RAMADAN FESTIVAL:

Ramadan
General
Open Sports Festival kicks off tomorrow

Abu Dhabi: This year's Ramadan Open Sports Festival organised by the Armed Forces Officers Club (AFOC) starts on Tuesday with a total prize fund of Dh14 million on offer.

The annual event, which is being held for the 12th successive year, starts tomorrow on the second day of Ramadan and will extend over 24 days.

Lieutenant General (Retd) Mohammad Hilal Al Ka'abi, Head of the Organising Committee, said the event was being held under the patronage of Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs.

With competitions being held in 14 different disciplines, a total number of 4,000 athletes and sports persons are expected to take part according to Al Ka'abi.
Lt Gen Al Ka'abi along with Colonel Saleh Al Salomi, Vice-Chairman of the Organising Committee, and Major Musabeh Al Ka'abi, Head of the opening and closing ceremony, and committee members attended the draw on Saturday at the AFOC premises where the games will be held on a nightly basis.

"Soccer for men and women will be the feature events while quite a few international stars are expected in other disciplines," Lt Gen Al Ka'abi said.

Competitions will also be held in volleyball (women's), tennis, judo (men's and women's), Jiu Jitsu, table tennis, fencing, bowling, snooker, chess, swimming, athletics, PlayStation and electronic games.

"Over the years this sports festival has grown very popular and this year we have participants from six other Arab countries. While the quality of competition has risen to high levels there has also been immense interest from the spectators. Quite a lot of prizes are also on offer to spectators through a free raffle draw," he said.

A total of 46 teams have entered in the seven-a-side football for which the draw was made on Saturday. Winners of this prestigious event will carry home Dh350,000 while the runners-up get Dh250,000 and the total prize money for football is nearly a million dirhams.

Hydra Properties, Yahsat and Manazel are among the 23 companies who have stepped in to support this annual event.

The tennis event starts tonight while the main festival will get off to a colourful start tomorrow night.
With competitions being held in 14 different disciplines, a total number of 4,000 athletes and sports persons are expected to take part.