His Excellency Issa Hilal Al Hazami, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council, affirmed the Council's commitment to engaging with various entities, including major media organizations, in line with its strategy and objectives. This commitment aims to reinforce the Emirate's positive reputation at all levels and highlight the role of the Emirate's clubs in promoting sports. His Excellency made these remarks during a visit to the headquarters of the renowned Spanish newspaper Marca, accompanied by Mr. Mohammed Ali bin Hammad, Director of Government Communication. During the visit, His Excellency toured the newspaper, one of the world's leading sports publications, and received a comprehensive briefing on its operations, global readership, and its media presence in Spain and internationally, both through its print edition and its radio station. During his visit to Radio Marca, His Excellency also spoke about the visit itself, noting that Marca is a major media outlet in Spain with global influence. He emphasized the Council's commitment to international engagement and highlighted the close ties between His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and Spain. He also mentioned His Highness's unwavering support for sports in the Emirate, which has led to its current high standards and a distinguished international reputation. He further discussed the attention and resources provided to Sharjah's clubs. The conversation also touched upon the Council's role in promoting a culture of sports in the Emirate and the plans it employs to further develop and elevate sports. He added that the meeting also explored avenues for media cooperation, recognizing the media's integral role in achieving success and ensuring that competitions and championships reach their desired goals. This is particularly relevant for major media organizations, as Marca represents a prominent media platform followed by athletes worldwide and enjoys a well-known name. This motivates the Council to seek media collaboration with this distinguished international publication. His Excellency Issa Hilal continued, saying: “We presented the Council’s vision regarding the presence of four players from the Emirate’s clubs in a professional trial with Rayo Vallecano, and the positive impact this would have on the Emirate’s global reputation and media presence in Spain. This further reflects the Council’s role in such initiatives and opening doors for Emirati players in a footballing nation like Spain. There was a previous collaboration with Leganés, but the opportunity was not fulfilled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The experience of the four Emirati players with Rayo Vallecano represents a significant step forward for the Emirate, both in terms of footballing exposure and media coverage, both in the Spanish media and among the general public.” He concluded: “Such visits open new horizons for international cooperation with federations, institutions, and media outlets. The Council welcomes any initiative that will have a positive media impact. The Emirate of Sharjah is known for its excellence in sports development and hosting major tournaments that have garnered widespread praise and excellent media coverage at all levels.”
