Abu dhabi: The UAE Committee for Talent and National Sports Support (UAETSS) organised the inaugural edition of the comprehensive talent assessment tests for athletes who registered on the Talent Committee Platform. The assessments were held over the course of three days at the Academy for Sports and Leisure Club, under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports.
According to Emirates News Agency, this initiative highlights the success of the Talent Committee Platform, which attracted applications from 800 athletes, among whom 126 promising candidates were shortlisted as test participants. Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Assistant Under-Secretary for Sports Development and Competitiveness Sector at the Ministry of Sports and Chairman of UAETSS, highlighted the role of the assessments in establishing an integrated national framework for talent identification and development.
He further emphasised that the ‘Talent Committee Platform’ serves as a key facilitator in this regard, as it connects athletic talents to relevant sports entities, nurturing a new generation of athletes capable of representing the UAE at both regional and international platforms. Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum further stated that such talent development initiatives not only nurture a fair competitive environment but also help refine the skills of athletes, preparing them for success.
He highlighted that the Committee adopts a holistic approach, starting from early talent identification to development programs that incorporate training camps, technical and administrative support, while coordinating with federations, clubs, and educational institutions. The Committee leverages scientific and transparent assessment mechanisms based on best international standards to guide every athlete on the right path, based on their unique capabilities.
These tests covered various physical, psychological, and cognitive evaluations, such as sprint speed, jump strength, and response time, as well as growth measurement and physical maturity, further supporting the athletes’ professional development journey. Its primary aim was to accurately identify each athlete’s potential and verify their key abilities while maintaining fairness and transparency in evaluation based on a unified criterion, to discover the most remarkable talents, who will then receive training through the Committee’s specialised individual development programmes.
The assessments were supervised by a distinguished group of global specialists in sports talent identification and national professionals, ensuring alignment with global best practices. The Committee invited athletes from 27 different sports disciplines, including aquathlon, archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, chess, motorsports (drifting and track racing), fencing, football, golf, gymnastics, jet-ski racing, jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, karting, mixed martial arts (MMA), open-water swimming, sailing, skiing, ice-skating, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, and triathlon, reflecting its comprehensive vision to strengthen the national sports ecosystem.