Arab Women’s Sport Tournament Sets Up for Strong
 Local and Regional Media Coverage

The Supreme Organising Committee (SOC) of the Arab Women’s Sport Tournament (AWST), recently (Sunday) signed a media sponsorship agreement with the Sharjah Media Corporation (SMC) – AWST’s strategic media partner – giving them TV broadcasting rights for the region’s largest sporting event to be held from February 2-12, next year. The tournament organisers have taken the step in order to boost women’s sports in the UAE and the Arab region through maximum media promotion and coverage.

Under the terms of the agreement, SMC is the media sponsor of the tournament, and will establish fully integrated sports analysis studios for TV broadcasting from key tournament venues. Sharjah TV will broadcast the tournament logo and countdown ticker; and tie up with GCC sports channels for live broadcasts of the tournament’s matches. They will also use their social media platforms to keep audiences updated on the date, time, and venue details of all events. 

Held at SMC’s headquarters in Sharjah, the signing ceremony was attended by Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmad Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SMC; Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad Al Qasimi, Head of the AWST SOC; Her Excellency Nada Askar Al Naqbi, Head of the AWST Executive Committee and Director General of SWSF; His Excellency Muhammad Hassan Khalaf, Director General of SMC; and Rashid Abdullah Al Obad, Director of Sharjah Sports TV.

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi underscored that AWST is witnessing remarkable growth as a sought after competition platform for female athletes and champions from the Arab world. He also noted that once again Sharjah is taking the lead in organising an event that is crucial to developing and showcasing skills of female athletes in the region, as well serving as a meeting point for honourable sport models.

“SMC relies on best practices to strengthen networking relationships among Arab countries through an integrated media strategy. Our media sponsorship of AWST aligns with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and his wife Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA) and Chairperson of SWSF, which is to promote the role of women in sports in Sharjah and the UAE,” he said.

“Soon, one of the largest sporting events in the Arab world will be held, and this requires all media personnel to resort to latest in communication and broadcasting technologies, to endure top-of-the-line coverage, and promote Sharjah’s patronage of women in sports,” he added.

During the ceremony, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmad Al Qasimi applauded Sheikha Jawaher’s unparalleled support to AWST, and mentioned how these efforts have effectively contributed to elevating women in sports locally, and reflect Sharjah’s continuous commitment to empower women across all fields, while highlighting that AWST is the premiere sporting event for sportswomen in the Arab world.

For his part, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmad Al Qasimi, Head of the AWST SOC, said: “SMC is a pioneering media institution in the country and the region, and through this partnership I’m sure they will take our cause of promoting Arab women’s representation in sports further. This tournament has become a destination for all women athletes who have passion and ambition, and provides an ideal environment levelling the playing field for fair competition among all female participants from across the Arab world.”

“The number of female competitors participating in the fourth edition has grown significantly compared to the past editions, which is a reflection of the fact that the tournament is on track in achieving its mission to generate interest and further elevate opportunities for women in sports,” he added.

The SMC will shoot a short advertisement video about the tournament that highlights Sharjah’s tourist attractions with the participation of female athletes from the Sharjah Women’s Sport Foundation (SWSF). It will also provide comprehensive media coverage through airing live and recorded matches on Sharjah Sports TV, as well as the most important competitions on Sharjah TV, as well as record and archive all matches.

AWST 2018 participants will compete in nine sporting categories, namely, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, fencing, archery, shooting, athletics, show jumping and karate.

In April 2017, AWST’s SOC announced that the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees (UANOC) approved SWSF to be the official organising entity of AWST’s fourth edition.

SWSF was established under an Emiri decree in November 2016 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council Ruler of Sharjah. It is chaired by his wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, who is aided by an advisory committee comprising expert members in this field. SWSF enjoys the administrative and financial independence necessary to pursue its objectives.