Dubai launches the first football league for inmates in the region

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Dubai Sports Council (DSC) and Dubai Police announced the launch of the “General League for Inmates,” the first of its kind in the region dedicated to inmates in penal and correctional institutions.

The League will be held during the period from Feb.7 to May 31, in which 14 football teams participate, competing according to the six-six league system, and aims to enhance the practice of physical exercise inside penal institutions and detention centers.

This came during the press conference held at the headquarters of the Dubai Sports Council, in which Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary-General of the Dubai Sports Council, Brigadier Marwan Julfar, Director of the General Department of Punitive and Correctional Establishments at Dubai Police, and Salem Al Karbi, the organiser of the event, spoke in the presence of Brigadier Salah Juma Nasser Bu Osaiba. Acting Deputy Director of the General Administration of Punitive and Correctional Establishments.

Nasser Aman Al Rahma said: “We are pleased to announce today the launch of the General Football League for Inmates, which represents a pioneering community initiative.” We offer it in cooperation with Dubai Police, with whom we have a strong relationship and complete strategic cooperation with Dubai Police to enhance the status of sport in society due to its many benefits in terms of the health, vitality, and happiness of community members, as well as its contribution to rapprochement and acquaintance between the various components of society. The Dubai Sports Council is also keen to cooperate with the private sector and providing means of success for various competitive and community sporting events that are organized throughout the year.”

He added: “Inmates of penal and correctional Establishments of all nationalities are part of society. Sports can contribute to supporting their rehabilitation and their return to society while they are healthy and happy and are useful individuals to their society. The past years have witnessed joint work between the DSC and Dubai Police in this field, where Equipping penal and correctional Establishments with sports equipment and equipment and planning areas for practicing sports due to the importance of sport in developing the health and happiness of inmates. We also worked to qualify trainers from within penal and correctional institutions to train inmates through the “Sports Inmates Program” launched by the Dubai Sports Council in cooperation with Dubai Police since 2017."

Rahma concluded: “This initiative comes after the success witnessed by the (Sports Inmates Program), which achieved many gains, most notably the qualification of 1,800 inmates, both male and female, in specialized courses, and the qualification of more than 100 inmates, both male and female, in specialized and accredited courses that qualified them to work in the sports sector in their country. Also, 20% of the inmates practiced in their country the sports professions in which they were trained, 23 rehabilitation courses were organized between training and arbitration, and penal institutions witnessed a 15% decrease in the percentage of inmates’ visits to the clinic.”

Brigadier Marwan Abdul Karim Julfar confirmed that penal institutions, under the directives of Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, and the follow-up of his Assistant for Criminal Investigation Affairs, are keen to create a healthy climate environment for inmates, such as professional and craft work, training courses and educational programmes, in addition to activities and programs. Sports, which are no less important than other aspects, given their significant positive impact on the psychological, health and social behavior of the inmate, and their effective contribution to reducing aggressive or violent behavior.

The Brigadier also stressed the great efforts of the Dubai Sports Council and the unlimited support that spares no effort or support for the success of the plans, programs and sporting events organized by the penal institutions, out of belief in the importance of sport in reforming and disciplining inmates, raising their psychological morale and correcting their personal behavior, directing his thanks to the Assistant Secretary General of the Council. Dubai Sports Club and all those organizing this tournament.

He explained that the “General League for Guests” tournament will be held for the first time in the United Arab Emirates, and 14 teams will participate in it in a six-team system, from the 7th of next February until the 31st of May, and the teams that win first places in the tournament will receive a prize. Medals, cups and sums of money.

For his part, Salem Al Karbi thanked the Dubai Police and the Dubai Sports Council, and said: “This event is the first regular league in the region for inmates and is held over the course of a full season, like the general football league. The tournament will be held in Al Awir Prison, and the arbitration process will be managed in accordance with the Rules of the UAE Football Federation.”