Mansoor bin Mohammed chairs General Assembly meeting of the UAE Olympic Committee

His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee, today chaired the ordinary meeting of the Committee’s General Assembly. During the meeting, the General Assembly approved the Committee’s new name as the ‘UAE Olympic Committee’.

On this occasion, His Highness emphasised that the identity of national institutions extends beyond symbols and slogans, embodying values rooted in the UAE’s heritage and the authenticity of its people. He noted that these values align with the Olympic Movement’s principles of excellence, respect and friendship, reinforcing sport’s role in promoting unity, integrity and positive societal values.

His Highness added that the journey of the UAE Olympic Committee includes milestones that inspire pride, beginning with its establishment on 19 December 1979 and its subsequent membership of the International Olympic Committee and the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees. The UAE made its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 1984 Games, raised the national flag on an international podium for the first time at the 1992 Arab Games in Syria, secured its first continental medal at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima, and achieved its first Olympic medal in 2004 through Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Hasher Al Maktoum. Since then, achievements have continued across multiple levels.

The meeting was held in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of Sports and Vice President of the UAE Olympic Committee, His Excellency Faris Mohammed Al Mutawwa, Secretary General of the UAE Olympic Committee, and members of the Board of Directors and General Assembly.

During the meeting, the General Assembly announced its strategic document, which sets priorities including strengthening governance and sports management, developing sports leadership, empowering athletes, and promoting Olympic culture and community wellbeing.

The General Assembly also endorsed the allocation of three seats for female representation on the Board of Directors and approved amendments to Article (5) and Article (40), paragraphs (b) and (c), of the Committee’s Statute. Members also approved the Unified Electoral System and the Unified Electoral Appeals System for sports federations, including the formation of a Central Elections Committee and an Electoral Appeals Committee to oversee electoral processes.

The UAE Olympic Committee will notify sports federations within 90 days to convene their general assemblies and incorporate the provisions of the two systems into their statutes, ensuring alignment, transparency and good governance.

Furthermore, the Assembly approved the admission of the UAE Boxing Federation after fulfilling the required criteria. It also endorsed the inclusion of the Sharjah Women’s Sports Foundation, the Higher Education Institutions Federation and the UAE Sports for All Federation.

The meeting also approved the Committee’s technical and administrative report for 2025 and the UAE’s participation in the 3rd Asian Youth Games – Bahrain 2025 and the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games – Riyadh 2025. The Olympic activity plan for 2026 was also approved.
The Assembly further approved the renaming of the UAE Swimming Federation as the UAE Aquatics Federation, and the UAE Billiards and Snooker Federation as the Emirates Billiard Sports Federation.

The meeting stressed the importance of circulating the Values and Ethics Regulations and Code of Conduct to all affiliated clubs and entities and required sports federations to sign an acknowledgement of compliance as a condition for participation in events held under the Committee’s umbrella. Compliance with the medical code issued by the NOC Sports Medicine Committee prior to participation in events was also reaffirmed.

As part of the proceedings, the Best Sports Federation Award for the Olympic cycle 2024–2028 was launched. Members also reviewed unified regulations governing the establishment of GCC sports federations received from the GCC General Secretariat, updates related to the Sports Law and Management Conference, and International Olympic Committee requirements concerning organisational provisions in line with the Olympic Charter.

The Assembly approved the administrative and financial report of the Emirates Sports Arbitration Centre for 2025, along with the final accounts and auditor’s report for the same financial year.

On the sidelines of the meeting, His Highness honoured the UAE delegation that secured 31 medals at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, achieving notable results and record timings. He also honoured the delegation that participated in the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia, where the UAE achieved its best result across the event’s six editions with a total of 27 medals.

His Highness also met with the Board of Directors of the UAE Sports Arbitration Centre, chaired by His Excellency Jamal Hamed Al Marri, where he was briefed on the centre’s programmes and services aimed at promoting integrity and transparency in resolving disputes within the sports sector. The centre holds exclusive jurisdiction to review and adjudicate such disputes, ensuring fairness and supporting a competitive and well-regulated sporting environment.