Athletes

Executive Board and Liaison Officers in Dubai to Discuss the FAI World Air Games

FAI officials gathered in Dubai this week to get to know the members of the Organising Committee, the host city and the competition venues of the FAI World Air Games Dubai 2015. A series of meetings were held where the Executive Board and the FAI World Air Games Experts from the Sports Commissions discussed the key issues pertinent to FAI’s flagship event.

The Executive Board had a two-day session and also met with the Organising Committee including Their Excellencies Nasser Al Neyadi and Yousif Hassan Al Hammadi.

 “Nothing can replace face-to-face meetings to get things move forward swiftly and efficiently. We now  have one year to make all the elements we discussed fall into place, in close cooperation with the Organising Committee.” FAI President Dr. John Grubbström said. “We all want the next edition of the Games to be the biggest ever air sports event, and the Executive Board is pleased to see how determined the Emirates Aerosports Federation is to make it happen.”

The Emiratis also took their guests to a visit of the Dubai International Parachuting Championship (DIPC), where competitions were in full swing, as well as of the venues where the FAI World Air Games are planned to take place.

“The impression that the visits had on the Members of the Executive Board and the World Air Games Liaisons is very positive,” Dr. John Grubbström commented. “The DIPC is a great competition and shows the ability of the Emirates Aerosports Federation to successfully handle large-scale events with all it implies in terms of logistics, safety, media coverage, etc. We at the FAI are proud to have Dubai as host for our most important event, under the patronage of the Crown Prince of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.”  

The FAI World Air Games Experts from the FAI Air Sports Commissions also met their Dubai counterparts. Constructive talks centred on the schedule, the athletes selection process and the participating sports which will be Aerobatics, Aeromodelling, Amateur-Built and Experimental Aircraft, Ballooning, General Aviation, Gliding, Hang Gliding, Microlights, Parachuting, Paragliding, Paramotors and Rotorcraft.

More information regarding the disciplines chosen to be on the programme of the Games will be disclosed soon.

About the FAI World Air Games

The World Air Games, conducted under the rules of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), is the premier international multi-discipline air sports event fielding the world’s top Air Sports athletes.

The FAI World Air Games 2015 has been awarded to the United Arab Emirates and will be held in Dubai. This multi-discipline event will be organised by the Emirates Aerosports Federation under the patronage of the Crown Prince of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and will take place from 1 to 12 December 2015.

A Memorandum of Agreement was signed on 4 June 2014 by Dr. John Grubbström, FAI President, and His Excellency Nasser Al Neyadi, President of the Emirates Aerosports Federation.

The FAI’s primary goals for this event are to determine “FAI World Air Games Champions”; to showcase air sports to the general public and promote public participation in air sports by attracting new participants to air sports disciplines; to promote FAI events to other sports organisations and create an attractive platform for TV, media and other external stakeholders.

The past editions of the Games took place in Turkey (1997), Spain (2001) and Italy (2009).

• FAI World Air Games dedicated pages on the FAI website

About the EAF

The Emirates Aerosports Federation (EAF) is an Active Member of the FAI. It was established in 2012 as a non-profit organisation to coordinate and give direction to the fast development of air sports in the United Arab Emirates.

EAF activities include the establishment of rules for the control, certification, and regulations for the air sport events which are organised by members within the Emirates. EAF also promotes safety in sport.

The Dubai International Parachuting Championship has taken place each year since 2010. In 2012, Dubai hosted the FAI World Parachuting Championships (Mondial 2012) with 1,440 participants from 57 countries participating in 13 different disciplines, thus making it the biggest ever Parachuting event. Many other air sports events took place in UAE in the last few years, including the Al Ain Aerobatic Show and the Red Bull Air Race Abu Dhabi.

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(photo credit: Laurent-Stéphane Montfort)