Sharjah: Expo Centre Sharjah will host the debut edition of Sports City, a 60-day, indoor sports festival, in partnership with EIDS Sports, from July 5 to September 8, it was announced on Thursday.
Spread across 6,000 square metres, the fully climate-controlled environment will ensure children of all ages can enjoy sports during the school holidays. Facilities cater to football, cricket, basketball, volleyball, rugby, tennis, badminton, squash, skate-boarder, table tennis, fitness and athletics, along with on-site coaches and trainers.
The venue will be open from 11am to 11pm daily and on Fridays from 2pm to 11pm.
Apart from children, adults are also catered for with the facilities open to groups, clubs, associations and corporate entities.
“In the UAE, the summers are known for their harsh and unforgiving heat, forcing the youth to stay indoors,” said Sultan Shattaf, marketing and business development manager at Expo Centre Sharjah.
“With Sports City, we are changing that by offering them an environment free of climatic vagaries. Parents are guaranteed a safe environment where there will be a slew of sporting activities that can keep their children engaged throughout the vacation period.
“Expo Centre Sharjah is proud to partner with EIDS Sports Company to provide the most exciting athletic, recreation and fitness facility for the youth who can indulge in their favourite sporting activity without dealing with the searing heat or dust storms outside.”
Majid Bashir, chief executive officer of EIDS Sports, said: “Sedentary lifestyles lead to deadly epidemics like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and many kinds of cancer. And yet, large sections of our society are unable to develop active lifestyle habits.
“Sports City is an initiative that aims to activate our communities and help develop healthy lifestyle habits. Research has shown that it takes an average of 66 days to develop a new habit — we are hoping that 60 days of Sports City will help kick-start an active lifestyle for participants.
“Besides being a fantastic way to improve one’s athletic performance, fitness and health, sport is a great learning experience and a universal language that brings people together. With Sports City, we aim to bring the multitude of nationalities residing in the UAE together in a uniquely constructive way,” he added.
