Dubai Basketball, Shabab Al Ahli team up to promote basketball excellence in emirate and beyond

DUBAI: The newly established sports franchise team Dubai Basketball has signed a cooperation agreement with Shabab Al Ahli Club to exchange coaching and administrative know-how, host training camps and tournaments, and share sports facilities. The agreement was signed by Majid Sultan bin Sulaiman, CEO of Shabab Al Ahli Club, and Salem bin Dasmal, President of Dubai Basketball. At a broader level, the collaboration seeks to foster increased awareness about basketball's technical aspects and boost its popularity across various age groups. The agreement will facilitate joint training camps and use Shabab Al Ahli Club's facilities for Dubai Basketball Club's training sessions. Dubai Basketball, licensed by the UAE Basketball Association, Dubai Sports Council, and founded by Abdulla Saeed Al Naboodah, has secured approval from the European League to participate in the Adriatic Basketball Association (ABA) League starting from the 2024-2025 season. The ABA League serves as a qualifying tournament for the EuroLe ague, considered the second most important basketball league globally after the National Basketball Association (NBA) in North America. Dubai Basketball club's home games will be hosted at the Coca-Cola Arena, which can accommodate 15,000 spectators, while Shabab Al Ahli Club will host the team's training sessions. Majid Sultan bin Sulaiman said that the agreement will open new avenues for both clubs to exchange expertise and significantly contribute to enhancing Shabab Al Ahli's basketball programme, which aims to achieve further success at the regional level, especially after securing the runner-up position in the 2024 Asian Basketball Championship. Salem bin Dasmal praised Shabab Al Ahli Club and said that the agreement marks a new era of collaboration to advance basketball locally. He highlighted the partnership's objective of enhancing the technical skills of Dubai Basketball club's players and enriching the experience of the administrative and technical staff. He also stressed the importance of prom oting sports, recognising its role in building communities, improving public health, and instilling positive values and ethics. Source: Emirates News Agency