THE Arab Women Sports Tournament is gearing up for its biggest ever event, hosting 68 teams from 16 countries, represented by more than 1,000 athletes and administrative personnel.

Launched in 2012, the tournament, which is held every two years, has become a must-attend event in the Arab sporting calendar, bringing together world-class athletes to compete in a unique environment.

Running from Feb. 2-12, the 11-day event is being held in ten venues across Sharjah under the patronage of Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al-Qasimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and chairperson of Sharjah Women Sports Foundation (SWSF).

AWST 2018 will begin with an opening ceremony at Al Majaz Amphitheater in the presence of Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al-Qasimi, chairman of AWST’s Supreme Organizing Committee (SOC); Princess Reema Bint Bandar, president of the Saudi Federation for Community Sports; and Princess Haifa Bint Muhammad, director general of the Saudi Federation for Community Sports.

Also attending will be Khalid Abdulaziz, Egyptian minister of youth; Shaikha Hayat Bint Abdul Aziz, member of the Bahraini National Olympic Committee and chairperson of AWST Follow-up and Supervision; Sherif Al-Aryan, secretary general of the Egyptian Olympics Committee; Nada Askar Al-Naqbi, deputy head of the SOC, head of its executive committee and director general of SWSF; and Nour El Sherbini, Egyptian world squash champion.

The opening ceremony, presented by renowned TV sports personality Mustafa Al Agha, will feature a range of events, keynote addresses, official speeches and a parade by participating teams hoisting the flags of Arab countries taking part in the tournament as well as special karate and martial art displays. The opening will also see athletes and technical and administrative teams taking the athletic oath before the audience and the SOC.

Held under the theme ‘The World Is Your Court – Together Victorious,’ the tournament is hosting 16 Arab countries represented by 68 teams competing in nine sporting disciplines: basketball, volleyball, table tennis, athletics, archery, shooting, fencing, show jumping, and Karate, which is making its debut at AWST 2018.

With 68 teams this year, compared to 51 that took part in the 2016 tournament, the figures reflect not only the highest level of competition, but also the success of AWST in terms of organization, preparation and promotion. This adds a new benchmark to Sharjah’s record of advancing women’s status in all field.

The 16 countries taking part are the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Morocco, Algeria, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Somalia and Djibouti.

Saudi Arabia is participating with five teams competing in five sports, with the Jeddah United Club looking to clinch the basketball title, while the Saudi Federation Academy Club is participating in the fencing competition. The Prince Nora University Club is taking part in the athletics competitions. The Kingdom is also represented by the Al Salah team in the karate competition, which is being held for the first time.

Eco-friendly tournament

The SOC rolled out landmark strategies to implement a ‘green’ tournament with a view to harnessing innovative technologies to protect the environment.

The plan involves deploying modern environmentally-friendly solutions for the tournament’s operations and ensuring that AWST 2018 is ecologically sound in its practices and are in compliance with the highest standards of sustainability.

The green strategy is implemented in collaboration with Sharjah Environment Company (Bee’ah), the UAE’s leading integrated environmental and waste management company, which is assigned to distribute special waste and paper containers to all AWST amenities. Sharjah Municipality will be supervising the hygiene of the tournament’s sport facilities to ensure the health and safety of the participants and spectators.

Daily advertisements and match timetables will be shown via smart monitors throughout the event’s various facilities instead of paper flyers. The plan also involves using green transportation, including bicycles to facilitate access to different venues.

Dangers of grugs

Emphasizing its dedication to promoting fair competition, the anti-doping committee – a commission by the executive committee of AWST – held a workshop to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs and its impact on health and careers.It also addressed the list of prohibited substances which is updated regularly by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The athletes also learned about performance enhancing-drugs, stimulants and anabolic steroids as well as testing, including random checks.

Princess Reema Bint Bandar, president of the Saudi Federation for Community Sports, said: “Saudi women have always played a crucial part in the Kingdom’s social and economic life as a driving force behind growth in all domains and are now an integral part of the Kingdom’s sporting world as well.

Speaking of the Emirate’s role as the ideal venue for the tournament, Princess Reema added: “Sharjah has become a leading Gulf and Arab hub for many sporting and wider cultural events, gathering some of the biggest and brightest names in the industry.”

Princess Reema is the first woman to head a Saudi multi-sports federation. On a personal and vocational level, Princess Reema is dedicated to organizing both recreational and highly-competitive community-related events that appeal to all members of society. — SG