Al Ain hosts the region’s largest sports congregation in Ramadan

Under patronage from His Highness Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Al Ain hosts the region’s largest sports congregation in Ramadan

More than 5 thousand athletes to participate in the first edition of “Hafiet Sports Challenge” tournaments

Residential neighborhoods and government entities to represent the principle of sportsmanship and community competition

Up to 2.5 million AED in financial awards to the winners in 14 sports competitions

Al Ain municipality adopts the organizational standards in cooperation with Al Ain sports and cultural club to guarantee tournament’s success

The largest sports carnival to be hosted by the city.. And a final with international standards at Hazza Bin Zayed stadium

Under patronage from His Highness Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is the ruler’s representative in Al Ain area, Al Ain municipality in cooperation with Al Ain sports and cultural club announced the launching of the first edition of “Hafiet Challenge” Ramadan tournaments for sports games. This event comes in line with the exerted efforts to boost community sports and to cement the culture of challenge and the constructive competition.

The announcement of this tournament came  during the press conference which took place on today’s evening at the board of directors’ hall within Hazza Bin Zayed stadium. The press conference took place with the attendance of Hamad Nakhirat Al Ameri, who is the managing director of Al Ain sports and cultural club, Rashid Musbeh Al Ma’anei, who is the general manager of Al Ain City’s municipality, Salem Rashid Bin Hadrim Al Kattbi, who is the chairman of the tournament’s supreme organizing committee, as well as department managers, employees from Al Ain football club and Al Ain municipality, members of the organizing committees, in addition to representatives from the participating teams and media outlets.

Rashid Musbeh Al Ma’anei, who is the general manager of Al Ain City’s municipality, expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation for His Highness Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is the ruler’s representative in Al Ain area, over the supreme patronage and the limitless attention towards the interests of Al Ain city’s community, as well as for providing the best services and all signs of luxurious life to the people of Al Ain, whether they are local citizens or residents all over the city.

Al Ma’anei said that the responsiveness of all participating neighborhoods through the “Hafeit Challenge” tournaments over a short period of time, embodies the spirit of one family which has always been a defining feature of Al Ain people, pointing out that the cooperation with Al Ain football club in organizing the tournament came out of the club’s accumulated experience in organizing the best and most important sports events, in addition to the club’s higher professionalism in keeping up with all signs of development, as well as the club’s name being linked to the highest success indicators all along its distinguished participation on the local and offshore levels.

In his turn, Salem Rashid Bin Hadrim Al Kattbi, who is the chairman of the tournament’s supreme organizing committee, emphasized that “Hafeit sports challenge” is considered an important sports event that connects various residential neighborhoods with the city, as well as the government and private organizations, so he explained through the following statement: “Competitions race starts on the fifth day of the holy month of Ramadan and continues to the eighteenth of the same month, amongst thrilling atmospheres that boost sportsmanship. The highest organizational standards have been adopted in order to guarantee the provision of an integrated sports experience that meets the aspirations of the participants and fans alike. This will be conducted under the supervision of Al Ain municipality and Al Ain sports and cultural club.”

Salem Rashid Bin Hadrim Al Kattbi pointed out that “Hafeit Challenge” is considered the biggest sports congregation hosted by the city of Al Ain, where Al Ain municipality’s stadiums all over the residential neighborhoods will host football competitions, while the other games will be hosted within the attached gym to Khalifa Bin Zayed stadium and Al Qattarah’s Tahnon Bin Mohammed stadium. As for the final match and the coronation ceremony, it has been scheduled to host both events within Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, in an exceptional ceremony that is befitting the tournament’s size and its social goals.

The chairman of the tournament’s organizing committee added the following statement: “36 teams compete over football tournament’s title, 24 of which are from residential neighborhoods and 12 teams are representing government and private institutions and bodies, as well as 9 other sports which include the following: “Volleyball, basketball, jiu-jitsu, running, cycling, shooting, pedal, PlayStation, as well as 7 competitions dedicated to the people of determination. This comes out of our commitment to provide equal opportunities for all members within the society.”

Over awards, Salem Rashid Bin Hadrim Al Kattbi, revealed that the organizing committee has dedicated 2.5 million AED in financial awards, which include awards to the winners of the first place in various sports, as well as appreciative awards for the best individual and team performance, emphasizing that the goal of those awards is to motivate athletes to show their best performance, in addition to boosting competition spirit among participants.

The chairman of the tournament’s supreme organizing committee praised the important role with which the sponsors are in charge, most notably we have the diamond sponsor “Nael & Bin Harmal” (Nael General Contracting LLC), in addition to support from the following: Abu Dhabi council, IMKAN Properties, Emirates NBD Bank, Department of Community Development, Al Ain pharmacy, Elrayes General Contracting, Burjeel Group Holdings, Al Ain Water, Pro Events, 247 sports, and Daman.

He concluded his speech by saying the following statement: “We have full confidence that this tournament will leave a positive impact over the sports and social scene, and it will become a starting point for future sports events which will contribute in realizing the vision of the wise leadership for a more coherent and luxurious society.”

36 teams

36 teams are competing over football competition’s title, which will be taking place from the fifth up to the sixteenth of the holy month of Ramadan, where the draw divided the residential neighborhoods’ football teams over 8 groups. The first group included the following teams of (Mazeed, Al Tawiah, Masaken, and Al Thaher), while the second group included the following teams of (Al Khasibi, Neima, Al Gimi, and Al Haili), the third group included the following teams of (Al Waqn, Shabeiat Al Difa’a, Al Butain, and Shoubat Al Watah), the fourth group included the following teams of (Al Heer, Al Mutarid, Al Mireal, Al Jaieia), the fifth group included the following teams of (Mabzarah, Al Markhaniah, Al Jahili, and Al Manaseer), the sixth group included the following teams (Al Mouaijai, Thakher, Al Kuwaitat, and Al Wathbah), as for the seventh group it included the following teams of (Falaj Hazza, Asharej, Al Qaw’a, and Al Faqe’a), and the eighth group included the following teams of (Al Masowdi, Al Amerah, Al Qatara, and the Al Rawda Al Sharqiah).

Draw distributed institutions teams into two groups, the first group included the following teams of (Al Ain FC “A”, Al Nadi Al Masri, Al Ain Municipality, Ethmar International Holding, Department of Community Development, and Al Ain Pharmacy), while the second group included the following teams of (Al Ain FC “B”, Agthia, Czech Rehabilitation Hospital, Emirates University, Higher Colleges of Technology, General Directorate of Residency & Foreign Affairs).

Volleyball

Over the volleyball tournament’s title we have 12 competing teams, during the period that spans from the sixth to the eleventh of the current month. The competing teams were distributed over three groups, the first group included the following teams of (Al Maher, Thakher, Al Mireal, Al Masoudi), as for the second group it included the following teams of (Al Tha’ad, Al Aliah, Al Amerah, Al Salamat), while the third group it included the following teams of (Al Qawh, Al Waqan, Al Thaherah, and Boukrieh).

Shooting competition

It has been scheduled to hold the shooting competition during the period that spans from the eleventh to the nineteenth of March. The competition will be distributed over four categories, the first category will be men’s rifling (skeet shooting), the second will be women’s rifling (skeet shooting), the third will be women and men category (9 mm pistols), the fourth will be for the youth from 18 to 30 years old (shotguns sporting).

PlayStation competition

PlayStation competition will be held over the period that spans from the 6th to the 9th of the current month of March. Registering starts during the period that spans from the fourth to the fifth of the current month.

Basketball

Basketball competition will be held over the period that spans from the 7th to the 15th for men category and U18 category.

Cycling race

Cycling race will take place on Saturday, the 8th of the current month, for 4 categories, which are: women, men, as well as citizen women category, and citizen men category.

Running race at Hafeit Challenge

Running race at Hafeit Challenge, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, the 10th of the current month. The race also consists of four categories, which are as the following: general category for women, general category for men, as well as citizen women category, and citizen men category.

Jiu-jitsu competition

It has been scheduled to hold the jiu-jitsu at Hafiet challenge on the tenth of the current month at the gym attached to Al Qattarah’s Tahnon Bin Mohammed stadium.

7 championships for the people of determination

Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination will be supervising the organization of the seven competitions. Which are as the following: (football of seven, the local qualifiers for team athletics, hand and bicycle race, local qualifiers for boccia – under 16, individual athletics competitions, as well as shooting competition). Those competitions are scheduled to be hosted by Al Ain club for the people of determination, during the period that spans from the 4th up to the 20th of the current month.