Dubai’s inaugural World Sports Summit drew more than 1,500 sports industry figures for two days of discussions on athlete welfare, mental health and the future of global competition.
The summit at Madinat Jumeirah on Monday and Tuesday featured around 70 speakers including active and retired athletes, federation presidents, team executives and sports administrators, according to organisers.
Dubai Sports Council organised the event under the patronage of Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The gathering focused on themes such as Uniting the World Through Sport.
Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk discussed sport’s power to motivate people during wartime.
“Now, it’s very important because a lot of Ukrainian people, soldiers, children, I mean it’s important because you win, it’s motivated people. People believe it’s true. It’s possible,” Usyk told Euronews.
Another legend of the sport, Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, was also in attendance in Dubai.
“Believe in God, believe in yourself and hard work, focus and you will achieve all that you are dreaming for,” Pacquiao said. “And make sure you are dreaming to make a legacy, a legacy that can help and be an inspiration to the next generation.”
‘These legends make hearts beat’
Discussions addressed pressures on elite athletes including psychological stress, public scrutiny and extended time away from families.
“Many people might not really assess how important this is – and you’ve seen the names today – and you’ve seen the level of athletes that we’ve had,” Khalfan Belhoul, Vice Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, told Euronews.
“The level of validation and comfort they had that we have really opened up to discuss these points was amazing to hear and for them to be part of those conversations,” Belhoul added.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino delivered an opening-day keynote titled The Next 90 Minutes.
“It’s a beautiful event here in Dubai, bringing together, gathering really the best of the best in the sports world,” Infantino told Euronews.
“Of course, I represent football which is the best sport anyway, but even just the football legends who are here, world champions. I’m just an administrator, these legends make the hearts beat in football, but also in the other sports,” the chief of world football said.
Most prominent champions, stars and coaches in one place
Day one included panels featuring tennis players Novak Djokovic, Ons Jabeur and Paula Badosa, boxers Manny Pacquiao and Oleksandr Usyk, and Brazilian footballer Ronaldo Nazario.
Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al Khelaifi spoke in conversation with former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch.
Day two sessions featured mixed martial arts fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, Italian footballers Roberto Baggio and Alessandro Del Piero, and former NBA players now working as sports executives.
Topics covered included fan engagement strategies, artificial intelligence applications in athletics, women’s sports development, and sport’s social influence beyond competition.
The summit hosted the 13th Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Sports Award ceremony, honouring sports figures from the UAE, the Arab region and internationally.
Sheikh bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said the summit would “bring together in Dubai the most prominent decision-makers from sports organisations, international federations, major clubs and companies operating in the sports industry, as well as champions, stars and coaches.”
The event supports Dubai Sports Sector Strategic Plan 2033, which targets doubling the sports sector’s economic contribution to 18.3 billion dirhams (€4.25 billion).
Dubai has invested heavily in sports infrastructure and hosts regular international competitions across football, tennis, golf, cricket and other disciplines throughout the year.