Dubai to host first ladies championship

The first West Asia Ladies Karate Championship commences tomorrow at the Al Nasr Club's Rashid bin Hamdan indoor sports hall.

A total of 11 teams from 10 Asian countries are taking part namely, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Kuwait, Yemen, Iran, Tajikistan. UAE will participate with two teams.

The championship will be held from August 7-9 under the patronage of General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence.

This will be the first Asian ladies karate tournament to be held in the UAE.

The UAE national team will be led by Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, along with Maryam Abdul Qader, Mona Faisal Al Garg, Asma Khalid, Tahani Al Muhairi, Asma Al Rahma, Zainab Al Rahma, Zainab Ibrahim, Amani Naser, Maryam Abdullah and Tahira Al Mansouri.

Saif Salim Al Shamsi, President of the UAE Karate, Judo and Taekwondo Association (UAE KJTA) and the Chairman of the tournament's Organising Committee, addres-sed a press conference at the Renaissance Hotel in Dubai, yesterday.

The briefing was attended by Abdul Aziz Al Hajri, UAE KJTA's General Secretary and Tournament Director; Emad Al Hawai, Manager of Al Hawai Group; Sugathan, Chairman of the Royal Group of Companies; Fakhr Eddin Abdul Majeed, Tournament Coordinator; Mohammed Obaid, Marketing Manager of Al Hawai; Rania Al Meghrabi of Al Hawai marketing.

Abdul Aziz Al Hajri said the Asian karate championship should spread the sport among the UAE ladies and encourage them to take up karate.

He said: "Women's karate in the UAE began five years ago. This is a short period compared to other activities. The ladies activities in the previous karate association was minimal, but since last year we started putting in more efforts when we organised two tournaments. This year, too, we did the same in order to attract more ladies to take up karate."

Al Hajri expressed his gratitude to Sheikha Maitha for her interest and support.

"Sheikha Maitha's support has brought many karatekas to the sport. Without her support the number would not have increased. We hope to get more support from her."

Saif Al Shamsi expressed dissatisfaction with the annual budget being allocated to the KJT association.

"We are looking after three events and not one like the other associations. Despite that they are giving us less than what we really need. Our only obstacle is financial support. Without it we would not be able to implement our plans to develop karate in the UAE."

Al Shamsi said one of the plans is to lay a strong foundation by taking care of the young karatekas from the age of eight years till they represent the national team.

"But how can we do that without financial support? It's important for us to have the required budget which will help us to implement future plans to take care of the youth and lay a strong base for karate in the UAE," he stated.

Al Shamsi thanked the sponsors of the tournament, Al Hawai, Damas Jewellery, Royal Group of Companies saying: "They gave us the support for the first West Asia Karate Championship, and this is not new because they supported many events in the UAE before. I hope they continue to support us."