Dubai: The UAE Chess Federation (UAECF) has signed a Dh500,000 contract with leading jewellers Damas to sponsor talented schoolboy chess player Salem Abdulrahman.
Through the sponsorship 13-year-old Salem, one of the exciting chess prospects in the UAE, will receive financial support from Damas for all competitions and training camps in addition to a monthly stipend for three years.
The encouraging deal was announced at a press conference on Wednesday by Ebrahim Al Bannai, President of UAECF, and Mohammad Tamjid Abdullah, Executive President of Damas. Dr Sarhan Al-Muaini, Assistant General Secretary of UAECF, presided over the meeting.
Al Bannai said: "We thank Damas for continuing their cooperation with UAECF and we appreciate this new agreement which will help one of our talented players to improve his level and hopefully achieve more medals for the UAE in the next three years."
Tamjid remarked: "This new sponsorship is for the success of UAECF and the aim of Damas to continue helping UAE sports."
Salem made Arab chess history when winning his sixth gold medal in a row over a four-year period.
He won Arab under-10 title three times from 2001-2003 and the Arab title under-12 title in 2004. He bagged back-to-back under-16 titles in 2005 and 2006.
He also has shared the first place in the Asian under-14 championship in Iran this June.
Salem received his FIDE master norm when he was only eight years old.
"This new sponsorship is for the success of UAECF and the aim of Damas to continue helping UAE sports."
