Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy and Chairwoman of Abu Dhabi ladies Club and Al Ain Ladies Club, congratulated the participating teams in the first edition of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy GCC Basketball Cup for Ladies.
The event was hosted at the new headquarter of the academy in Abu Dhabi, reflecting the leadership's vision to support women and provide an ideal sporting environment with limitless aspirations.
Her Highness expressed her deepest thanks and appreciation to Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation Mother of the Nation, for her generous support and efforts seen across all fields to enhance the role of women. This is exemplified by the organisation of this tournament in the modern sports hall at the new headquarter of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy.
Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: "I would like to begin by expressing my immense joy and pride in the success of the first edition of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy GCC Basketball Cup for Ladies This sporting event has been an inspiration and celebration of sports and excellence, with remarkable performances and a high level of fair competition.
"We were pleased to welcome all the esteemed guests from the Gulf countries who participated in this distinguished tournament. Your presence reflects the spirit of cooperation and solidarity that unites our peoples and contributes to strengthening the fraternal bonds between us. Your presence had a significant impact on the success of this event.
“I would also like to extend my appreciation and admiration to Gulf women in general, and Emirati women in particular. You demonstrate every day your extraordinary abilities and determination to achieve success in various fields, including sports. Our support for women and our backing of their potential are essential parts of our efforts to achieve further progress and accomplishments."
This came on the occasion of the Kuwaiti team Al-Qurain winning the title of the first edition of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy GCC Basketball Cup for Ladies, which was held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation Mother of the Nation and under the directives of Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy and Chairwoman of Abu Dhabi ladies Club and Al Ain Ladies Club, Al-Qurain won the final match against the Qatari team Al-Gharafa with a 16 points at the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy in Abu Dhabi. In the third and fourth place match, the Omani team Salalah secured third place by defeating the Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy basketball team with a 13 points.
The awarding ceremony was attended by senior officials, including member of the Board of Director of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, His Excellency Talal Al Hashimi, along with representatives of the participating delegations.
Organising tournaments such as the 1st Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy GCC Basketball Cup for Ladies is of significant importance in promoting and developing women's sports. It provides a vital platform for discovering and honing new talents, thereby enhancing technical and tactical performance among teams. The tournament witnessed unprecedented public and media interest, reflecting the community's focus on women's sports and encouraging the continued organisation of future editions of the tournament by the academy, which contributes to ongoing development in sports and support for talented female athletes.
His Excellency Talal Al Hashimi, FBMA Board Member, expressed his gratitude to all the entities that contributed to the success of the first edition of the tournament. Al Hashimi praised the efforts of the sports institutions in the country and all the sponsors, from the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters to Emirates Transport, Abu Dhabi Media Network, Al Ain Water, and Burjeel Medical City. His Excellency Al Hashimi affirmed that this success is not only for the academy but for women's sports in the UAE and the Gulf in general. His Excellency Al Hashimi added that the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy has become a national platform for nurturing talents and expressed the leadership's support for the tournament and its outcomes.
Abduallah Mutawah, the Head of Al-Qurain Kuwaiti Club delegation, expressed pride in her team's performance during the tournament, praising the impressive statistics achieved by the players. Mutawah noted that the strength of the competition contributes to the development and excellence of the players in preparation for upcoming season challenges.
Hamdan Al Zaabi, Board Member of the UAE Basketball Federation, praised the significant efforts made in organising women's sports tournaments. Al Zaabi considered that this edition resulted in a group of talented basketball players and emphasized that collective efforts in women's sports contribute to presenting inspiring models, which reflects the notable success achieved by the tournament.
