Ladies volleyball championships get under way

Dubai: The sixth Dubai International Ladies' Volleyball Championships was inaugurated last night at the Al Wasl Club's indoor sports hall.

The UAE is taking part with three teams: Al Wasl A, Al Wasl B and Al Jazira. The other teams taking part are Zuba (Italy) Samouha (Egypt), Telmisan (Algeria) Azad University (Iran), Al Qalmon (Lebanon) and Azerbaijan. The tournament is being held under the patronage of Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Event Management Corporation and Chairman of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Sports Creativity Award.

Shaikha Shamssa Bint Hashr Al Maktoum, President of the Championships's organising committee and member of the UAE Volleyball Association, said ladies' volleyball in the UAE was progressing.

"The Dubai international championships is improving from one year to the next. Ladies' volleyball in the UAE is still in its infancy, but our ladies teams are gaining experience when playing with different standards from Europe, Asia and Africa."

The organising committee has decided on a figure of Dh110,000 in total as prize money for the champions, the runner up and the team in third place.