The Al Habtoor Group announced on May 29 2012 that it is sponsoring the UAE Basketball Association.
A partnership agreement from 2012 to 2014 between the Group and the national basketball association was signed at a press conference to announce the venture at the Al Habtoor head office on Al Wasl Road.
The deal was signed by Mohammad Khalaf Al Habtoor, Vice-Chairman and CEO of the Al Habtoor Group, and Ismail Abdallah Al Qarqawi, president of the UAE Basketball Association. Leading members of the UAE Basketball Association and the basketball clubs also attended the event.
Mohammad Al Habtoor commented: ‘This sponsorship deal emphasises the Al Habtoor Group's continuous support of a variety of sporting events here in the UAE and the youth of our country in general.’
Ismail Abdallah Al Qarqawi thanked the Al Habtoor Group and Khalaf Al Habtoor, its Chairman, who was represented by Mohammad Al Habtoor on the occasion.
The sponsorship agreement will continue for two seasons: 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 and will cover all of the association's activities, including meetings, competitions and general expenses involved in training the national team. The League Championship tournament will now be known as the ’Al Habtoor Basketball League’ after the Al Habtoor Group.
The Group has long been associated with sporting events in the UAE. Its Chairman Khalaf Al Habtoor founded the Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge to promote women's tennis here.
As a result some of the most famous tennis players, including many of the top 100 players, in the world, as well as rising stars, have participated in the championships.
What’s more in the last five years, the Group has sponsored the Al Habtoor Royal Windsor Cup polo tournament.
Held each year in Windsor, England, it’s considered one of the most important medium-goal polo championships in the world. Al Habtoor Polo is also one of the best teams in the UAE and regularly wins tournaments both here and abroad. Furthermore as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations in 2010, the Al Habtoor Group launched the first Football Championship.
The second tournament was held on April 22, 2011 in Emirates International School stadium. A total of 16 teams, each representing leading companies in the UAE, now play in the championship.
The UAE Basketball Association meanwhile was formed in 1976. Today it includes 17 clubs and has a growing international reputation.