The fourth edition of the Sharjah Labour Sports Tournament will begin from Feb.5.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Labour Standards Development Authority in Sharjah (LSDA) announced on Tuesday the launch of the fourth edition of the Sharjah Labour Sports Tournament on Feb.5, and will last until April 2, 2021.

Matches of this first of its kind tournament, will be held every Friday at the playgrounds of Sharjah Sports Council in Sharjah National Park, opposite Sharjah International Airport, from 8 to 11am and from 1 to 5 pm. LSDA holds the tournament in cooperation with the Sharjah Sports Council and Teach Target Sports Company.

Salem Yousef Al Qaseer, Chairman of Labour Standards Development Authority in Sharjah, said, the fourth edition of the tournament is expected to attract high response and participation from workers and staff of the public and private sector.

Salem Yousef Al Qaseer

He said, “The concept of the tournament is based on holding several sports competitions among labour teams in five sports, where the number of players are expected to be over 1200 distributed on teams as follows: football teams 20, basketball teams 12, cricket teams 25, volleyball teams 12, and hockey teams 12.” He stressed that the tournament will apply all the precautionary measures decided by the country in sports activities.

The teams will be divided into groups in the league system of one round, with the first of each group ascending to the final rounds. As in the previous editions, which were greatly successful, the fourth edition will also witness a grand closing ceremony, to crown the winning teams and honour them with cash and kind prizes amounting to Dhs250,000.

The LSDA Chairman said the tournament is part of the authority's strategic plan, set forth by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to establish sport as a lifestyle and way of entertainment for workers.

He expressed satisfaction over the success of the tournament as seen in the previous editions and the great response from participants and fans. “This is the first of its kind tournament which aims to promote team work as the base of sport games and a healthy relationship between workers and employers,” he said.

“Sports brings together individuals and communities irrespective of their nationality and ethnicity. It plays an important role in developing the spirit of cooperation and competition among all, and contributes to building bridges of acquaintance between all. All these values are integral parts of the LSDA’s strategy that has been developed under the direct supervision of Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Executive Council," Qaseer added.

Tariq Salem Al Khanbashi, founder and director of Reach Target Sports Services, said: "We at Reach Target are ready to exert all efforts needed to contribute to the success of this edition as well and we are ready to present a distinguished tournament that contributes to the advancement of labour sports in Sharjah as a healthy and lifestyle and for teamwork and more cooperation among workers and between them and employers."