Iran-Tunisia to kick start Rashid tournament

Dubai: Iran will take on Tunisia in the opening match of the 12th Rashid International Volleyball that gets under way at Al Shabab Club, Mamzar, on Friday.

Iran, champions in 2004 and 2006, will meet a strong Tunisian side that ended runners-up to Ukraine on two consecutive occasions in 2000 and 2001. The match will be at 3.30pm and will be followed by the formal opening of the tournament at 6.30 pm.

The second match of the opening day will see the UAE play Lebanon at 7pm, and this will be followed by the highly-charged affair between India and Pakistan at 9 pm.

"We are excited with the solid line-up of teams this year," noted tournament director and general secretary of the UAE Volleyball Association, Fahd Al Mulla.

"The participation of long-term rivals India and Pakistan and their meeting on the very first day of the tournament [this Friday] will be an added boost this time," Al Mulla added.

Round-robin

The six participating nations will play each other in a round-robin competition and the team with the best record at the end of six days will be declared the winner.

Crowd-drawers India have been the most successful team winning the crown four times in the 11-year history of this competition being held to mark the memory of Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the former Ruler of Dubai.

And though Pakistan has been able to swell the number of spectators to this sport, they are yet to win the title or even become the runners-up. Ukraine has been the second best after replicating India's feat of three successive crowns here in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Defending champions Thailand will not be sending in a team this time.

"We are expecting a number of top officials from the FIVB and various countries to attend this tournament," UAE VA President Amer Ali told reporters on Sunday.

"We urge residents to come out and support their national teams," he added.

Meanwhile, the UAE national team have been preparing for this competition with a two-week training camp in Egypt.

The team have so far played top sides in Egypt including Al Jaish, Al Ahli and Zamalek. They are expected to land in Dubai today and then continue with their final preparations for the tournament.

Schedule

October 8: (3.30 pm) Iran vs Tunisia; (6.30 pm) Opening ceremony; (7 pm) UAE vs Lebanon; (9 pm) Pakistan vs India.
October 9: (4 pm) Lebanon vs India; (6 pm) Iran vs UAE; (8 pm) Tunisia vs Pakistan.
October 10: (4 pm) UAE vs Tunisia; (6 pm) Pakistan vs Lebanon; (8 pm) India vs Iran.
October 11: Refresher course for officials
October 12: (4 pm) UAE vs India; (6 pm) Tunisia vs Lebanon; (8 pm) Iran vs Pakistan.
October 13: (4 pm) Lebanon vs Iran; (6 pm) Pakistan vs UAE; (8 pm) India vs Tunisia.

Past winners: