Dubai: Dubai is bringing together experts from the sporting, health, security and academic sectors on September 17 for a forum aimed at protecting athletes and strengthening the culture of clean, fair and responsible sport.The Anti-Doping in Sport Forum, held under the theme “Protecting Sports… Protecting the Community”, is being organised by Dubai Police in partnership with the UAE National Anti-Doping Agency and Dubai Sports Council.The forum comes as Dubai’s sporting season gets under way, bringing a growing calendar of competitions and events and attracting increasing numbers of athletes and spectators.The initiative aims to ensure that athletes, particularly young people, understand the health, legal and ethical consequences of doping and have access to reliable information that can help them make informed decisions.Protecting athletes is a shared responsibilityThe forum was announced during a press conference at the Dubai Police Officers Club attended by Engineer Abdullah Ahmad Al Shehhi, Secretary General of theUAE National Anti-Doping Agency; Brigadier Dr Jassim Mohammad Hassan Abdullah, Deputy Director of the General Department of Training at Dubai Police; Lieutenant Colonel Salem bin Ghalaita Al Muhairi, Member of the Sports Integration Council at Dubai Police; and Ali Omar Al Balooshi, Director of the Sports Development Department at Dubai Sports Council.Al Shehhi said tackling doping requires cooperation across the sporting community and beyond, from athletes, clubs and sports federations to health, education and security authorities and relevant national and international organisations.He explained that doping remains one of the major challenges facing modern sport because of its health, legal and ethical consequences, as well as its impact on fairness and equal opportunity in competition.The forum will bring together experts, specialists, officials and researchers from the UAE and overseas, alongside representatives of sporting, health, security and academic institutions.Discussions will address recent developments in anti-doping, prevention and awareness, athlete protection, emerging substances and doping methods, institutional responsibilities and international cooperation.Protecting young athletesBrigadier Dr Jassim Mohammad Hassan said the partners share a common objective of creating a sporting environment that is safe, fair and free from doping while protecting athletes and the wider community.He stressed that particular attention must be given to young people and emerging athletes, whose protection requires cooperation between police and sporting organisations, specialised authorities, families and the community.He also highlighted the media’s role in ensuring accurate information reaches athletes, young people and their families and in promoting prevention and responsible decision making.Prevention starts before the riskLieutenant Colonel Salem bin Ghalaita Al Muhairi said Dubai Police approaches doping awareness as part of its preventive and community responsibility.Protecting society, he explained, is not limited to responding to risks after they occur. It begins by anticipating them through awareness and knowledge and helping young people and athletes make informed choices that protect their health, safety and future.Dubai Police carries out awareness initiatives throughout the year, including workshops, lectures and field visits to schools, sports clubs and gyms in cooperation with partners and specialists.These efforts also include the Aware Athlete initiative, which promotes community values, positive behaviour and physical and mental wellbeing among young people and emerging athletes in Dubai.The programmes primarily target young people, athletes and male and female players at clubs and sports centres across the emirate.Clean sport starts with knowledgeAli Omar Al Balooshi said awareness of doping risks is fundamental to developing the sports sector, protecting athletes and safeguarding the integrity of competition.Dubai Sports Council, he said, is committed to strengthening the concept of fair play and developing generations of athletes who understand their responsibilities both on and off the field.This requires athletes as well as medical, technical and administrative teams to remain informed about anti-doping regulations and updates and understand how to prevent potential risks.The Council also delivers awareness programmes for clubs, sports teams and different age groups to ensure reliable information reaches both athletes and professionals working across the sporting sector.Supplements under the spotlightThe forum will focus on three main areas: the harmful effects of doping and its impact on the sporting sector, dietary supplements and how to use them safely, and real stories and experiences demonstrating the consequences of doping misuse.A specialised dietary supplements awareness exhibition will also run alongside the forum.The exhibition will provide a practical complement to the discussions, helping participants better understand supplements and the importance of using them responsibly.Athletes will also be encouraged to consult qualified professionals rather than relying on unverified information or recommendations when choosing dietary supplements.Through the forum, the three partner organisations aim to strengthen prevention, protect athlete health and reinforce a sporting culture in which genuine achievement is built on talent, preparation, fair competition and informed choices
