Dubai: A total of eleven sporting disciplines will figure at the inaugural GCC Junior Games to be staged in the UAE from September 15 to 21.

Representatives of various sports federations from the Gulf countries reviewed preparations for the event, the first of its kind, which is an initiative from Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President, UAE National Olympic Committee (UAE NOC).

The meeting of top officials from the region’s sports federations and associations discussed technical regulations for the Games at the UAE NOC headquarters under the chairmanship of Brigadier-General Abdul Malek Jani, who is also the GCC Junior Games Director.

The committee cleared the hosting of sports including shooting (pistol and rifle), equestrian, athletics, swimming, archery, fencing, judo, sailing, road cycling, basketball (3×3), and table tennis.

“The future of sport for the UAE and the Gulf depends on events such as these because we want our young athletes prepared for future challenges. In the next few years we have the Asian Games in Jakarta (2017), and the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina (2018), and this inaugural edition of the GCC Junior Games will assist a long way in giving our athletes a competitive edge,” Jani told Gulf News.

Over the past three years, the UAE has stepped up the recruitment of talent at grass roots level.

And among the cornerstones of this talent search is the annual UAE School Olympic Games and its affiliated Olympic development programme for young athletes.

Both programmes were initiated by the UAE NOC.

“We have managed to find several promising athletes through the UAE School Olympic Games. These youngsters need a growth path in their sport and the GCC Junior Games will help in this competitive development of our athletes,” Jani said.

“The UAE today stands as a peaceful country that holds a lot of promise for the future. And one of the strongest pillars for our future is the younger generation. I am confident that this event will go a long way in bringing together people and cultures of the Gulf region,” Jani added.