Photo: Courtesy of Abu Dhabi Sports Council
The Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy is all set to host its inaugural GCC Volleyball tournament in Abu Dhabi as an initiative toward encouraging younger women to step out of their comfort zones and indulge in the seasonal games. The tournament will be held between August 26 and 31 at the Jio-Jitsu Arena in Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi.
The tournament will be hosting six talented women’s volleyball teams, three of which are from the UAE: Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy Team, Al-Wasl Club, and Sharjah Ladies Club. The rest come from different surrounds of the Arab region including the Saudi Noura Club from Saudi Arabia, Salwa Al Saba from Kuwait, and lastly, the Bahrain Club from Bahrain.
The women’s championship, which is set to be held towards the end of this month will be coinciding with the dates of Emirati Women’s Day on August 28. This was no stroke of luck, instead, an inspired and carefully curated decision made by the FBMA, as the organization wishes to highlight its empowering motives.
As more women are finding inspiration and new perspectives with the ongoing attention directed towards female-oriented sports by the government, the FBMA is gathering momentum. The Volleyball tournament is set to have a total of 72 women players competing in the championship.
Photo: Courtesy of Abu Dhabi Sports Council
The announcement of the GCC volleyball tournament took place during a press conference held at Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s headquarters. Many influential figures were in attendance at the conference, including Talal Al-Hashemi, Executive Director of sports development at the council, and Amal Al-Afifi, board member of the FMBA.
“The launch of the first GCC Volleyball Cup for Ladies represents another significant moment in FBMA’s history as we continue our journey of creating regular opportunities for females to participate and succeed in sport,” said Al-Afifi in his statement during the conference. “Volleyball is a game that is going from strength to strength and rising in popularity and we are delighted to be bringing this important Gulf competition to Abu Dhabi that will showcase the best talent that the region has to offer,” he added.
On the other hand, Al Hashmi brought light to different uplifting factors of the tournament. While the tournament was a great addition to the world of women’s sports and ignited the spark of women’s empowerment, it also brought people from the Arab region closer together. “We believe this new tournament that brings together players from different countries across the GCC will be a valuable opportunity for teams to interact and gain more experience and deliver better performances,” said Al Hashmi.
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