MUSCAT, OCT 24 - Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) CEO Tayyib Ikram stated they have decided to honour Oman’s Minister of Sports Affairs Shaikh Saad bin Mohammed al Saadi with the President’s Award. The Sports Minister will be bestowed with the honour at the AHF Gala Dinner on Friday evening. The AHF CEO said the special award is a recognition of the Sports Minister’s contributions and support for the successful hosting of the Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat.
“Shaikh Saad has been instrumental in helping us host the Asian Champions Trophy here in Muscat and has been very supportive of the initiatives of the AHF. In the future, we would like to engage and take up more developmental projects,’’ Ikram added.
AHF CEO thanks Oman
AHF CEO Tayyib Ikram thanked the people of Oman, the Oman Hockey Association (OHA) and all the sponsors for their great support in hosting the Asian Champions Trophy.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the people of Muscat and OHA for their wholehearted support. I would like to thank the OHA for all the arrangements that have been made. I would like to thank the title sponsors Hero and the broadcast sponsors Star Sports and all the local sponsors in Muscat for their support. We wanted to have a professional hockey turf and we are very happy with what we have seen and so are the title and broadcast sponsors,’’ Ikram stated.
Ikram also did not rule out the possibility of the Asian Champions Trophy returning to Muscat.
“Yes, why not,’’ was the answer of the AHF CEO, in reply to a query from a senior journalist.
“We are leaving a strong message here with the organisation of the tournament here that Muscat can do it, Oman can do it,’’ he added.
OHA chairman happy
OHA chairman Talib al Wahaibi expressed happiness at the successful conduct of the tournament and thanked the AHF for its support.
“I have seen for the past 13 months the work put in by AHF and the Sports Ministry. I am grateful to Tayyib Ikram for his time and experience. We never expected this kind of a tournament would happen in Oman but it has happened and I am very happy. This is a trophy of peace and I am sure all the visiting teams would agree,’’ the OHA chairman said.
Haridev Pushparaj
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