RIYADH - Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan, President of the Saudi Federation for Community Sports, has won the Arab Sports Personality Award at the 9th edition of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award, Al Arabiya has reported.
The award was given to her for her role played in the empowerment of women in the region through her spirit of entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance, has been named the UAE Sports Personality of the Year for his contribution to the sports sector especially in his previous portfolio as Chairman of the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare (GAYSW).
Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award announced the names of the winners in the presence of Moaza Al Marri, General Secretary of the Award and Mustapha Larfaoui, Chairman of the Jury Committee.
“This time the focus was on women and their contribution in sports within our society. I am extremely pleased that a person like Princess Rima has bagged the Arab Sports Personality Award as this will further encourage women in our region to push towards excellence,” Al Marri was quoted as saying by Gulf News.
Princess Reema has gained attention on the international stage as a leader in business innovation, specifically as a champion for women in the workplace.
She was recognized as the Most Creative Person of the year in 2014 by Fast Company for "Inviting Women into the Workforce," and was featured on the Forbes lists of the 200 Most Powerful Arab Women and Most Powerful Arab Women in Saudi Arabia lists for 2014.
She was also recognized by Foreign Policy Magazine as a Leading Global Thinker of 2014 in their "Moguls" category for her work helping women to "integrate their personal and professional lives" by creating hospitable opportunities for women to participate in the economy.
Princess Reema is a founding member of the Zahra Breast Cancer Awareness Association, based in Riyadh.
Earlier this year, Princess Reema Bint was appointed President of the Saudi Federation for Community Sports.