The fifth edition of the Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST), organised by Sharjah Women's Sports (SWS), will see the participation of the best players from Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The tournament will be held in Sharjah from February 2 – 12, 2020, with 78 clubs from 18 Arab countries competing in nine sports categories.10 clubs from the quartet Between them, Libya, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia are participating with 10 clubs. Libya is represented by ‘Al Ittihad Sport, Cultural & Social Club’ in table tennis, athletics and karate. ‘Zanata Waterfalls Club’ is the sole representation – in tennis - from the Kingdom of Morocco. Algeria hasseven teams from six clubs: ‘Le Groupement Sportif des Pétroliers (basketball and volleyball); ‘Association des Sports Féminins’, ‘Club Sportif Amateur’ and ‘Mashaal Sports Club-Bouzareah’(table tennis); ‘Jebalna Shooting Club’ (shooting and archery); and ‘Bi’r Al Touteh Club (karate). ‘Al Amal Sportif and Al Watan Al Qabali’ club and ‘Club Sportif Sfaxien’ will represent Tunisia in basketball and volleyball, respectively. ‘Leading platform to develop sportswomen’s skills”. Lahsan Abu Hind, President of the ‘Zanata Waterfalls Club’ from Morocco, said: “We are proud to be at the Arab Women Sports Tournament AWST. This leading sports event offers our players a golden opportunity to compete with their counterparts from other Arab countries. It also promotes fair play and empowers the players through challenging opportunities, while enriching their experience.” Hind added: “We are keen to participate in future editions of AWST, which has grown into a prestigious international sporting event that serves to enhance excellence in sports as well as communication between athletes. We are happy to see a larger number of clubs from the Arab world participating in the tournament.”
Mohamed Khaydas, President of Association des Sports Féminins’ for Tennis Table, Algeria, said: “Since its inception, the tournament has made great strides in advancing women’s sports by offering a leading platform for all clubs in the Arab Region to share experiences and hone their technical skills to compete successfully at the global level. We highly commend the efforts of Sharjah Women's Sports (SWS) in organising this event that brings us all together in Sharjah. We are looking forward to the tournament which can be a key factor in furthering the careers of the participating players.” For his past, Abdul Qader Binia, President of the Algerian ‘Jebalna Shooting Club’, said: “This is our second participation in the tournament. In the 2014 edition, we won first place in archery. With the new challenges it offers this year, the event is a unique opportunity for sports clubs to develop the capabilities and skills of their players.”Hamani Farid, President of ‘Association des Sports Féminins’ said: “Our first participation in AWST was in 2016 and we won third place. With our focus on preparing our players and improving their performance, we hope to achieve better results in the competitions this year.” Voicing the opinions of the players, Katia Ksassi, a player from ‘Association des Sports Féminins’, said: “AWST is a great opportunity for us to showcase our capabilities and hone our athletic skills. It is also an ideal place to share and enrich our experiences. The modern sports facilities available will help us apply the techniques we have learnt during training. We hope to make our country proud in this year’s edition.”
About the Arab Women Sports Tournament
Held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Sharjah Women Sports (SWS), the Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST), is organised by the Sharjah Women Sports (SWS) in partnership with the UAE Sports Council, Sharjah Sports Council and the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees.Launched in 2012, the bi-yearly Olympics-themed women sports tournament, hosts a number of women's sports clubs from more than 15 Arab nations to compete across 9 sports: Karate, Basketball, Volleyball, Fencing, Show Jumping, Shooting, Archery, Athletics and Table Tennis.In 2018, AWST hosted 67 women sports clubs from 16 Arab nations who competed across 9 games, and received media coverage from more than 380 outlets across the Arab region. The fifth edition of the tournament, which is scheduled to kick-start on February 2 - 12, 2020, will play a major role in building on the 5-year success of the AWST brand, and support the growth and development of the regional sports industry and women sports initiatives.