First women only Sports Journalist Forum opens at 3rd Arab Women Sports Tournament

The first ever Female Sports Journalist Forum takes place tomorrow at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre during the third Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST 2016), hosted by Sharjah between February 2-12. Held under the slogan “It’s Your Turn”, the forum is the first of its kind in the Arab world specifically for female sports journalists and will feature three panel sessions with professional sports personalities. 

The forum will open with a short film called “Women and Sports Media” and this will be followed by the first panel discussion titled “Contemporary Challenges...Me or Him,” moderated by Hussah Al Rayyasi, Dubai Sports channel presenter. The session will be attended by Layla Samati, sports commentator on beIN Sports channels; Mohammed Jamil Abdul Qadir, president of the Arab Union of Sports Press; Evelyn Wata, member of the executive committee of the Association of International Sports Press (AIPS) and Roes Al Musaifri from beIN Sports channels. 

The second panel discussion titled “New Media and Sports” will be moderated by Hind Mohammed, Sada Al Balad TV presenter. The session will host Amjad Al Monif, journalist, blogger and CEO of Eleven Communication and PR, and Abdul Rasool Abdullah, CEO of the “Sports for All” Group. It will highlight the careers of two distinguished female athletes, Egyptian squash player, Habiba Mohamed Ahmed and Moroccan volleyball player, Thuraya Erab. 

Ola Faris, anchor and program presenter in the MBC TV Network will moderate the third panel discussion called “Success Formula” featuring Mervat Hussein, the first Sudanese sports journalist; Susan Shalabi, member of the women's committee in the Asian Football Federation; Adnan Hamad, prominent Emirati media person and sports commentator and Amal Ismail, Sports Journalist at Roya newspaper. The third and final session will have the forum’s closing statement and recommendations.

Nada Al Naqbi, Deputy Head of the Supreme Organising Committee for the Arab Women Sports Tournament, Head of the Executive Committee and Tournament Manager, said: “Organising the Female Sports Journalist Forum is a new development added to the tournament that reflects the Organising Committee's eagerness to support women in sports in every capacity, introduce new events and make every possible effort to develop Arab women’s sports at all levels.”

Al Naqbi said the forum also aims to provide a road map for women who want to enter the field of sports media, or those who wish to further develop their sports media skills. She said, “Presentation of different experiences and examples of successful female professionals in the sports fields, whether athletes, journalists or titleholders shows how women have enriched the sports media scene in various media fields. Women have long been proactive in the media and more women are now seeking to make a career in sports journalism.”

Noon Sports Corporation sponsored the first Female Sports Journalist Forum and will launch the first Regional Arab Women Sports Magazine at the forum to enrich the sports media content with Arab women's achievements in sporting events across the world.

A spokesperson said that there was significant development and progress achieved by Arab sportswomen after the sports field was confined to men previously. She said: “Noon Sports Corporation's sponsorship falls within the corporation's objectives and its keenness to develop women's sports and sports media as a key partner of success.”

The Supreme Organising Committee of the Arab Women Sports Tournament has chosen the first 40 female media personnel who registered their names via the official website of the tournament, and who met the qualifying criteria, to have the costs of their accommodation, visas, and transportation covered free of charge.