Dubai Police team triumph at NAS Wheelchair Basketball Championship

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Dubai Police General Command team defeated Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services 54-36 in the final to win the Wheelchair Basketball Championship at the 10th NAS Sports Tournament in Dubai on Saturday.

Riding on a superb performance by former Egyptian national team player Ashraf Abuzed, the Dubai Police General Command team led for the majority of the game and never trailed in the second half. Later, they wrapped up the match without much fuss.

Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the tournament, Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary General of the Council and Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the tournament, and Hassan Al Mazrouei, Tournament Director, gave away the prizes to the winners.

The RTA team finished third. Dubai Police’s Ashraf Abuzed won the top player award, while Mansour Abdul Rahman of RTA was adjudged the best scorer.

The referees who officiated the wheelchair basketball tournament matches were honored. The NAS Sports Tournament organizing committee also honoured strategic sponsors of the tournament, including Meshal Julfar, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services; Marwan Haji Nasser, Chairman and CEO of Al Tadawi Healthcare Group; Mousa Mohammed Al Raisi, Director of Technology Strategy and Governance Department at the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai; and Ali Khalfan Al Mansouri, Director of the General Department for Community Happiness at Dubai Police.

The sponsors of the volleyball teams were Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), who also supported Zabeel and Fahood Zabeel teams, were also honoured.

Majid Al-Usaimi, Executive Director of the Dubai Club for People of Determination, expressed his gratitude and appreciation for His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, for his generous support for the People of Determination.

"Since the beginning of the Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, has generously supported and patronized the People of Determination. He ordered their inclusion in competitions at this largest sporting event of its kind during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

"Through its numerous initiatives and events over the past ten years, the Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament has significantly contributed to integrating people with disabilities into society and introducing them to sports, particularly wheelchair basketball, which is growing in popularity in the UAE," he added.

Usaimi explained that the NAS sports tournament and its humanitarian initiatives have presented the best image in supporting the people of determination, motivating them with the slogan of this edition, Limitless Abilities, which is directly related to them and their aspirations.

Captain Abdullah Hamad Al Shamsi, Chairman of the People of Determination Empowerment Council at Dubai Police, expressed happiness over the success of the Dubai Police General Command team.

Shamsi hailed Sheikh Hamdan, and Sheikh Mansour Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, for their patronage and great support of the tournament.

He congratulated Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, on the victory of the Dubai Police team at the wheelchair basketball championship and commended him for giving the people of determination his whole attention and assistance, noting that the Dubai Police is the first institution to act as a friendly organization for such individuals on par with the Emirate of Dubai.

"The championship saw fierce competition among all the participating teams, but the Dubai Police were as able to take first place thanks to the team's efforts and the support of the General Department for Community Happiness.

"Today, we are reaping the benefits of those efforts after having previously finished third in the competition. Thanks to Dubai Police's interest in the sports system and the support of the General Department for Community Happiness and the backing of the Commander-in-Chief, Brigadier Ali Al Mansouri, Director of the General Department of Community Happiness, and Lt. Col. Abdul Basit Ali, Director of Sports Affairs at the Dubai Police General Headquarters.

"NAS Sports Tournament encourages society to participate in sports in all of their forms and to adopt them as a way of life.”

Elsewhere, the Emperor beat Fahood Zabeel 3-1 in the NAS Volleyball Championship’s third-place playoff match.