London Olympians among MBR award winners

The British Olympic Association (BOA), hosts of the London 2012 Games, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge are among the international recepients of the 4th Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MBR) Sports Creativity Awards 2012.

The names of various winners were announced by Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of Board of Trustees of the award, Dr Ahmed Al Sharif general secretary of the award and Dr Atif Odibat Head of selection committee at a ceremony at the Hotel InterContinental, Dubai Festival City on Monday..

Performances at the London Olympics 2012 were recognised with Abdullah Sultan Al Aryani, who won a gold medal in shooting at the 2012 London Paralympic Games being the top award from UAE.

Other prominent winners were the Qatar National Olympic Committee; Algeria’s Tawfiq Al Makloufi who took gold in the men’s 1,500m at the London Olympics and special athlete from Morocco Najja Al Kara’a, who set a new world record in the discus throw at the 2012 Paralympic Games.

“The winners of this year’s award truly deserve to be rewarded for their commitment in upholding the principles of sports in reaching out to youths so that we can achieve the greater goals of a healthy and safer society,” said Mattar Al Tayer.

After three years of having the award for UAE, Gulf and Arab levels, the Dubai Sports Council included a special international category to acknowledge the contribution to sport at the highest level from this year.

The BOA has been lauded for fulfilling its mission in transforming British lives through the power of Olympic values along with the recent success of Team GB at the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Formed in 1905 in the House of Commons, the BOA now includes as its members the 33 national governing bodies of each Olympic sport in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Incidentally, Great Britain is one of only five countries which have been represented at the summer Olympic Games since 1896.

IOC President Jacques Rogge has been acknowledged for his commitment to the Olympic Movement through several decisions that he has implemented during his tenure since taking over in July 2001.

An orthopaedic surgeon by profession, Rogge competed in yachting and rugby before serving as President of the Belgian Olymmic Committee from 1989 to 1992. He became a member of the IOC in 1991 and joined its Executive Board in 1998.

The Belgian has been a strong advocate of creating more possibilities for developing countries to bid for and be host to Olympic Games. This is Rogge’s last year as IOC President as rules do not allow him to re-contest for the top IOC post when elections are held in September 2013.

The Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Creative Awards are the first of its kind organised by the Dubai Sports Council in an attempt to recognise and reward the commitment to creativity in various fields of specialization in sports.

The award is meant to reflect the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai in the upliftment of society starting from basic principles of fairness and competition through sport.

The awards ceremony will be held on January 6 next year.

WINNERS

UAE Section:

Individual Athlete: Abdullah Sultan Al Aryani – shooting

Individual Official: Hamid Al Russi – football referee

Team: Al Nasr table tennis team

Institution: UAE Wrestling, Judo, Jiu Jitsu and Kick Boxing Federation (UAEWJJF)

Arab Section:

Individual Athlete: Tawfiq Al Makloufi – athletics

Individual Management: Djibril Al Rujoub, President, Palestine Football Association

Institution: Qatar National Olympic Committee

International Section:

British Olympic Association

Personalities:

Jacques Rogge, President, IOC

Sheikha Haya Abdul Aziz Al Khalifa, Bahrain

Ousman Al Sadd, Saudi Arabia

Arab Youth Achievement Awards:

Ala’eddin Al Qassim – Egypt - Bronze medal at London Olympic Games

Habiba Al Gharaibi – Tunisia – Silver medal at London Olympic Games

Al Mur Bin Huraiz – UAE – Jet-Ski champion

Special Needs:

Najja Al Kara’a – Morocco – New world record in discus throw at London Paralympic Games

Team Achievement on Values: Olympic Committee of Ukraine

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