Abdulmunem Alsayed Mohammed Alhashmi, Aref Hamad Al Awani, Bushra Abdullah Al Shehhi and other dignitaries pose for a picture after the press conference.

The UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation has announced the launch of the Khaled bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which aims to further promote sporting excellence and strengthen the UAE's position on the global sports stage.

The competitions comprise five rounds for the 2024 season, to take place in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah, across kids, youth, adults and masters categories (4-30+ years old).

The federation unveiled the Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship at a press conference held at the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi in the presence of Abdulmunem Alsayed Mohammed Alhashmi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation; Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council; Mansour Al Ketbi, Deputy Chief Corporate and Human Capital Officer at Mubadala Investment Company; Bushra Abdullah Al Shehhi, Chief Human Resources Officer at Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Chairman of Kawader; and Dr. Abdulraheem Ibrahim Al Nuaimi, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Abu Dhabi Media Network.

Hashmi expressed his gratitude and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, for their commitment to further enhancing the national sports landscape and providing the resources to nurture a generation of champions who will continue to build on the UAE’s achievements and further enhance its standing in global sports.

Hashmi highlighted that the launch of the Khaled Bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship marks another milestone in the UAE's history of achievements in organising and hosting local, regional, and international sporting events. He added that the commendable results and achievements of the UAE in jiu-jitsu are the direct result of the unwavering support from the leadership.

"The championship aims to continue promoting the culture of jiu-jitsu in the community, instilling its noble values among the youth, providing a competitive environment that supports the development of the sport, and nurturing promising talents capable of continuing the national legacy of sports achievements. It also encourages community participation, contributing to building a strong generation that adopts sports as a lifestyle.”

Awani said: "Today, we are thrilled to announce a new championship to add to the lineup of local and international jiu-jitsu events, aiming to build on the UAE's past achievements in the realm of jiu-jitsu.

"The Abu Dhabi Sports Council is proud to be part of this wonderful journey, providing comprehensive support and assistance and believing in the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s capability to make this tournament a success, elevate it to the highest standards of excellence and creativity, and achieve its goals in discovering new talent capable of raising the UAE flag high at international events in the future.”

The competitions will include three rounds for the Gi (suits) category and two for no-Gi (non-suits) category, and will offer clubs and athletes the opportunity to compete for medals, cash prizes and ultimately the championship title and cup in the final round in December according to a comprehensive ranking system devised for the event, dependent on competitors’ performance and club results across all rounds. This system ensures fair competition and equal recognition, allowing athletes across different belt and weight categories to compete in an exceptional environment that highlights each participant’s skills.

The championship offers a prize pool of more than Dhs1.5 million, recognising the commitment and hard work of participants across the various age groups. It will encourage them towards further excellence, fostering a dedication to physical fitness and nurturing a new generation of champions empowered to pursue further achievements globally.

The Khaled bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship will attract widespread participation from various segments of society, promising a competitive environment and significant fan attendance. The championship will involve a large number of families who believe in the role of jiu-jitsu in building and refining young peoples’ character by instilling the values of sportsmanship, self-confidence, tolerance and respect. The championship is an integrated sports event that combines a professional sports environment with a unique atmosphere of culture and entertainment.