UAE academics use cricket for research

Two academics from the American University in the Emirates (AUE) want to use cricket as a case-study to encourage long-term development of top-class sportspersons at grassroots level.

Professor Kamilla Swart and Dr Leonardo Mataruna from the Dubai Academic City-based AUE have initiated plans to tap sporting talent in cricket at grassroots level through various channels that are currently in practice.

In their key roles heading the Masters of Sports Management degree at the College of Business Administration, Prof. Swart and Mataruna have set upon identifying key areas that will ultimately fuel and back the sports development programme of the UAE. “We have been in touch with key personnel from the UAE National Olympic Committee (UAE NOC) and the initial response from them has been encouraging. One of the disciplines that can certainly thrive here under any circumstances is cricket, and we see this sport can ideally be used as a pilot project as a base for other sports,” Mataruna told Gulf News in a chat.