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H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, welcomed UAE national badminton player Riyan Malhan at an official reception on his return home as a Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games gold medallist. Riyan’s victory is the first gold medal in the UAE’s history at the Youth Olympic Games, a landmark that reflects the progress of Emirati sport and integrated national efforts to identify, nurture and prepare talent for competition at the highest levels.
The reception was attended by H.E. Noura Al Jasmi, President of the UAE Badminton Federation; H.E. Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council; and Safa Taryam, CEO of Elite Sport UAE, as well as Riyan’s family and representatives of the local media.
His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi congratulated Riyan, his family and coaches on this historic achievement, highlighting the collective efforts of the UAE National Olympic Committee, the UAE Badminton Federation, technical and coaching teams and supporting entities to nurture his talent and provide the resources needed to develop his abilities and reach the highest levels of competition.
His Excellency Dr
Al Falasi said: ” The UAE is rich in promising sporting talent and we are committed to investing in its growth and support, in line with the National Sports Strategy 2031. We have developed an integrated ecosystem that identifies talent from an early age – beginning with school and university sports – and provides clear development pathways through specialised training programmes. This approach enables promising athletes to move into elite and high-performance sport equipped with the skills and preparation they need to compete with their international peers and excel in sport at the highest levels.”
His Excellency added: “The achievements of our athletes in recent years, culminating in Riyan’s historic gold medal, reinforce the importance of continuing to invest in this ecosystem and build on what we have achieved. Our priority in the next phase is to expand the pool of athletes capable of competing for medals at continental and international competitions, moving beyond individual milestones towards establishing a consistent UAE presence on the podium. We will continue working closely with our partners across the sports sector to strengthen athlete development programmes and raise performance standards, ensuring our athletes are fully
prepared to achieve further success at upcoming Olympic Games and major international championships.”
An integrated system for identifying talent and developing champions
Under the National Sports Strategy 2031, the Ministry of Sports is developing an integrated competitive sports ecosystem that connects grassroots participation and talent identification with specialised athlete development programmes and elite and high-performance sport. This approach is supported by partnerships between the Ministry, sports federations, educational institutions, specialised committees and sporting organisations across the UAE.
The UAE School Games and UAE University Games are a cornerstone of this system, providing students across different educational stages with opportunities to compete while expanding the talent identification pool across various sports. More than 13,000 students are participating in the 2026-2027 editions of the School Games and University Games, creating opportunities to identify promising athletes and guide them towards appropriate development pathways.
These elements align with the efforts of the UAE Committee for Talent and Sports Support (UAETSS), alongside dedicated programmes designed to enhance the capabilities of promising athletes and monitor their progress.
At more advanced stages, the Elite Sport UAE Comittee plays a central role in preparing athletes for international competitions through specialised training programmes, technical support and physical conditioning. The Committee also works closely with sports federations to provide the resources and expertise needed to support athlete development and competitive excellence.
Riyan’s journey
Riyan Malhan’s journey is a model of this integrated approach. He has benefited from talent development initiatives – including the ‘Pathway for Sports Champion’ programme – as well as being supported by the Emirates Elite Sports Committee and High-Level Sports, the technical and coaching work of the UAE Badminton Federation and the Badminton Centre of Excellence and the continued encouragement of his family throughout his sporting career.
Riyan rose to the top of the world junior badminton rankings in the U19 category, won the Badminton Asia U17 Junior Championships title and took international titles in Hungary and Ghana in 2026 before crowning his run with gold at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
Building on achievements and setting new ambitions
Riyan’s historic achievement builds on a series of strong performances by UAE athletes on the international stage, including the country’s notable participation in the Bahrain 2025 Asian
Youth Games and its record-breaking results at the Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026, where the UAE had its best finish in its history at the Games; 13th among 45 nations with 13 medals, seven of them gold.
The Ministry of Sports, in collaboration with its partners, continues to implement initiatives under the National Sports Strategy 2031, placing the development of athletic talent and the advancement of elite and high-performance sport among its priorities, and aims to qualify more than 30 athletes for the Olympic Games by 2031.