GulfNews
Ramadan contest begins tonight in Abu Dhabi
By Yasir Abbasher, Senior Reporter
Published: August 22, 2009, 22:43
Abu Dhabi: The Ramadan tournament of the Abu Dhabi Armed Forces
Officers Club (AFOC) held under the patronage of Shaikh Mansour Bin
Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential
Affairs, will open tonight at 9pm at the premises of the AFOC.
The annual event has transformed to become an Olympic event with
thousands of players, representing local and foreign teams, competing
in 13 competitions featuring sports such as soccer, shooting,
wrestling, volleyball, judo, chess, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, bowling,
fencing, karate and boxing.
The Olympiad will run until September 13.
A spectacular performance combining sports with music and lights is
expected to be the main feature of tonight’s opening ceremony for the
13th annual event which offers valuable prizes for spectators
including three cars from Al Futtaim, in addition to many electronic
appliances and air tickets to international destinations.
Lieutenant General (Rtd) Mohammad Hilal Al Ka’abi, Chairman of the
AFOC Board of Directors and the Chairman of the Organising Committee,
inspected the final preparations for the opening and confirmed his
satisfaction with the preparations to achieve unprecedented success
for the annual Olympiad.
Al Ka’abi praised the continuous support given to UAE sports by
President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His
Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and
Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, General Shaikh Mohammad
Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme
Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
National Security Advisor and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council
and Shaikh Mansour, the patron of the tournament.
"Their support has been instrumental for our country’s sports and
athletes to achieve great success in many a sporting events," Al
Ka’abi said.
This year, a new thrilling chess championship will be introduced with
many international masters taking part in the competitions including
Armenian Andriasian Zaven the World Youth Champion, Basim Ameen, the
African Champion, several Russian, Ukrianian, Azerbaijani and Uzbek
chess Grand Masters and the top local players headed by Abdullah Al
Marzouqi, the UAE Under 16 champion.