Introduction to the UAE
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an Islamic country located in the Middle East and while it was formed fairly recently (in 1971), the country has a rich diversity of sport and culture.
- The country has traditional sporting activities and has also adopted contemporary sports which have enabled it to establish itself on the international sporting stage.
- Sports play an important role in the UAE’s efforts to develop tourism.
- The UAE boasts of all year round good climate which ensures that sporting activities continue throughout the year.
Camel Racing
- Inhabitants of the UAE have a rich historical relationship with camels which were once used to traverse the great deserts.
- Al Abed and Peter declare that camels are still held in awe and camel races ensure that this great creatures maintain their status in UAE life (307).
- The UAE is home to a number of modern racing facilities and each of the Emirate state has high-tech facilities for this sport.
- Camel racing has enabled the UAE to maintain the symbolic significance of the camel.
- Camel racing is also a major tourist attraction and many people visit the UAE to witness the competitive races which take place in the Gulf States.
Falconry
- This is one of the traditional sports by the inhabitants of the UAE.
- King states that this sport was a favorite for the desert sheikhs for centuries (114)
- This sport is still popular today among the wealthy.
Football
- While not a traditional sport in the region, football has gained great popularity in the UAE.
- Since the formation of the UAE FA in 1971, the UAE has dedicated significant resources to promoting the game and improving the abilities of the country’s players (Tomlinson 135).
- Football has grown to become the national sport of the UAE (Tomlinson 135).
- Local and national football matches are followed by enthusiastic fans
- The Country has a number of popular football clubs such as Al-Ain, Al-Shabbab and Al Wasl.
- In the UAE, the local clubs have staunch fan bases and great rivalries exist among clubs.
- This competitive atmosphere leads to great enthusiasm by fans who support their respective teams.
Horse Racing
- Horse Racing has been gaining increasing popularity in the Gulf States in the recent decades.
- The popularity of horse racing has grown to overtake that of camel racing.
- The Emirates Racing Association which was formed in the early 1990s has been responsible for the international prominence of UAE horse racing.
- The UAE has been able to offer huge monetary incentives which have attracted the horse owners as well as jockeys to the state.
- The price money in the annual horse races is also the greatest in the world making UAE horse racing the most attractive for many racers.
- The UAE has a number of unique horse racing’s; purebred racing and endurance racing.
Purebred Racing
- This is the world’s richest race for purebred Arabian horses with the total price money exceeding 1 million (Al Abed and Peter 304).
- This uniquely UAE creation has gained extreme popularity around the world.
Endurance Racing
- These races are extremely long (more than 100 kilometers) and they test the endurances of racers.
- Riders from the UAE and other parts of the world challenge each other in this grueling endurance races.
Cricket
- Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the UAE and this game attracts a huge following.
- AL Abed and Peter states that “the popularity of Cricket is because of the huge expatriate population from the Indian subcontinent” (316).
- The UAE has continually shown excellent performance in international tournaments and it maintains its ambition to one day win international status from the International Cricket Council (Nayar).
- The Cricket facilities in the Gulf States are constantly improving with top-class venues such as the Sharjah stadium and the ultra-modern Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium available (Nayar).
Tennis
- The UAE has shown great interest in the tennis sport.
- UAE has excellent facilities which make it attractive for national and international competitions.
- The Gulf States organize big events such as the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships which attract many international level tennis stars.
- While the UAE does not have its own stars in the major leagues, plans are underway to nurture UAE champions. Even so, people are still interested to watch the world best players battle it out in the UAE sports facilities.
Golf
- Golfing is gaining increasing popularity among UAE inhabitants
- The UAE has established itself as a leading golfing destination in the world as a result of the numerous first-class golf clubs available in the country
- The high tech practice ranges available in the UAE make it a favorite destination for many professional golfers.
- The annual European Tour which attracts the best professional golfers is hosted in Dubai and this tournament has made the UAE a world class golfing destination.
Water Sports
- The UAE has a generous coastline and water activities have a deep history in the region
- Most UAE states have access to the ocean and they have a number of modern marine clubs where traditional and contemporary water sports are practiced.
Dhow Races
- Dhows have a historical significance to UAE inhabitants and competitive sailing attracts a big following
- The dhow which is a wooden sailing craft is particularly challenging to navigate and this makes the dhow races very interesting
- Al Abed and Peter reveal that the 58 mile dhow races organized in Dubai aim to recapture the historic sailing by the Arabs in the past centuries during the pearling trade (299).
- Al Abed and Peter reveal that the 58 mile dhow races organized in Dubai aim to recapture the historic sailing by the Arabs in the past centuries during the pearling trade (299).
Powerboat Racing
- A modern water sport that has gained popularity in the UAE is powerboat racing.
- This races are mostly common in Dubai and Fujairah.
- The sport is engaged in at both a competitive and non-competitive level.
- The competitive powerboat races attract participants from all over the world and the UIM Formula One World Championship is held in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi waters (Al Abed and Peter 300).
Motor Sports
- The UAE is very active in motor sporting
- The varied terrain offered by the Gulf States is a great attraction to motor racers.
- The Marlboro Desert Challenge is a major worldwide attraction (Thekkapat).
- The rough desert terrains offered by the Gulf States make motor sporting a challenging and attractive activity for sports enthusiasts all over the world (Thekkapat).
- Al Abed and Peter state that this competition attracts major car teams who all compete for the world title (311).
Conclusion
The UAE has many sports to offer for its inhabitants and the international community. The availability of many sports enthusiasts as well as the government investment in sports has contributed significantly to the growth of many sports in the UAE.
Works Cited
AL Abed, Ibrahim and Peter Vine. United Arab Emirates Yearbook. Dubai: Trident Press Ltd, 2006. Print.
King, David. United Arab Emirates. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2008. Print.
Nayar, Ran. Cream of UAE cricket honoured at Shyam Bhatia awards night.2012. Web.
Thekkapat, Shiva. UAE motorsport champ on speeding to the top of racing. 2012. Web.
Tomlinson, Alan. Sport And Leisure Cultures. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press, 2005. Print.