UAE Charts Path for Cross-Border Sports Delivery Framework at BRICS Summit
UAE proposes operational framework for technology and sports cooperation among BRICS nations
VISAKHAPATNAM, India. Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum arrived in Andhra Pradesh this week to represent the UAE at the 2026 BRICS Sports Ministers’ Meeting, tasked with translating shared ambitions into working operational frameworks for sports cooperation across member nations.
The meeting’s most durable output was the adoption of the Joint Statement of the BRICS Sports Ministers, which locked in collective commitment to the 2025 Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Physical Culture and Sport. The statement committed participating nations to strengthen knowledge exchange, capacity-building, and technical cooperation among sports authorities and relevant institutions across the bloc.
The most concrete mechanism to emerge from Visakhapatnam was an agreement in principle to establish a BRICS Sports Technology Working Group. The body would function as the operational channel for exchanging institutional best practices, expertise, technical information, and research insights among member states. It would also explore pilot initiatives in areas of shared interest, creating a structured pathway for joint project development.
Delivery, in other words, depends on whether that working group actually gets built.
The ministerial sessions examined how emerging technologies could be embedded throughout the sports ecosystem, covering athlete performance and sports science, management and governance, fan engagement, and infrastructure. A clear emphasis ran through the discussions: the responsible, ethical, and secure deployment of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, as these tools reshape competitive sports and organizational operations.
Sheikh Suhail bin Butti framed the UAE’s position in terms of its National Sports Strategy 2031, which anchors the country’s vision in building a competitive and sustainable ecosystem that nurtures talent, empowers athletes, and advances high-performance pathways. He pointed to two platforms the country has already operationalized to navigate these shifts: the World Sports Summit in Dubai and the Games of the Future event in Abu Dhabi. Both have convened decision-makers, experts, athletes, and innovators to examine how emerging technologies are reshaping sports.
Meanwhile, the agenda extended beyond technology. Participants worked through mechanisms for exchanging expertise across traditional and indigenous sports, athlete exchanges, and cooperation within the sports industry. The UAE expressed support for the BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games, scheduled for Ahmedabad, India, on October 12-13, 2026, and acknowledged ongoing efforts to establish joint mechanisms for documenting sports and facilitating related knowledge exchange.
The sports industry itself was identified as a domain for expanded cooperation. Discussions centered on strengthening connections among manufacturers, technology providers, investors, and relevant institutions across BRICS nations, with the aim of fostering innovation and creating new partnership and investment opportunities across the bloc.
On the sidelines, Sheikh Suhail bin Butti held bilateral meetings with Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh; Alexey Morozov, Deputy Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation; and representatives of other participating countries. Those conversations focused on building out existing areas of cooperation and identifying new partnership opportunities, particularly in technology, innovation, capacity-building, and talent development.
The UAE left Visakhapatnam having reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with fellow BRICS members on advancing partnerships and supporting more innovative, inclusive, and sustainable sports ecosystems. Whether the proposed working group moves from agreement in principle to an operational body, and on what timeline, will be the practical test of what the ministerial meeting actually delivered.
Q&A
What is the primary operational mechanism agreed upon at the BRICS Sports Ministers' Meeting?
The BRICS Sports Technology Working Group, approved in principle to function as the operational channel for exchanging institutional best practices, expertise, technical information, and research insights among member states, with capacity to explore pilot initiatives in shared interest areas.
What platforms has the UAE already operationalized to test sports technology deployment?
The World Sports Summit in Dubai and the Games of the Future event in Abu Dhabi, both of which have convened decision-makers, experts, athletes, and innovators to examine how emerging technologies are reshaping sports.
What is the timeline for the BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games?
The games are scheduled for Ahmedabad, India on October 12-13, 2026, with the UAE expressing support for the event and ongoing efforts to establish joint mechanisms for documenting sports and facilitating knowledge exchange.
What is the critical test of whether the ministerial meeting delivered tangible results?
Whether the proposed BRICS Sports Technology Working Group moves from agreement in principle to an operational body with defined timelines and resource allocation, and the pace at which it begins functioning.