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Dubai: Shaikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, assured that professionalism in UAE football is an important step to develop the standard of the game.
"Professionalism will contribute in changing the way and lifestyle of the Ras Al Khaimah clubs. It will also promote the standard and I am sure the Ras Al Khaimah clubs will play a significant role in developing sports and football in the UAE," said Shaikh Saud in the opening ceremony of the first Professionalism and Management in Sports conference, which was organised by Ras Al Khaimah club.
He added that the RAK clubs will get all the support.
"We will raise the financial support to the Ras Al Khaimah clubs with a 100 per cent increase so as to do the job properly," he said.
New mindset
Shaikh Mohammad Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, President of the RAK club, said that the UAE sport needs to establish new concepts which can match the new ideas of professionalism.
"The attendance of Shaikh Saud to the conference is an excellent sign of its importance and success," he said.
"Changing from amateurism to professionalism requires us to establish a new way of thinking, new concepts, new regulations, which can help us in implementing the correct professionalism to contribute in promoting the standard of soccer to compete powerfully in continental and international level."
Portuguese and Benfica club skipper Roy Costa attended the conference along with the Benfica club President.
Costa was keen to point out that players cannot maintain a high level of professionalism when having to do another job also.
"The professional player is owned by the club. He can not do any other job, only playing football. The professional player has to be an ideal for the youth players," said Costa.
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