In mid-2020, I posed a critical question through an article - 'How do we prepare athletes not just to navigate achievements but to actively create it?' During that time, the UAE's approach towards sports development was anchored in the belief that training is the most effective driver of long‑term progress, an ideology that was the foundation of the UAE Sports Science and Sports Medicine Centre (formerly the Leadership Development Centre), with a cumulative record in skill development. Over nearly a quarter of a century, the Centre built a distinguished legacy, engaging thousands of participants through specialised activities including courses, workshops, seminars and sports gatherings.

These numbers were far more than operational metrics. They reflected a strategic belief that the advancement of sports requires a cultivated ecosystem driven by human insight and continuous development. In the earlier article, I further underscored a critical challenge - can training alone truly establish clear career pathways, embed quality systems, and foster an academic framework that validates competence and makes sports careers truly appealing to national talents?

Today, the landscape has transformed entirely. The UAE has entered a new phase defined by comprehensive governance, anchored in the Cabinet‑approved UAE National Sports Strategy 2031. This national framework sets explicit quantitative targets, such as increasing community sports participation to 75 per cent, alongside initiatives to develop workforce capacity, identify school-level talents, modernise physical education curricula, and refine regulatory frameworks governing the sector. Together, these measures reposition athlete preparation as an integral pillar of a unified national project rather than a collection of isolated initiatives.

Significantly, the qualification process has expanded far beyond training courses, acquiring legal and professional authority through the Federal Law No. (4) of 2023 on Sports, supported by executive regulations that define sports professions and formalise the link between training and licensing. For the first time, these executive regulations incorporate concepts such as sports professions, professional accreditation, and licensing as official mechanisms that focus on professional status on practice, set transparent quality standards, and embed accountability. Additionally, they facilitate the development and revision of the rules and legislation that support this principle.

This development marks a decisive change in the operating environment. Coaches, administrators and sports specialists are no longer expected to simply attend training programs but must now demonstrate their competence within a structured professional framework. This evolution reshapes the sports workforce, transforming it from a large pool of trainees into a network of licensed professionals subject to continuous upskilling and defined standards.

This transition also coincides with a parallel wave of change driven by AI and digital learning. The UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence positions AI as a tool for enhancing performance and building a digital infrastructure capable of delivering faster, more efficient solutions. In the sports sector, this points to a decisive break from traditional models of professional development. Digital assessments will measure competencies, eLearning platforms will become core operational tools, and intelligent analytics will become a key part of coach education. Moreover, AI's emergence makes it possible to shape personalised learning pathways, link training to actionable data, and steer development towards future-oriented skills such as performance analysis, talent planning and digital governance.

Essentially, the UAE's sports sector is at a pivotal juncture where long-standing training expertise, a clear national strategy, modern legislation, and AI-driven digital transformation converge. This convergence presents institutions with a strategic task - to convert training activities into meaningful impact, transform training certificates into professional licences, and channel individual expertise into an intelligent ecosystem that supports both sporting excellence and societal well‑being.

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By Dr. Ahmed Salah Al Ameri
Director of Training and Development at UAE Sports Science and Sports Medicine Centre