Registrations open for Sheikha Hind tourney

Dubai Sports Council has announced the opening of registrations for the eighth edition of Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament, which is scheduled to take place from Nov.8 to 22.

Held under the patronage of the wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, the Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament is organised by the Women’s Sports Committee of Dubai Sports Council and participation is open to all Emirati and non-Emirati ladies working in the government, semi-government and private sectors.

This year, however, there will be no team sports given the circumstances and the need to maintain social distancing, as mandated by COVID-19 safety regulations and protocols. Participants, instead, can choose from the six individual sports including bowling, road race (run), cycling, badminton, CrossFit, and table tennis.

Those interested in taking part can register through the official website of Dubai Sports Council, www.dubaisc.ae. The deadline for registration is October 31, but there are only limited spots available in every event and registrations will close once the spots are taken. The organizing committee of the tournament has, therefore, called on all government, semi-government and private institutions to send in their registrations at the earliest.

The organizing committee will hold a workshop on Oct.6 to explain the technical and organizational regulations for each of the tournaments included in the eighth edition of the tournament.

Representatives from different government, semi-government and private entities will attend the workshop and all their queries about technical and organisational regulations will be answered by delegates from the tournament’s technical committee.

All competition will be held in the evening period so as not to conflict with the working hours of the female employees, and they can participate in the competition without the need to be absent from work or exit early.

Last year, Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, UAE’s Minister of Community Development, crowned the winners of the 7th Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament at a glittering awards ceremony in November.

A total of 1,023 participants from 50 government, semi-government and private sector entities took part in the previous edition of the tournament. That was an increase of 20 per cent from last year and the organisers were happy with the year-on- year growth of the event has seen since we launched seven years ago.

The increasing number of entries every year and the increasing participation of Emirati ladies is the biggest proof of this tournament’s success, and evidence of the tournament achieving its goals.

The Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament has inspired and motivated women working in different sectors, especially in the government sector, to take part in sports and embrace a physically active and healthy lifestyle.