Al Ahli Club, Dubai bagged both marquee honours on offer at the end of the 2012 Dubai Sports Council Excellence Awards at a glittering function held at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel late on Tuesday.
Al Ahli won the 'Best Football Company' and the 'Best Club' awards to cap a year of success since turning their attention to professionalism at all levels some five years ago.
“This is indeed satisfying for us all. I thank each and everyone who has worked tirelessly to achieve this dual success, and I would have been surprised if we had not won both the awards,” said Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah, Chairman of Al Ahli Club’s board of directors.
Presenting the awards was Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum along with Mattar Al Tayer, Vice-Chairman of Dubai Sports Council and Dr Ahmed Al Sharif, Secretary-General of Dubai Sports Council.
“For us at Al Ahli this is a great start. I can never take credit for this achievement all alone. I salue all the workers and employees at Al Ahli for giving themselves tirelessly and helping our club reach this goal,” added Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah.
Neigbours and arch-rivals Al Shabab took the second place in the 'Best Football Company' category, while Dubai Club for Special Sports was adjudged second best in the 'Best Club' division. Al Nasr Club walked away with the 'Most Improved Club' category award.
Now in its second year, the excellence awards is a unique way for the Dubai Sports Council in raising the profile of clubs in Dubai so that they become more and more professional in their way of thinking and operating at all levels.
The Dubai Sports Council also recognised the contribution from various public and semi-public sector companies who have supported its initiatives over a period of time.
Prominent among the awardees was Emirates Airline with the appreciation award being received by its representatives Boutros Boutros and Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Senior Vice-President, Commercial Operations for GCC, Middle East and Iran.
“Such an appreciation from a distinguished body like the Dubai Sports Council will give us further responsibility while also keeping us focused on the task as hand in giving back to the local communities that we are involved with,” said A Mualla.
“Since our establishment in 1985 we have been seeking out ways and means to reach out to society and the Dubai Sports Council’s excellence awards are a unique manner in lifting up professionalism at the grassroots,” he added.