Dubai: The Dubai Sports Council (DSC) has reiterated the massive role played by the annual Dubai Sports World initiative in meeting the aspirations of Dubai.
Attending the formal opening of the annual summer indoor sports fest on Wednesday, Dr Ahmad Sa’ad Al Sharif, General Secretary, DSC said that the range of sports activities on offer will further enhance Dubai’s standing on the world sporting map.
Dubai Sports World will run until the end of August at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Dr Al Sharif lauded it as a huge investment for residents and visitors alike.
“It’s an investment for our children for a healthy future. Dubai is known to host some of the biggest sporting events and now we have this facility that will encourage everyone to continue with their quest of staying healthy despite the summer,” he said.
The Dubai Sports World is a joint venture between DSC and DWTC and is open daily from 8 am until midnight. The eleven-week schedule will consist of training camps and clinics operated by a host of leading local academies and grassroots schemes in a wide range of sports, from football, cricket and tennis to badminton, table tennis and basketball.
This year, the indoor facility will house The Majlis to coincide with the Fifa World Cup in Brazil and the month of Ramadan. “During summer, Dubai runs out of playing space and so we came up with this idea as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in engaging the society,” Ahmad Al Khaja, Senior Vice-President – Venues, DWTC, said.
Dubai Sports World features eight pitches for football or rugby, six badminton courts, one volleyball court, three basketball courts, a tennis court, cricket pitch, a skate-boarding and BMX park, a state-of-the-art gym facilitated by Technogym, a 600-metre running track and a versatile entertainment zone with badminton and table tennis facilities.
One of the highlights of DSW this year will be the attempt for a Guinness World Record for the “World’s Largest Boxing Lesson” from British boxer David Haye on June 21. The charity-driven world record attempt will feature a 40-minute session featuring technical boxing and movement training sandwiched by a boxing-themed warm-up and warm-down.
