Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, a son of Dubai’s ruler and elder brother to the emirate’s heir apparent, has died at age 33.
Sheikh Rashid was the first son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his senior wife, Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum. In addition to his role as Dubai ruler, Sheikh Mohammed is vice president and prime minister of the UAE.
Sheikh Rashid was an avid sportsman and horse racing enthusiast. His younger brother Sheikh Hamdan is Dubai’s crown prince.
Read his profile below;
Shaikh Rashid completed his schooling in the UAE, and graduated from Britain’s Sandhurst Military Academy in 2001.
He was appointed President of the Dubai Cultural and Sports Club in 1997. During this time, he visited the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne where he met Francois Carrard, IOC director-general, and discussed ways to make the UAE one of the training centres of international sports. He held the post of president of the UAE National Olympic Committee from 2008 to 2009.
Shaikh Rashid was a sports enthusiast and used to play football for Dubai Club. He took part in many endurance rides and won several races, including the 120km Pyramids International Endurance Championship at the Giza pyramids in Egypt. He won the individual gold in the 2001 edition held in Peruggia, Italy. He shared the top spot in the FEI Emirates Endurance Worldwide Ranking in 2003.
Shaikh Rashid won the individual gold in the 120-km endurance ride at the 15th Asian Games held in Doha in 2006. He was also a part of the winning team with his brothers at the same event.
Shaikh Rashid owned many racehorses and won prestigious races. He also owned Zabeel Stables. With his strong string of horses, he won the UAE Owner’s Championship consecutively from 2000-2005.
A shirt worn by Shaikh Rashid fetched a mammoth Dh16 million for Dubai Cares at a charity auction.