Dubai Fitness Challenge shifts focus from participation to lasting lifestyle change.
Dubai: Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) is looking beyond participation numbers, aiming to change people’s attitudes towards fitness and potentially expand its reach beyond the UAE, according to senior manager Yaqoub Al Zarouni.
I met Al Zarouni ahead of the EuroLeague clash between Dubai Basketball and Paris Basketball at Coca-Cola Arena, where a press conference was held to discuss the Dubai Fitness Challenge. Dubai Sports Council Secretary General His Excellency Saeed Hareb was also in attendance.
DFC returns on October 31 and runs until November 29, inviting residents and visitors to commit to 30 minutes of physical activity every day for 30 days. Launched in 2017 under the vision of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the initiative encourages people to make exercise a regular part of their lives.
This year’s edition returns with the theme ‘What’s Your 30×30?’, encouraging people of all ages and fitness levels to find activities they enjoy.
For Al Zarouni, the challenge is not simply about getting people moving for a month but about encouraging them to carry those habits into their everyday lives.
“Five years back, six years back, did you see any big basketball games happening in Dubai? No. Right now, you have a full team happening here. You have a competition,” he said.
“We are not just only looking for participation. We are also attracting a lot of international events and introducing new sports. Maybe it’s there in other countries, but what we want is for these types of sports to grow here in Dubai. That’s the main thing.”
Across its first nine editions, the challenge has attracted more than 16 million participants. This year’s programme will feature free fitness classes, community activities and Fitness Villages, alongside flagship events such as Dubai Ride, Dubai Run, Dubai Stand Up Paddle and Dubai Yoga.
The aim is to make exercise accessible to everyone, whether through walking, cycling, yoga or trying a new sport.
Changing people’s attitudes towards fitness
While Dubai Fitness Challenge hopes to build on last year’s participation figures, Al Zarouni believes its real success lies in changing how residents perceive exercise and sport.
When asked about his participation target for this year’s edition, he said the numbers were secondary to the goal of building lasting fitness habits among residents.
“If you are asking me what number I’m looking for after Dubai Fitness Challenge, on the last day, I would say to you, 10, 20, 30 million, 40 million, 50 million. Whatever the number is,” he said.
“I’m telling you, yes, we are aiming to achieve bigger numbers than last year. But the aim is, did we change the mentality of people? Did their idea of fitness and sport change?”
Al Zarouni believes sport has traditionally been perceived as an activity primarily reserved for professionals, rather than something everyone can participate in for enjoyment.
“Before, the whole thing about sports was that it was for professionals. No one from the community or the public started to think, ‘Oh no, I’m going to participate, and I’m going to do it just for fun’,” he said.
“Once you start that, you’re going to create a habit. This is the whole concept behind Dubai Fitness Challenge.”
Dubai Fitness Challenge expansion plans
Al Zarouni also expressed his ambition to see Dubai Fitness Challenge expand beyond the emirate, potentially reaching other parts of the UAE before exploring international opportunities.
Asked whether the initiative could be extended to Abu Dhabi or Sharjah, he remained optimistic.
“In sha Allah, why not? We are always open,” he said.
Having worked with Dubai Fitness Challenge for nine years, Al Zarouni is already looking ahead to how the initiative could evolve over the next decade.
“I’ve been here for nine years, working with my fitness challenge. Now, in the next 10 years, what are we going to do?” he said.
“In sha Allah, there will be a plan to go not just locally, inside the UAE, but definitely also internationally.”
While no specific expansion plans have been confirmed, his comments highlight the ambition to take the initiative beyond its current reach and encourage more people to embrace an active lifestyle.
For now, Dubai Fitness Challenge remains focused on making physical activity part of residents’ daily routines, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that the benefits extend well beyond the 30-day programme.
