UAEJJ ANNOUNCES ABU DHABI GRAND SLAM TOUR

The Grand Slam tour will be held in four international destinations and conclude in Abu Dhabi next year.

The UAE Jiu itsu Federation (UAEJJF), the official authority for jiu-jitsu in the United Arab Emirates, proudly announced the launch of the much-awaited Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in the presence of Mr. Fahad Ali Al Shamsi - CEO of the Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Mohammed bin Dalmouj Al Dhaheri – Board member of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, and Mr. Hamad Al Ahbabi - Business Support Director at IPIC;  amongst media and sports officials from IPIC,  and dignitaries and members of the national jiu-jitsu team.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam is open to all nationalities and comprises four major events, to be held in Tokyo, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro and London. The kick-off event is scheduled for 29 August, 2015, and will take place at the Sumida City Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan. The fifth and concluding event, the Abu Dhabi World Pro, will be held in Abu Dhabi.

The premium Abu Dhabi Grand Slam reinforces the UAE’s, and in particular Abu Dhabi’s commitment to organizing and hosting the world’s best sports tournaments. The Grand Slam will highlight the capital’s growing profile as a hub for international sport. On the scale of importance, The Grand Slam is the next tier down below the Abu Dhabi World Pro. The event, which is the most exciting and first ever held for jiu-jitsu, will also emphasize the UAEJJF’s efforts in promoting the sport in the UAE and world at large.

H.E. Abdulmunam Al Hashemi, Chairman of the UAE Jiu-jitsu Federation said, “We are inspired by the vision of our leadership, especially His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to advance sports and transform the UAE into a world leader in jiu-jitsu and sports in general. Abu Dhabi Grand Slam represents a new start for the UAE Jiu-jitsu Federation towards making it global through organizing 4 tours in significant international destinations where jiu-jitsu enjoys a great popularity. The event will initiate a new phase of shifting the focus from sports consumption to sports production and decision-making, while creating a new sports market through jiu-jitsu. It is our bid to promote the sport in the region and across the world, and to achieve the UAEJJF’s vision of becoming the leading symbol of jiu-jitsu in the world though the Grand Slam tour. We aim to provide a competitive environment and achieve sporting excellence at a local and global level. Abu Dhabi Grand Slam is the ideal event for athletes aspiring for professionalism and official ranking. Cash prizes and medals will also be awarded to athletes in different divisions. The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam is open to all nationalities, and through this we hope attract the world's top jiu-jitsu athletes.”

The four cities were chosen for their importance in the world of jiu-jitsu. They were selected based on a careful study taking into account the geographical factor, demand for sport and presence in the most competitive jiu-jitsu markets of the world. Japan is the birthplace of this martial art form while Brazil has been attributed with taking the martial art to a new level, as a sport. London and Los Angeles are also premier centres for jiu-jitsu. The tournament will culminate in the Abu Dhabi World Pro, in Abu Dhabi, which is universally recognized as the international capital for the sport. The tournament will in turn highlight the UAEJJF’s commendable role in promoting the sport.

“We are already getting a remarkable response from participants, and the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) which is in the forefront of international corporations that have shown interest in sponsoring the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tour. Many corporate sponsors are also looking to partner with the UAEJJF,” Al Hashemi added.

His Excellency Suhail Mohammed Al Mazroui, the managing director of IPIC, declared: “We are proud to be the official partner of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation. We congratulate the Federation for this new development towards professional and international fame through the introduction of Grand Slam Tour.

“We believe that there is an abundance of Emirati talent who have the potential to become future champions. The interest in this sport led to the development of Emirati players who are now skilled to participate in world competitions. It is therefore our responsibility to encourage and support these UAE sport events to allow the athletes to compete professionally both at the national and international levels”.

His Highness highlighted the pivotal role of UAEJJF partners and sponsors in its success and thanked the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC), UAEJJF official partner, Abu Dhabi Media, the official broadcaster of the tournaments locally, regionally and globally, as well as Etihad Airways - the flag carrier and the second-largest airline of the United Arab Emirates.

The mega sporting event’s second tournament will be held at the Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles, USA, in October this year. The third competition will be held at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the fourth one will be staged at the ExCel London, in the UK. The final event, the Abu Dhabi World Pro, will be held in Abu Dhabi in the UAE.

For more information and registration, visit: www.uaejjf.org

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