The Argentinean football legend – and current Head Coach of Al Wasl Football Club, Diego Armando Maradona made his signature mark on the event as Guest of Honour. He was received with a warm welcome by Al Noor Board Members and the children who presented him with special handcrafted gifts; after which he was taken for a short tour of the Centre, making a quick stop at Al Noor’s Smiles n’ Stuff Shop – the first of its kind in the UAE to sell products hand-made by children with special needs. The highlight of the day was the smiles on the kids’ faces when he played a penalty game with Al Noor students followed by a kick off which officially opened the tournament.
Maradona commented: “Al Noor inspires an altruistic compassion for a community of children with special needs, who have the potential to do more and be more, and that is why I was enthusiastic about visiting the center and meeting everyone there.”
“Football is about teamwork and the drive to triumph. It is about mastering new skills through perseverance and a great attitude. Seeing the determination and happiness of the kids was a deeply touching experience, one that I will always cherish, and one that was made possible through the commendable efforts of the team at Al Noor Training Centre to nurture and develop these children’s skills.”
The event was sponsored by Gulf Agency Company (GAC), Dubal, FAMCO – Al Futtaim Auto Machinery Company, German Business Club, Wild Wadi Waterpark, Sport 360, Al Medmar Magazine, UAE Sports Guide and supported by Jenny Flowers, Al Marai, and Hot Breads. The entire proceeds of the event will benefit the students of Al Noor Training Centre
The event was organised as part of Al Noor’s ongoing fundraising initiatives that ran until the 10th September 2011.Twelve corporate teams from the UAE competed against each other. The participating teams were Belhoul Lifecare, M5 IT Group, FAMCO – Al Futtaim Auto Machinery Company, Ahdaaf Sports Club, Gulf Composite Materials, Hashemite Group, Aramex, Al-Rais, KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority), Al-Shahina, Schneider Electric, and Chocodate.
The winner of the tournament was Belhoul Lifecare, the Top Scorer Tariq Aman from Belhoul Lifecare, the Best Player Mohammed Foudeh from Gulf Composite Materials and the Best Goal Keeper Mohammed Salem from Belhoul Lifecare.
