Sport,
leisure, and society
LSS
3003
Topic
MOHAMED BEN SULAYEM
Name
Mohammed
masoud alshamsi
ID
H00254812
Brief Overview
Mohamed
ben Sulayem was born on 12th November 1961 in Dubai and has grown to become one
of the world’s leading sports figure and an internationally known rally driver.
Mohamed has been in the rallying career for over 30 years. Over the years, Mohamed
became the most influential Arab driver in the rallying sport history. Having
won 14 Middle East Championship titles, he was declared as the sporting
ambassador for the Middle East region. In 2008, Mohamed became the first Arab
to be announced as the vice president of the FIA. In the same year, he was voted
into the FIA world Motor Sport council. In his position as vice president and
as a member of the FIA World Sport Council, he has initiated teaching programs,
research and awareness transfer initiatives in motor sport. Mohamed has been
the president of the Automobile and Touring club in the UAE since 2006. Mohamed
has developed the organization into one of the world’s leading national
rallying and motoring authorities since he has vast knowledge in associated
training. Mohamed was selected as the chairperson of the new Motor Sport
Development Task Force, which was founded by the FIA to work on a ten year plan
on to develop motor sport globally (Motorsport .com, 2001).
Education
Little
is said about his primary and secondary education. However, he went for his
undergraduate education at the American University in Washington D.C. and later
proceeded to the University of Ulster where he maximized in business. In July
2012, Mohamed bin Sulayem was honored with an honorary degree with a doctor of
science from the University of Ulster, which was a sign of appreciation for his
efforts in sports, civic leadership and charity (Motorsport .com, 2001).
Rallying career
Mohamed
began his rally career in Dubai in 1980s where he rose progressively from local
events into the FIA Middle East Championship, which was initiated in 1984.
Mohamed won his first FIA Middle East Championship after rallying for two
years. Since then Mohamed dominated the Middle East Championships until his
retirement in 2002 after securing the title in all the 13 seasons he contested.
Mohamed has won 61 international title
in the Middle East. He has won many FIA rallies and many FIA championships than
any other driver in the world (Motorsport .com, 2001). The frequent overseas
rally races widened his worldwide reputation where some of the races he did in
the FIA World Rally Championships were with Toyota works team. His flag flew
high in 1991 when he won the Turkey’s Bosphorus Rally, as he was the first Arab
driver to win an international rally outside Middle East. In the years that
followed 1991, Mohamed challenged other drivers in the Group N World rally
championships recording great victories in Spain and Argentina (Motorsport
.com, 2001).
Abu Dhabi Desert
Challenge
One
of Sulayem’s greatest achievements was in 1991 when he started the Abu Dhabi
desert challenge. He worked hard and developed the rally race into one of the
most amazing and challenging international cross-country rallies for cars and
trucks. It also involved bikes and quads. In 1993, Mohamed managed to take the
race into the FIA World Cup for cross-country rallies where the rally remains
to be one of the leading series as it draws many of the world’s top drivers.
The event was renamed to Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in March 2009 which boosted
the attendance of the event as the competitors experience an exciting adventure
over the amazing terrain of the of the Western Region of Al Garbia (Abu Dhabi
Desert Challenge, 2014). On arrival at the Liwa desert, the route passes
through some tough landscapes testing the competency of the drivers and riders.
The credibility of the machines and bikes is also tested on the terrain thus making
the drivers identify which machines are powerful and which ones are not (Abu
Dhabi Desert Challenge, 2014).
Automobile and Touring
Club of the UAE
Since
he took control of the club as the president of the club in 2006, Mohamed has
transformed the organization into one of the most ideal national motor sport
authorities in the world. Mohamed manages over 140 events annually. Under his
leadership, he has built the reputation of the firm internationally making it
to be recognized as one of the leading organizations in impacting knowledge and
training delivery (Lesile , 2013). In the club, Mohamed is responsible for
guiding and supervising various racing sports, which include rallying, motor
cross circuit racing among other which form the UAE motor sport calendar. It is
Mohamed’s responsibility to ensure that all the events go as planned and
ensuring that no violation of the set regulations by the FIA and FIM. He also ensures
that the competitors, spectators and the public are safe (Lesile , 2013).
Sulayem
oversaw the elevation of the club to the FIA institute Approved Regional
Training Provider making it one of the four national motoring authorizes in the
world recognized to offer sport-training teachings. The upgrading took place at
the end of the year 2001. After the club’s elevation, Mohamed initiated the
club’s own training and education division known as the Motorsports Knowledge
Institute. The Institute offers FIA training to its subsidiaries all over the
world. The President of the club signed an MOU with the ACTUA’s counterparts in
Moscow in 2014 to offer training and prepare motor sport administrators for the
inaugural F1 Grand prix of Russia (Lesile , 2013).
Volunteerism
Mohamed
pioneered volunteerism in the UAE, as marshals were needed to set up the
Formula one racing in Abu Dhabi. He instituted a five-year program to establish
a UAE-based group volunteers to offer help in the Grand Prix and the motor
sport in general in the United Arab Emirates. During the 2009 Grand Prix,
Mohamed authorized a research to be done to identify that, which makes
volunteers offer their services, time and expertise in the motor sport
industry. After the research, Sulayem begun a major enrollment and training
program and also initiated the UAE Motorsport Marshals Club control and promote the development of a national framework of
motorsport officials. Two years before the set time, Mohamed achieved his aim,
which was to have a local team of volunteers who had the capability of handling
full sporting responsibilities for the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and other motors
sports in general (Motorsport .com, 2001).
Empowerment
Mohamed
has foreseen the implementation of a number of schemes to boost the member’s dedication
in the club and encourage involvement in all areas of motor sport by the
Emiratis. In his attempts to create more roles for the Emiratis, Mohamed signed
a memorandum of understanding with the Takatof voluntary social program, which
was formulated by the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development. The sole
purpose of the MOU was to generate a way of life of volunteering across the
United Arab Emirates. It was demonstrated in the 2012’s F1 Etihad Airways Abu
Dhabi Grand prix where approximately 14% of the marshals were from the UAE. Sulayem
has made efforts to empower the young racing drivers by founding a Motor Star
program in 2011 (Motorsport .com, 2001).
Research
Mohamed utilized a research based approach in
2010 to extend an FIA Strategy for the growth of motorsport in the Middle East.
In 2012, he pioneered a scientific study program into hydration, health and
safety matters of the volunteers and the officials working in the hot
envirinment. His research had a positive outcome as it challenged the national
sporting authorities to devise ways minimizing the health risk and ensure
safety. The Automobile and Touring Club did the research that was established
on scientific findings in collaboration with the academic practitioners from
the University of Ulster. Sulayem presented the report before the senior administrators
attending the meeting of Middle East and North Africa national motor sports
authorities, which was held in Doha on February 2013. The report drew strong
approval that the region’s national motor authorities and the chief medical
officers help the group fight the risks of dehydration and through quality
advice and training. Mohamed commissioned and presented a second report before
the assembly, which said that the Mena region was an ideal area for developing
motor sports on a global scale (Automobile and Touring Club of the United Arab
Emirates, 2014).
Road safety
Mohamed has been a key figure in safe driving
schemes in the Middle East over the years. He initiated an association in the
year 1985 to sensitize people on the importance of safety belts in cars. The
campaign was carried out in around Middle East. He collaborated with the
government to publicize road safety techniques. Mohamed was honored with the
Safety/Environment Campaigner of the Year award from the institute of Motor
industry. Mohamed conducts his road safety campaign in schools and universities
yearly. To show his commitment, he is a major supporter of the FIA Make Road
Safe initiative (Automobile and Touring Club of the United Arab Emirates, 2014).
Support for charities
Mohamed
is actively involved in social functions especially in fundraisings to help the
needy in the society. He lends his name to collects funds and supports brands
where the outcome is forwarded to selected foundations and institutes. Mohamed
has used his celebrity status to gather funds to support children. In 2001 through
MBC TV’s Who wants to a millionaire campaign, he managed to gather over AED250,
000 for charities in Lebanon and the UAE (Automobile and Touring Club of the
United Arab Emirates, 2014). Mohamed is a mentor and an icon for many people in
the world. He is celebrated for his charity work and for the efforts; he has
put to see others prosper especially the needy children.
References
Automobile
and Touring Club of the United Arab Emirates, (2014). Presidents Message. Retrieved
on 10thn December, 2014 from http://www.atcuae.ae/presidents-message.aspx
Automobile and Touring
Club of the United Arab Emirates, (2014).
About Road safety. Retrieved on 10th
December from http://www.atcuae.ae/about-road-safety.aspx
Automobile and Touring
Club of the United Arab Emirates, (2014). Why
Volunteer . Retrieved on 10th
December 10, 2014 from http://www.atcuae.ae/volunteer.aspx
Abu Dhabi Desert
Challenge, (2014). About us.
Retrieved on 10th December, 2014 from http://www.abudhabidesertchallenge.com/about-us.aspx
Lesile W, (2013). Mohammad Bin Sulayem holding fire on FIA
Presidency bid: gulf news.com. Retrieved
on 10th December 2014 from http://gulfnews.com/sport/horse- racing/mohammad-bin-sulayem-holding-fire-on-fia-presidency-bid-1.1236054
Motorsport .com,
(2001). MERC: Mohammed Ben Sulayem
interview. Retrieved on 10th December,
2014 from http://www.motorsport.com/rally/news/merc-mohammed-ben- sulayem-interview/
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