Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, received two delegations at Al Bahar Palace — one from Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club and one from Fujairah Martial Arts Club — in recognition of their achievements in tournaments organised by the UAE Wrestling Federation during the 2025–2026 sports season. Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club claimed the title of the third edition of the UAE Wrestling Federation Cup, while Fujairah Martial Arts Club won the title of the inaugural edition of the Club Wrestling League.
At the outset of the meeting, His Highness congratulated both clubs on their sporting achievements, praising the distinguished technical levels displayed by the players and the high competitive spirit, discipline, and commitment they demonstrated. He affirmed that the rapid development witnessed in tournaments organised by the UAE Wrestling Federation embodies the success of national efforts aimed at consolidating the sport's standing and expanding its base of practitioners, contributing to building a more sustainable and competitive sports ecosystem across the country.
His Highness underscored the importance of local tournaments in discovering and honing promising national talents, and in preparing generations capable of representing the United Arab Emirates at regional and international events. He stressed the need to continue spreading sports culture among all segments of society, entrenching values of discipline, teamwork, and excellence, and promoting sport as a way of life and a pivotal element in human development and community building.
For their part, representatives of Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club and Fujairah Martial Arts Club expressed their gratitude and appreciation to Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the warm reception, affirming that His Highness's support for sport and athletes serves as an incentive to continue achieving and to exert further efforts to elevate wrestling to more advanced levels both domestically and internationally.
On this occasion, His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the UAE Wrestling Federation, affirmed that Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's reception of the wrestling champions reflects the great attention that the wise leadership accords to developing the sports sector, empowering national talent, and motivating clubs and players to continue their journey of achievement and excellence.
He noted that the achievements of Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club and Fujairah Martial Arts Club reflect the growing development of wrestling in the United Arab Emirates and the continued success of the UAE Wrestling Federation's programmes in building an integrated competitive ecosystem, in partnership with clubs and sports institutions, to help prepare champions capable of competing and raising the country's flag at various regional and international events.
He added that the UAE Wrestling Federation continues to implement its strategy aimed at expanding the base of wrestling practitioners, raising technical standards, attracting national talent, and promoting the sport across the emirates of the country, in line with the wise leadership's vision of building a sustainable sports ecosystem that contributes to enhancing quality of life, entrenching a culture of excellence, and producing generations of champions capable of achieving further accomplishments.
The meeting was attended by Ahmed Saeed Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sharjah Self-Defence Sports Club; Amal Al Kindi, Deputy Director of Fujairah Martial Arts Club; Mouza Al Ali, member of the Board of Directors of the UAE Wrestling Federation; and a number of representatives from both clubs.
It is worth noting that wrestling in the United Arab Emirates continues to record accelerating growth rates across sports clubs and educational institutions, driven by the continuous support of the wise leadership and the UAE Wrestling Federation's efforts to develop the sport, organise high-quality tournaments, strengthen partnerships with clubs, and attract and nurture young national talents — cementing the country's position as a regional centre for the sport and supporting the journey of preparing champions capable of competing at continental and international events.