There’s not many corporate sporting competitions in the UAE, but the inaugural Dubai Corporate Sports Tournament (DCST) has introduced its very own which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, February 4.
Given the overwhelming response from the corporate sector so far, the deadline for registrations, originally set for January 15, has been extended until this Wednesday, January 29.
The tournament, organised by Corporate Games, will be held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council.
The event is a six-week corporate sports festival with participants competing in six different disciplines – athletics (100 and 200 metres, mixed), seven-a-side football (men), eight-a-side cricket (men), 3×3 basketball (men), touch rugby (mixed) and 10-pin bowling (mixed, doubles and teams).
Registration can be done by filling a form that is available online at www.dscpsportstour.com, where more information including entry fees can be found.
Companies can register as many teams as they want in each discipline, but only one person can participate per discipline.
Each company must have a team leader who will be responsible for building the teams. Depending on the sport, matches will be played on a particular evening with all disciplines being held at the state-of-the-art Dubai Sports City apart from bowling, which will be held at the Dubai International Bowling Centre in Al Mamzar.
Participants must bring their original passport or Emirates ID before taking part in their event. Anyone over 14 years old can take part with organisers confirming partners, family and friends will be able to compete in the festival.
The DCST will be played in a tournament format, with the playoffs and finals to be held on March 21.
A range of entertainment activities will be held throughout the day, along with the medal presentations and closing ceremony.
“We are pleased to be developing such initiatives that look to encourage greater participation in sport and healthy lifestyles among the corporate sector,” said Dr Ahmed Al Sharif, General Secretary of the Dubai Sports Council.
Fanny Marcout, CEO of Corporate Games UAE, explained the reasons for extending the registration deadline. He said: “We are delighted with the huge response from the cor-porate sector within such a short time after announcing this event in November last year. The extension of the deadline is testament to the level of interest we have been receiving and our wish is to include as many applicants as possible.”
Marcout added: “Regardless of your age or whether you’re a keen sports person, the different disciplines on offer requires the same skills and attributes that you use in every day life. By taking part, you can enhance your confidence and morale and improve communication and relationships within your team members, which can be hugely beneficial for everyone. The benefits of competing in this tournament are far more extensive than if you were in the office.
“Besides, sport is a great way of keeping fit, healthy and motivated. Anything is better than doing nothing and with the different disciplines in the tournament, you will see the difference on your body including a reason to smile.”
What: Dubai Corporate Sports Tournament 2014 – athletics, seven-a-side football, eight-a-side cricket, 3×3 basketball, touch rugby and 10-pin bowling
When: February 4 to March 21
Where: Dubai Sports City and Dubai International Bowling Centre in Al Mamzar
Contact: Visit www.dcsportstour.com for registration, entry fees and more information about the tournament’s event dates
