Dubai is certainly no stranger to star-studded events or high-level meetings, but this week’s inaugural World Sports Summit in the emirate brought an array of big-name talent to the UAE at a time when it is taking a leading role in the development of global sport, along with other countries in the region.
From the 2022 World Cup in Doha and the continuing regional success of Formula One racing to the rise of UFC, Bahrain leading the Gulf rankings in medals from the Paris Olympics and the excitement of foreign stars coming to play in the Saudi Pro League, Gulf countries are shaping the conversation about an economic, media and cultural juggernaut that will only grow in the years to come.
This makes the contributions of figures such as Fifa president Gianni Infantino, tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Ons Jabeur and the Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazario in Dubai this week particularly timely. Such athletes and administrators are familiar with global fame and the pressure that elite-level sports can bring. Tunisia’s Jabeur, who has previously spoken of the challenges inherent in balancing a tennis career with starting a family, took part in an aptly named panel discussion on Navigating Hype, Heartbreak and History. Sport’s ability to change lives was also prominent, with boxing star Manny Pacquiao recounting his rags-to-riches story after being born into extreme poverty in the Philippines.
Global sport is changing fast as organisers experiment with different formats such as cricket’s T20 series and 7-a-side football, and AI-powered coaching methods promise to increase elite performance even further. Accompanying such developments is rapidly increasing exposure as fans use their smartphones to watch their favourite sportspeople compete and individual stars become their own worldwide media brand.
Mr Infantino’s confirmation this week that Fifa’s World Football Awards will be held in Dubai from next year onwards also reflects sport’s prominence in this region – where better to acknowledge the best in a globalised game like football than a global city such as Dubai, where local fans are as likely to follow the fortunes of Manchester City or Argentina or Leo Messi in addition to their Pro-League team?
More is to come; Saudi Arabia is to host the World Cup in 2034, building on the success of the Doha tournament – a family-friendly event that was accessible to many football fans in the Global South and which offered an alternative approach.
Although broadcasting, streaming and short-form sports content might end up commanding more financial clout than fans paying for seats, the forlorn sight of empty stadia during the Covid pandemic proves that people and their passion are still at the heart of most sports. The enduring interest shown in the non-professional world of the Olympic Games also points to a love of competition and athleticism for its own sake.
It is this kind of engagement with sport that will inspire the next generation to kick a ball, get in the swimming pool or try on a pair of boxing gloves – not just at the elite level but in countries and communities the world over. Let’s not forget that sport is, at its heart, about participation, not consumption. Keeping this at the centre of events such as the World Sports Summit – at which athletes who have walked the walk can share their insights – is the key to long-term, sustainable interest and participation.
