DUBAI – Dubai Sports Council announced today that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) will be the first organization to set up a regional office within its new headquarters at Dubai Design District (d3), a move that reflects the growing interest of all Summer Olympic International Federations to have permanent regional offices in Dubai.
Dubai Sports Council and FIH representatives confirmed the agreement at the SportAccord Convention 2016 in Lausanne, Switzerland, signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU).
Commenting on the announcement, His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, said: "For Dubai, hospitality is central to everything we do and that makes us the perfect host for any International Federation or governing body looking to set up regional offices and stage annual conferences and meetings. As such, we are delighted to welcome FIH into Dubai’s wider sporting family and look forward to hosting their representatives in our new headquarters as we work together to promote sport both in the region and across the globe.”
Winner of the 2015 Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award’s ‘International Creative Organisation Award’, the FIH joins a list of leading global sporting entities such as cricket’s International Cricket Council, golf’s European Tour and Spanish football’s La Liga that already benefit from having a presence in Dubai.
Leandro Negre, President of the International Hockey Federation, said: “Dubai’s world-class sporting facilities, events infrastructure and global connectivity all contribute to the city’s growing reputation as a home for international sport. For the FIH, deciding to place representatives in Dubai, sitting at the crossroads of the world and at the centre of hockey’s key markets, makes perfect sense and we are grateful to Dubai Sports Council for its kind offer and continued support of the federation.”
Dubai Sports Council will officially switch operations to its new premises in May and will provide world hockey’s governing body, and any other interested Summer Olympic International Federations, office space for up to two representatives for two years.
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About Dubai Sports Council:
Dubai Sports Council was founded on November 30, 2005 with the aim of developing and improving sport in Dubai. It aims to create a comprehensive sports environment that meets the requirements of society and paves the way for the youth to cultivate their sporting and cultural talents and aptitudes in a way that leads them to achieve tangible results, so that Dubai can become a leading name in the world of sports.
Website: www.dubaisportscouncil.ae
About Dubai Design District (d3):
Design District, better known as d3, is a home for the region's growing community of creative thinkers. It plays a key element in Dubai's vision to transform into an innovation-led economy, and it aims to engage, inspire and enable emerging talent, as well as providing a platform to showcase Arab creativity to a larger, global audience. By 2017, d3 will feature a one million square foot Creative Community, which will act as the site's cultural epicentre, inspiring emerging designers and artists, and attracting tourists to the area. By 2018, d3 will also boast a bustling, 1.8km esplanade running alongside the Dubai Creek, which is where international and design led hotels, a pop-up shop area, and an amphitheater will all be located.
Website: www.dubaidesigndistrict.com
About Deloitte’s Economic Impact of Sport in Dubai report:
The Economic impact of Sport in Dubai report prepared by Deloitte’s Sports Business Group details how sport, which has been part of the fabric of Dubai for more than 40 years, leads to $670m of economic impact with an economic footprint of more than $1.7 billion a year. The Arabic version of the report was also launched at the SportAccord Convention 2016 and both English and Arabic reports are available to download online here.