The inaugural World Sports Summit will commence on December 29, and it will be attended by more than 1,500 representatives of the global sports industry.
The two-day summit, organized by the Dubai Sports Council under the theme of “Uniting the World Through Sport,” is scheduled to be held in Madinat Jumeirah with the aim of offering a platform to discuss the future of sport, award sportsmen and promote initiatives to support upcoming talent across the globe.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, said: “Dubai welcomes guests and participants of the World Sports Summit, including global sports leaders, presidents of international federations and organizations, investors, decision-makers, and athletes from across disciplines, who will come together over two days to discuss the current state and future of sport worldwide and its role in developing societies and empowering communities.”
Sheikh Hamdan stated, “This first-of-its-kind sports summit, originating in the UAE, will bring together sports leaders, specialists and individuals with proven leadership and professional expertise from across the global sports sector.”
He added that “The summit will serve as a global platform for dialogue on sports development and for shaping its future through effective strategic initiatives, legislation and agreements.”
President of the UAE National Olympic Committee and chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, stated that the event will bring together the heads of sports organizations, international federations, big clubs, companies, and leading athletes to discuss the issues, development opportunities, and growth opportunities in the industry.
Sheikh Mansoor said that “The World Sports Summit will include dialogue sessions, workshops, seminars, and meetings that will shed light on the current state of global sports.” He cited that it will inspire the generations to come and that it will further assist in supporting the potential talents in various fields.
The summit will be attended by 70 speakers, one of whom is a famous athlete, coaches, and administrative leaders. The programme on Monday begins with speeches by Khalfan Juma Belhoul, vice chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, presenting “The Next 90 Minutes.”
There are also several other highlights, such as speeches by Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the president of the Supreme Council of Youth and Sports in Bahrain, and panels with Novak Djokovic, Ons Jabeur, and Paula Badosa.
During a discussion with former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch, Nasser Al Khelaifi, President of Paris Saint-Germain and Chairman of the European Club Association, will take part.
Panels featuring boxing legends Manny Pacquiao and Oleksandar Usyk, former NBA players who became managers, and football icon Ronaldo Nazario also participated in the day.
The programme will consist of nine sessions on Tuesday and will include MMA superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov discussing the future of combat sports, which will be moderated by Rio Ferdinand. Football superstars Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero, and Baggio’s daughter Valentina will address about the career and sports management.
Other activities are American football players Reggie Bush, Baron Davis, Marquez Colston, and Swin Cash, discussing the connection between playing and sports administration. The role of sport in fashion will also be discussed in another panel, and participants will be Jamie Wynne of Jimmy Choo, Victor Cruz, and Michael Utley of AC Milan.
The summit will end with an Euroleague-oriented event with Abdullah Al Naboodah, the founder of the Dubai Basketball Club, French basketball icon Tony Parker, and the Euroleague CEO Paulios Mottijonas.
The World Sports Summit is the inaugural global event of its kind in the city of Dubai, an attempt to unite the best in the sporting world and industry expertise to define the future of international sports.
