Proposal to hold sports federation elections in January 2025

Sources close to the General Sports Authority revealed that there is a proposal to hold elections for sports federations in January of next year, after completing the special arrangements regarding the amendments that require legislation regarding the “Ministry of Sports”, to replace the “General Sports Authority”, which is the highest governmental authority responsible for sponsoring the sports sector in the country.

The sources confirmed to “Emarat Al Youm” that the General Authority for Sports is about to hold a press conference in the coming days to reveal the “road map” regarding the elections of sports federations for the new session 2024-2028, which were scheduled to be held during the months of October and November.

The General Sports Authority’s regulations stipulate that elections for sports federations must be held within three months of the end of the Olympic Games, which are held every four years.

Al-Kamali: The International Olympic Committee does not interfere

Commenting on the upcoming elections, Counselor Ahmed Al Kamali, who previously served as President of the Athletics Federation and was a member of the Executive Office of the International Association of Athletics Federations, told Al-Emarat Al-Youm: “There are some required legislations that necessitated postponing the elections in order to wait for the formation of the new Ministry of Sports, due to the repercussions that may result from that. Therefore, it will be in the public interest for the elections to be held after the completion of the legal procedures to transform the authority into a ministry, so that the new federations can hold their elections legally, complete their electoral cycle, and prepare scientific plans regarding international championships and the upcoming Olympics in Los Angeles, and the participation of national teams in them.”

Regarding the legal implications of postponing the elections and the intervention of the International Olympic Committee, Al Kamali said: “The International Olympic Committee does not interfere in the elections of national federations whose participation in the Olympics is included unless any candidate submits an official complaint in this regard.”