An exciting sport and hotspot which appeals to a major community in U.A.E is the ‘U.A.E Professionals Club,’ and has been responsible for revolutionising the way off-road biking & entertainment activities are organised in the country. Rabi’ah M. speaks to Fahad Khalaf, the leading man behind the club’s success and how its actively campaigning for changing the negative perception of extreme sports and how safety is paramount to the club.
Tell us about your role at the U.A.E Pro Club?
The UAE Professionals Club is leading Sport Club in the UAE and Middle East. The club is specialized in off-road bikes activities. As the desert environment is one of the main tourists sight-seeing of the UAE, the club has given opportunities to its members to explore the beauty of this environment.
Tell us how the U.A.E Pro Club came about as a concept and when?
The concept of the club activities have been established based on demands of the society. The club helps people to be a part of the various desert adventures. As off-road is one of the international certified sports world-wide; the club helps the society to identify the international and certified standards of this sport. Apart from that, we would also like to educate the society and off-road bikers of the safety standards that will help them practicing this sport in relation to safety and professional manners. In addition we also provide training sessions to people that are interested to learn about off-road biking and driving. The club is also working with the government hand in hand to reduce any abuse and misuse of such these activities and injury ratios.
When did things finally start to materialise for the club and when was it finally launched?
As the concept of the club is unique in this region, the club had passed the foundation stages which made it ready for the expansion process. The club had started way before many years back by a group of professional off-road bikers aiming to participate in educating others and have better off-road biking activities in the UAE. In January 2011, the club got its official certified entities in the UAE. The club is approved and certified by General Authority of Youth & Sport Welfare, Emirates Motor Sport Federation, Department of Economic Development and Member in His High Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Al-Maktoum Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises (Dubai SME).
How did you make your selection for the kind of motoring activities you wanted to include?
The club is an entertainment and sport club. It has many activities under its umbrella which makes it a preferred and selected club for everyone. Due to the demand and interests of the UAE society, the club focuses more towards off-road activities as it is one of the primary loved activities in the region and during the winter seasons. However, the club arranges many activities such as swimming, scuba diving courses and others trips across the UAE.
What challenges were you faced with?
We were faced with financial challenges, where such these activities and sport are undoubtedly very costly. Such these activities contain high level of professionalism, expertise and arrangements. Currently, the club is supporting it’s self by events participation and small sponsors fees which assisting the club to run. However, it is not enough to expand its activities and strategies to the next level.
What safety measures has the club taken to ensure nobody get hurts and in case of accidents or emergencies?
In any event, there are couple of arrangements which are within the checklist of the event arrangements. One of these points is to ensure back plans for any un-expected situations might face the participants during any events. Secondly, having a First Aiders within the event provided by government entities or certified First Aiders. Thirdly, coordinating with government entities regards any injuries fallings. Finally, ensuring the safety processes are met in all line of the events.
Tell us about the rallies or events you organise to gather members?
Currently, we gather members via social marketing / networking which helped positively in building and attracting new members to the club. Apart from that, we gather members by advertising in the social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, blogs and forums.
How much community support have you received?
So far, it is positive sign from the community and its support towards the club’s strategy. Acceptance of the UAE society towards this idea and its participation reflects their support and contributions for the benefit of the UAE society and sport.
Published in September 2012
