A file photo of Salwa Al Sabah volleyball team celebrating on the podium.

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 25: Sheikha Naima Al-Ahmad, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Salwa Al-Sabah Club, announced the launch of the second Salwa Al-Sabah Club Women's International Friendly Volleyball Championship, set to begin next Thursday under the patronage of the Governor of Mubarak Al-Kabeer, Sheikh Sabah Badr Al-Sabah. The tournament will feature eight teams from both Arab and foreign clubs, divided into two groups. Group One consists of Salwa Al-Sabah Club, Geneva (Switzerland), Akkad Ankaw (Iraq), and Fatima Bint Mubarak Academy (UAE), while Group Two includes the Tunisian national team, the Qatari national team, Lebanon’s Al-Shabiba Al-Bouchrieh Club, and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ula Club.

The matches will be held at Salwa Al-Sabah Club’s venue in Al-Qurain and will continue until February 5.

Sheikha Naima Al-Ahmad expressed her warm welcome to the foreign and Arab delegations participating in the tournament, emphasizing that Kuwait remains their second home. She highlighted the success of the inaugural edition, which was a technical and organizational success, attracting Gulf and Arab teams. This year, the addition of a European club from Switzerland further reinforces the tournament's success and the participating teams' enthusiasm.

Sheikha Naima added, “The Board of Directors of Salwa Al-Sabah Club has given great attention to this event, with working committees dedicated to ensuring its success. The committee overcame numerous challenges to deliver a remarkable tournament that showcases the importance of women’s volleyball.”

She also extended her gratitude to the Public Authority for Sports and the Kuwait Volleyball Federation for their significant cooperation in organizing the event, reflecting Kuwait’s commitment to supporting sports under the leadership of His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Crown Prince, and His Highness the Prime Minister, who place great importance on sports that benefit the people of Kuwait.

In other news, the Kuwait Club and Burgan concluded their participation in the 43rd Arab Clubs Championship, which ended in Doha. Kuwait Club finished in 10th place, while Burgan placed 12th. The results were considered disappointing given the experience and capabilities of both teams, particularly Kuwait Club, which now focuses on the upcoming West Asian Clubs Championship in Bahrain from February 5-18, with Al-Qadsiya also participating.

Kuwait Club’s last match in the Arab Championship was a 1-3 loss to Dar Kulaib of Bahrain for the 9th-10th place decider. Meanwhile, Burgan lost 0-3 to Bani Yas of the UAE in the 11th-12th place match.

In the general volleyball league, Al-Nasr secured its first win, defeating Al-Tadamon 3-0, while Al-Yarmouk triumphed over Al-Sahel with a 3-2 victory.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff