14 Teams for Next UAE Pro-League

The UAEFA board of directors confirmed the earlier reports that the number of pro-league clubs has been raised from 12 to 14 with immediate effect.

“From next season, the Etisalat pro-League will see 14 clubs competing for the trophy,” Yousuf Al Serkal, president of the UAE Football Association told newsmen at the association’s offices in Dubai during a brief news conference on Sunday.

“Four teams will be eligible to take part in the playoff to decide the two teams which will be promoted to the Pro-League clubs. This decision has been taken to ensure justice between the two teams which were supposed to be relegated to the lower level (Sharjah and Emirates) and the third and fourth place finishers in the First Division National League (Al Shaab and Al Dhafra),” he said.

Al Serkal reiterated that Sharjah and Emirates have been virtually relegated to the First Division and they are no longer a pro-league clubs and this point should be made clear in the minds and hearts of the people.

“The move was not taken to serve particular club or team. “We were motivated by only one objective, that’s to serve the country’s football. We are here to do what should be done to promote the game and raise the standard of performance. We are not talking about helping any particular club to maintain its first division status.

“Everything is decided in the light of the interests of the game. We would prefer to see our players play more games and gain enough experience and readiness for the continental and international challenges,” he added.

Regarding the format of the playoff, Al Serkal noted that the competitions committee will meet later in the month to determine the format and schedule of the playoff.

“Nothing has been decided so far. And whether it will take the shape of a league format or otherwise, this would be decided later,” he confirmed.

In the meantime, the First Division National League clubs A & B has been merged into one competition from next season.

“All the clubs of the first division A & B clubs will compete in a unified tournament under the name of the First Division National League,” he said.

However, and contrary to earlier expectations that Sharjah and Emirates should automatically maintain their respective pro-league status, Al Serkal said they are governed by the principles of equality and justice.

Sharjah and Emirates clubs’ managements declined to comment hinting that they have accepted the decision and they will prepare their teams for the challenge ahead.

REF [Khaleejtime]

UAE mindful of Ramadan challenges

Al AIN, United Arab Emirates: United Arab Emirates' football playmaker Omar Abdulrahman is unfazed about facing Britain at the Olympics - but the All Whites' task of upsetting the hosts will be made harder by the tournament coinciding with Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.

The UAE will start the under-23 tournament against Uruguay at Old Trafford on July 26, before taking on Britain at Wembley and then Senegal in Cardiff in their final group game.

These matches will kick off in early evening when the sun is still high in the British summer sky, a major problem for the UAE's Muslim players, with Ramadan demanding the devout do not eat or drink from dawn until dusk.

Fasting will be impossible during and immediately after matches, said Abdulrahman - players typically lose about 2 liters of body fluids in sweat every game, according to a 2004 study by Loughborough University - but he and his fellow players have yet to decide whether to fast at other times. Doing so would hamper training and match preparations, putting them at a disadvantage to other teams.

"It's a personal decision - it depends on what it's like there," Abdulrahman told Reuters at his friend's home in the desert oasis city of Al Ain. "Everyone in the team knows if they can fast they will, but if they can't they won't."

Muslim clerics have weighed in on the issue, with local media reporting that the religious authorities have excused the UAE's players from fasting. Islam traditionally exempts people who are sick, pregnant or traveling.

"During the match of course one cannot fast," said Abdulrahman, 20. "Hopefully we will make it up afterwards - we will fast after the Olympics."

The All Whites reached London after going unbeaten through the Asian qualifiers, winning four matches and drawing two to top a group including Australia and Iraq, and attacking maestro Abdulrahman was undaunted at the prospect of playing at Wembley and Old Trafford.

"No, on the contrary, our dream is to reach those stadiums," said Abdulrahman. "We will enjoy it and we won't let it intimidate us. We are going there to make the country proud, our sheikhs and the whole country."

Abdulrahman is of Yemeni origin and was born in the Saudi Arabia capital Riyadh, but his footballing promise led the UAE to grant him citizenship and he and his family relocated to Al Ain, for whom he now plays.

"I represent the UAE, of course I do, it's a great honor - I am Emirati," said Abdulrahman, who also has a handful of caps for the senior national team and speaks Arabic in a near-perfect Emirati accent.

When asked how his teammates treated him as a foreign-born player, he said "I am amongst brothers".

Abdulrahman's recruitment reveals the UAE's determination to improve on its lowly football standing.

Off the field, the country has used its oil wealth to buy into Europe's football elite.

Abu Dhabi's petro-dollars propelled English Premier League outfit Manchester City to their first league title in 44 years this month, while Dubai-owned Emirates airline has naming rights at rival club Arsenal's London ground and is also the shirt-sponsor of seven-times European champions AC Milan.

But on the field, the UAE are minnows, with London the country's Olympics football debut, while the senior team has only qualified once for the World Cup finals, slipping out in the first round in 1990 after losing all three matches.

The team is ranked outside the world's top 100; and the country's tiny native population - about 90 percent of the UAE's 8.3 million people are expatriates - means it struggles to compete against Asia's traditional powerhouses such as South Korea and Japan.

Local league matches rarely attract more than a few thousand supporters, despite the likes of Diego Maradona in the dug-out and Ghana World Cup star Asamoah Gyan on the pitch.

That is changing under the guidance of Olympics coach Mahdi Ali, who led the UAE to the Asia Under-19 Championships in 2008 before moving up the age groups along with many of the players.

The Olympics will also give the UAE players a chance to shine in front of scouts from Europe's top clubs and Abdulrahman is keen to follow compatriot Hamdan al-Kamali abroad.

Kamali, 23, is the only Emirati playing in Europe, although the central defender has yet to make his senior debut since joining France's Lyon on loan from the UAE's Al Wahda Club in January.

"Playing in leagues abroad is very good thing for a player, he will get taste of real professional football and I wish for this for me," said Abdulrahman.

His cause has been helped by Gyan's presence at Al Ain. The Ghanaian plundered 22 goals in 18 games to help the club claim their ninth national title, having joined on loan from Premier League Sunderland.

"He is very down to earth which surprised us because he is such a big name in the football world," added Abdulrahman. "We learned how to be more professional in the game, how to deal with other players."

REF [DailyStar]

Dubai Sports World in Pictures

 

 

Event name: Dubai Sports World 2012

Event dates: 8 JUNE 2012 - 31 AUGUST 2012

Event venue: Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre

Event location: Sheikh Saeed Hall 1, Sheikh Saeed Hall 2, Trade Centre Arena

Event type: Sports

Event sector: Leisure, Sport and Travel

 

Dubai Sports World, the Middle East's largest indoor sports event, transforms summer into the only season that matters – with all your favorite sports in one pro-standard, air conditioned arena. Hosting football, rugby, basketball, beach volleyball and fitness boot camps, Dubai Sports World is the training ground for greatness.

Join us as we get the city's top sports academies, clubs and membership communities together in one indoor recreational facility, for an event of a size and scale never seen in Dubai. This year we also have a cricket academy and indoor running track to fuel your sporting ambition. And you can get in the game for longer as we kick off from 8th June to 31st August. You'll wish summer would never end.

Beat the heat at Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Center with world-class indoor sporting facilities that include:

· Full-size artificial grass Football, Rugby, Aussie Rules or Cricket pitch that can be divided into 10 smaller pitches for either 5 or 7-a-side Football, Rugby and professional training sessions or tournaments

· 1 beach football pitch

· 6 multi sports courts for: Basketball, Futsal, Cricket, Volleyball, Tennis

· Running track 660m x 3m around the Dubai Sports World perimeter

· Personal training, fitness and wellness classes hosted throughout the day and into the evening

· Tiered spectator seating for over 1,400 fans

· 12 Table Tennis tables, 6 pool/billiard tables and 6 football tables Live sports screen facilities

 

REF[dwtc]

DUBAI SPORTS WORLD, FOOTBALL: THE BEAUTIFUL GAME THE ULTIMATE STAGE

Original Fitness

Do you like to keep yourself in peak physical shape over the summer months?
With so many offerings from Original Fitness Co. at Dubai Sports World this summer you certainly have no reason not to stay in shape with options such as: a Gym Membership at the Sports Training & Performance Gymnasium, Corporate Fitness, & Wellness programs for your company to Personal Training, Boot Camp, Wonder Woman, & Yoga Sessions and all the way along to the exciting new Kids & Adults program that is launching at Dubai Sports World 2012, the NEW Sports Fit program!

Corporate Fitness, Wellness & Events
We all know the old saying 'Teamwork is Dreamwork.'  The team at Original Fitness Co. believe this to be absolutely true.  And rarely more so than when a group of individuals is chasing a single goal. Just like the employees in your company!

And like anyone on the same team, you want everyone to perform at their peak, both mentally and physically. You want to create a bond too, a sense of camaraderie and pride in your projects.
With a range of corporate programmes  Original Fitness Co. can stimulate and invigorate your staff mentally and physically through a series of scientifically proven challenges & obstacles. The five main areas of concentration are: Energizer, Team Bulding, Relaxtion, Welnness Seminars and Corporate Checkup sessions and are offered in a 1, 3 or 6 hour format.

Gymnasium – Sports Training & Performance Facility
This isn’t just any normal Gymnasium, it has been designed with a sports and performance aspect built into it, where you could avail any possible workout program that you desire and have absolute functionality. Membership is available for couples, individuals, sporting teams and personal trainers.
 

Schedule
Boot Camp Fitness - Unisex Yogi Fitness Wonder Woman Fitness (Women Only) Sports Fit - Kids Sports Fit - Unisex Combat Fitness Run Fitness	Sun/Tue - 6:00, Mon/Wed - 20:00 Sun - 9:00, Sat - 10:00, 17:00 Sun/Tue - 18:30, Mon/Wed - 9:00, Sat - 10:00, 16:00, 19:00 Mon/Wed - 10:00, 16:00, Fri - 8:00 Mon/Wed - 19:00, Friday - 9:00 Mon/ Wed - 18:00 Friday - 7:00

Fees

Group Fitness
• Casual session – AED 50
• 8 Sessions – AED 300
• 12 sessions – AED 450

Gym Membership
• Casual Session – AED 50 per person, AED 80 per couple
• 1 week membership – AED150 per person, AED 250 per couple
• 1 month membership – AED1,050 per person, AED 1,700 per couple

Personal Training
• AED 320 – casual session
• AED 3000 - 10 sessions
* more affordable Group Personal Training sessions also offered

Dubai Sports World 2012

/ 8 June 2012

Dubai Sports World 2012, the region’s largest indoor sports event will begin on Friday at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), and is free for the public on the first two days, Friday and Saturday.

The event will run until August 31, featuring three months of exciting sports and leisure activities including football, basketball, cricket, American football, rugby, tennis, futsal, volleyball, beach soccer, fitness areas, table tennis, billiards, and much more. The venue also includes a 660m indoor running track, allowing fitness enthusiasts to continue their exercise regime through the summer months, and a skate park for visitors looking for some action and adventure.

Kicking off the event, Original Fitness Co. will host the 2012 Dubai Burpee Mile Challenge at Dubai Sports World on Friday. The event is in aid of ‘Doe for Moe’, a fundraising campaign for a Dubai Hurricanes Rugby member who is battling cancer.

Social sports group Duplays will be hosting a variety of tournaments during the summer including American Flag Football, Cricket Action 8s, Women’s Netball, and Dubai Sports World Nations Cup, to commemorate the UEFA Euro Championship.

Aimed at supporting the development of national and expatriate players, Dubai Rugby Academy has created various programmes that will enhance the game of all players. These include high performance programme, transition programme, development programme and a summer camp for those who want to develop their skills in relaxed and fun environment.

Dubai Sports World will be held in the inter-connected Shaikh Saeed Halls 1, 2 and 3, Shaikh Rashid Hall and the multi-purpose Trade Centre Arena. Encompassing over 32,000 sqm of indoor space, the venue has been transformed to feature pro-standard full-size playing fields for football and rugby, plus six multi-purpose courts for other sports and leisure activities.

The event will open seven days a week from 8am to midnight starting tomorrow.
REF [khaleejtimes]