Dubai: More than 50 coaches from around the Middle East and Africa benefited from a fresh perspective on swimming and water sport safety during a four-day training camp organised by the Starfish Aquatics Institute (SAI) and hosted by the American University in the Emirates (AUE).
Swimming instructors from Algeria, Sudan, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen and the UAE attended the event where Lake White, SAI’s Quality Assurance and Improvement Director, emphasised the importance of basic first aid in swimming, beachfronts and watermarks.
Presented in collaboration with the UAE Swimming Association, the Dubai Sports Council, SAI and the American Safety and Health Institute (ASHI) have globally developed stronger standards and shared their valuable experience at the full training sessions.
“This is a programme that we are very excited to bring to Dubai and the UAE,” he said. “We feel it will help elevate the water sport from the grass-root level to the national team levels and get the coaches and swimmers ready for competition at the international level.
“Primarily, we are very passionate about water safety and we are very proud that we have been asked to come in Dubai to help educate swimmers and coaches and also raise the safety of everybody in the community.
“Swimming is a lifelong sport, something people enjoy from a very young age all the way through adulthood. So it’s important to develop proper stroke techniques at all levels,” added White.
“We have worked with a lot of Olympic swimmers both in the US and in the international community we have had participatnsts who have helped create this programme. We’ve worked with Olympians from African countries, Canada, Caribbean countries, Asia, and are definitely looking to spreading proper swimming understanding and safety throughout the world.”
With the UAE scheduled to host the 2020 FINA Short Course World Swimming Championships the AUE is working hard to make a mark with its contribution.
Professor Muthanna Abdul Razzaq, President and CEO of AUE, explained: “AUE always strives to create community engagement through different events, training programmes and workshops.”
Also in attendance at the workshop were Ghazi Al Madani, Director of Sports Tourism at the Dubai Sports Council, Ramzi Battaie, Technical Specialist of the UAE National Olympic Committee, Abeed Al Kaabi, Vice President of the Arab Committee for Diving and Safeguard, Khuwaiter Aldhahiri, former UAE national swimmer, and Shihab Aloudhi, Managing Director of the Emerging Center in Sharjah.
Participants of the training programme are also being trained in aquatic risk management systems, water safety initiatives and litigation support. They will also receive an international license and certification approved by the UAE Swimming Federation.
Professor Ali Samaka, who teaches the Sports Law programme at AUE, said, “Water sports are a big part of the UAE and that is why an international training programmes are vital for keeping standards high and current.”
MA in Sports Law is a unique degree in the GCC and Middle East and North Africa.
