Mansour bin Zayed honours sports champions

A total of 94 sports stars who raised the UAE flag aloft at regional and international championships in 2013 were recognised yesterday at a grand ceremony held at the National Theatre in Abu Dhabi. H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, honoured Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, winner of the 'Sport Personality of the Year' for her leading, constructive and active role in serving and advancing the sports, especially women's sports. Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health, and First Deputy Chairman of the National Olympic Committee, was also honoured for his outstanding contributions to the sports. The glittering national event was organised by the General Authority Youth and Sports Welfare and attended by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the National Olympic Committee, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and a number of Sheikhs, ministers, senior officials and chairmen of sports associations. Speaking after screening of a documentary on 2013 sports achievements, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, and Chairman of the General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare, paid gratitude to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for their consistent support for sports and sportsmen. He also thanked His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, for their support and encouragement to UAE sports movement. He congratulated the sports champions who won the President's sports grant. 'Success of the sports sector in the State needs a full-fledged partnership of all stakeholders,' Sheikh Nahyan emphasised. Cash prizes of AED 25 million were given to 492 champions. Source: WAM