Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Honors MBR Creative Sports Award winners

Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, along with Chairman of the National Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, honored the winners of 10th edition of the Award, in a grand ceremony held at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The list of winners includes Manchester City chairman and Khaldoon Al Mubarak (Local Sports Personality), Turki Al Sheikh of Saudi Arabia (Arab Sports Personality) and Egypt and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah (Outstanding Arab Athlete).

"Awards give athletes the motivation for more efforts and improvements," Salah said at his acceptance speech on behalf of the winners. “And an award that holds the name of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, is great and huge one, because its value comes from Sheikh Mohammed's great position as the pioneer innovator in all fields," the Liverpool star added. "Yesterday, I won the African Player of the Year award for the second time in a row, and today I am honored to be here to receive this prestigious award, and with a group of leading athletes and champions, including young people from different Arab countries, the award will be an incentive for them to achieve more achievements in the future," he remarked.

He thanked Sheikh Hamdan for launching the 'great award' that aims at developing sport in the UAE, the Arab world and the world. "And thank you for this appreciation and honor which means a lot to me as it comes from the UAE the country, that is close to our hearts," Salah said. "May God help you to achieve the goals of this award and support our athletes and youth," he concluded

The event was attended by Chairman of Dubai Media Incorporated and President of Tennis Emirates H.H. Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum; President of the UAE Padel Association Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum; Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police and Chairman of the General Authority for Sports Major General Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi, First Vice President of UAE Olympic Committee Humaid bin Mohammed Al Qatami, Vice Chairman of Dubai Sports Council Mattar Al Tayer, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police Major General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Secretary-General of The Executive Council of Dubai Abdullah Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary General of the General Authority for Sports Saeed Abdulghafar, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council Saeed Hareb, and a number of senior officials.

The winners of other categories are:

The best local athlete: Mohammed Ahmed Al Balushi, for winning the Motorcycling World Cup 2018

The local Administrator Award: Nasser Abdul Razzaq Al Marzouqi, President of the UAE Karate Federation, for being elected the First Vice President of the International Federation of Karate, his position as a member of the Executive Office and Honorary President of the Arab Karate Federation. He further contributed to the spread of Karate in UAE and the Arab world as well as the introduction of Karate for the first time in Tokyo Olympics 2020. Osama Ahmed Al Shaafar, for being elected President of the UAE and Asian Cycling Federation for the period 2017-2021, membership of the Executive Office of the International Cycling Federation, and his efforts to spread the cycling sport.

The local team Award
The UAE refereeing team in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which composed of the international referee Mohamed Abdullah Hassan and two international referees Mohammed Yousuf Al Hammadi and Hassan Mohammed Al Mahri, to participate as a refereeing team for the first time in the UAE's history in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The same refereeing team was used in the AFC Champions League Final.

The local Organization Award:
Dubai Police, for its pioneering initiative in the field of youth