guarantee this is a great decision.”
Khaled Awadh, a member of both Al Wahda Club’s board of directors and the FA’s competition committee, heralded the decision as “win-win”.
“The rules in football are a bit complex and take a longer period of time to implement, but what’s important here is we have a start,” he said.
“This rule is good for both UAE football as well as for expatriates. It throws a big challenge, as there are hundreds of kids born to Emirati mothers married to foreigners and expatriate kids born in the UAE.
“They have good skills and these kids can only improve provided they are given opportunities to train at local clubs, and availing the coaching sessions and using the club facilities.
According to Awadh, clubs will be allowed to register 25 players, although only three of the expat players can be included in the playing 11 at any time of the game.
“While providing the opportunities for outsiders, the FA wants to preserve the status of the local players. The General Sports Authority has provided three months for the clubs to present their proposals.
“But all in all, it is a move that has received overwhelming acceptance from both the locals and expatriates. It is a win-win situation for the UAE sports.”
Such a decision will help first in the engagement of all nationalities. Another thing that it might give is a big base of players ABDULLA NASER AL JUNAIBI FA vice president and PLC chairman
UAE cricket players hope the Presidential decree encouraging expatriate involvement in representative sport will help improve the perception of their game among Emiratis.
From September, men married to Emirati women, as well as children born in the UAE and any player who resides in the Emirates will be eligible to register for sports clubs and, potentially, also represent the country.
The decree from the President, Sheikh Khalifa, was declared in November, and the Federal National Council approved the regulations and conditions drafted by the UAE General Sports Authority on Monday.
While the effects of the move could be transformative for football in particular, other sports such as cricket and rugby already have a large expatriate involvement – even at international level.
Since organised cricket first took hold in the Emirates in the 1980s, the game has been dominated by expatriates, particularly from the subcontinental community.
International Cricket Council rules, put simply, allow for players born in a country to play for that national team, as well as players who have been resident there for three or more years.
The national team currently competing at a Twenty20 tournament in Kuwait is peopled exclusively by Indian and Pakistani nationals. Some were born or raised in the UAE, while others arrived here as adults to work, and qualified to represent the team as per the ICC’s residency criteria.
Amjad Javed, 37, is a Pakistani national who has played for the UAE for the past 15 years. The fast bowler, whose family have lived in the UAE since his grandfather moved to Dubai to work for Dewa 52 years ago, dovetails working as a cargo loadmaster for Emirates Airline with playing cricket.
“I am airline staff, always flying, and when I cross immigration, they recognise me as someone who represents UAE,” Javed said.
“Then, once I give them my passport to stamp, they say: ‘Oh, you are Pakistani, not Emirati?’ I think that has to change.
“It is not about nationality, it is about the country I am representing, and the achievements I have brought for myself, my family, and everyone in the UAE. I want to be recognised for those achievements, rather than my nationality.”
The national cricket team have played at two World Cups, one World T20, and last month claimed their first win against one of the sport’s established elite Test nations, against Zimbabwe in Harare.
Javed hopes the decree will help increase the awareness of their achievements.
“Let’s say a UAE cricketer who was born here, played at two World Cups, two Asia Cups, two [World Cup] Qualifiers, suddenly you are saying: ‘He can play’?” Javed said.
“How will he be feeling? He has already achieved those targets. You have to step out from football, and come and support other sports, and then we can achieve more goals together.
“In cricket, we have played two World Cups. In football, they have played just once. That is the reality.
“I think they have to come out and support us.”
Ahmed Raza, 29, is a Pakistani national who was born and raised in Sharjah.
He represented the UAE at all age-group levels, before starting a distinguished career with the senior team 14 years ago
The spin bowler believes September’s start date for accepting expatriates into all sports teams could be a decisive moment for UAE cricket.
It coincides with the Asia Cup being staged in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on India’s behalf.
Raza is hopeful that the UAE can qualify to play in it, meaning potential fixtures against the likes of India and Pakistan in front of as many as 25,000 supporters.
“That could be a breakthrough event if we qualify for the main tournament,” Raza said. “We should be inviting the right people to attend, so they can see the passion with which we are representing UAE.
“Even if somebody didn’t understand the sport, they will be able to understand the passion we are playing with, our determination, how we are diving around and putting our bodies on the line.
“For us to play against India or Pakistan, even though we are Pakistani citizens, the way will be playing against them will show we want to beat them.”
It is not about nationality, it is about the country I am representing, and the achievements I have brought for everyone in the UAE AMJAD JAVED Former UAE captain