The Water Sports Federation is holding today its general assembly election to choose a new board of directors for the 2024–2028 term, according to the new electoral list and statutes, with the participation of member clubs' representatives. These elections are a pivotal moment after about three and a half years of federation management by an interim committee since July 2022, before a date was set for electing a board to lead the next phase. The elections committee approved the final list of candidates. Abdulla Mohammed Salem Al Wahabi is running unopposed for the position of board chairman, while four candidates are competing for three board seats: Abdulla Mubarak Al Zahmi, Mohammed Abdullah Abu Shehab Al Suwaidi, Abdulla Wahid Mahmoud Ismail, and Saeed Hamad Al Ketbi. Additionally, Sheikha Mohammed Al Zaabi is competing for the female member seat, the seat reserved for a woman on the board. Under the new statutes, only five members will be elected today out of a total of seven, including the president. The elected president will later be able to appoint two additional members to complete the board for the 2024–2028 term. Registration of club representatives will begin at 4:30 PM, followed by the voting process at 5:30 PM at the Dubai Olympic Committee headquarters. The elections come at a time when the water sports sector is witnessing an expansion in local and international tournaments, and a growth in the number of practitioners and technical programs, making the upcoming period of great importance for the new federation, which is expected to lead a wide development phase under the umbrella of the new regulations that govern the work and governance in sports federations.
