KT edit: UAE has set the gold standard in hosting events

The world has been ravaged by a pandemic for the whole of last year and that has spilled onto this year too.

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Published: Sun 28 Mar 2021, 9:57 PM

Saturday saw another edition of the prestigious Dubai World Cup at the Meydan Racecourse. And as the marquee event celebrated a landmark 25th anniversary, it is important to underline the successful organisation of another top-class event by Dubai and the UAE.

The world has been ravaged by a pandemic for the whole of last year and that has spilled onto this year too. And while a slew of sporting events across the world got either cancelled or postponed, Dubai and the UAE showed the world how to conduct world-class events. The word ‘biobubble’ became a part of the sporting world’s lexicon and the UAE took that to a different level. The country not just put together a safe and secure environment for such events, but also set the gold standard, which other countries can now look up to. The UAE ticked all the boxes when it came to these events and it wouldn’t have been possible if not for the unflinching support from the UAE’s visionary leaders and leadership.


Everyone rallied together to make these events as successful as it can be, without compromising on the health and safety of participants and everyone involved. It all started with the successful running of the UFC, the popular (MMA) Mixed Martial Arts event in Abu Dhabi, the country’s capital, last year. As Dana White, the president of the UFC looked for a venue beyond the United States, Abu Dhabi not just opened its doors but also rolled the red carpet. The UFC was able to successfully hold multiple events and Abu Dhabi also went as far as to create an exclusive bubble on Yas Island. All involved in the events, be it the fighters, the UFC management, officials, hotel staff, and a limited number of media personnel, were Covid tested and remained in quarantine and in the bio-bubble, for the entire duration. And it would be fair to say that the successful running of the UFC showed the way for other events in the country.

Neighbours India looked no farther than the Arabian Sea for the Indian Premier League (IPL), the most popular franchise cricket league. It was a huge logistical exercise with a lot more people involved with this being a team event, but the UAE made it possible, again showing the world how it’s done. Formula One too knocked on these shores for its season finale last December, the Abu Dhabi T10 League, and so too some of the top European Tour golf events like the Dubai Desert Classic, the inaugural Golf in Dubai Championship and the DP World Tour Championship. And now the rousing success of the Dubai World Cup is the cherry on the cake.



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