The Supreme Organising Committee of the Arab Women's Sports Tournament, AWST, has held its recent preparatory meeting to launch next years' event, its largest tournament ever.

Held at the Sharjah Department of eGovernment headquarters, the meeting was led by Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Head of the Committee.

It addressed the importance of public and private partnerships and initiatives, the success of recent objectives and a series of workshops including anti-doping and the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs.

The fourth edition of the event will take place in Sharjah from 2nd to12th February, 2018. The preparatory meeting was attended by Nada Askar Al Naqbi, Director-General of Sharjah Women's Sport Foundation, SWSF, Deputy Head of AWST's Supreme Organising Committee, along with heads, and members of organising and executive committees.

Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi said, "There is a tremendous joint effort by all those involved to make sure the AWST is an event that meets very highest standards of world class competition. The collaboration across the board with private institutions and the focus of a common goal for success will make this tournament a benchmark for women’s sport around the region and beyond."

He added, "This teamwork and these relationships are an excellent reflection of the spirit of Sharjah in coming together to achieve its aspirations and increase its ambitions."

Sheikh Khalid Al Qasimi said that the success of the tournament is a success for the UAE, because of its contribution to enhancing the position of women's sport at regional and international levels. It also follows Sharjah’s dedication to maintaining a policy of environmental sustainability by introducing an almost completely paperless event where communications will be via digital and online methods and any printed material will use only recycled paper.

Nada Askar Al Naqbi commended the unparalleled support of H.H. Sheikha Jawaher bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, SCFA, and Chairperson of Sharjah Women’s Sports Foundation, who has a significant positive impact on AWST in terms of the number and the level of participants, enhancing its position as one of the most prestigious and important women's sports tournaments in the Arab world.