Gulf Cup: 12 more flights for fans to Kuwait on Tuesday
Manama : Private sector establishments have granted generous contributions to the players and fans of the national football team following the team’s remarkable accomplishment by edging the Qatari team on Friday and qualifying to the semifinals of the 23rd Gulf Cup, being held in Kuwait.
The private sector gesture follows the footsteps of His Majesty the King’s Representative for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee President HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa to support the team by allocating two flights to carry Bahraini fans to Kuwait on Friday’s match.
Youth and Sports Affairs Minister Hisham bin Mohammed Al Jowder confirmed yesterday that 12 additional airplanes were allocated by the private sector companies to transport Bahraini fans free of charge to attend the national team’s crucial match against Oman on Tuesday. “In response to HH Shaikh Nasser’s initiative and directives, a number of companies and banks have allocated 12 aircrafts to transport the fans to Kuwait in a distinctive gesture that confirms their national sense and responsibility towards the youth and sports movement, and national team representing the Kingdom in the Gulf Cup,” Minister Al Jowder said in a statement.
The minister named and thanked the contributing companies, which included Bahrain Petroleum Company (one large airplane), National Bank of Bahrain (two airplanes), Kuwaiti Finance House (one large airplane), Aluminum Bahrain (one airplane), Bahrain National Gas Company (one airplane), Bahrain Telecommunication Company (one airplane), Viva Bahrain (one airplane), Zain Bahrain (one airplane), Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (one airplane), Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (one airplane) and GFH Financial Group (one airplane).
The minister also thanked HH Shaikh Nasser for his continuous supportive initiatives to the Bahraini sports, and national football team particularly in the Gulf Cup, knowing that fans play an important role in motivating the players to show their best performances in the competition. Al Jowder added that the ministry will soon announce the finalised names’ list of fans who registered for free flights, once the necessary procedures are completed.
It’s noteworthy that in addition to the 12 planes, the ministry and other establishments have coordinated to allocate at least 10 buses to transport the fans by land by through King Fahad Causeway. Bahrain, Oman, the UAE and Iraq have qualified to the semifinals of the tournament. Bahrain will play against Oman on Tuesday, and the UAE and the Iraq will meet on the same day. The winners will play for the title in the final match on Friday.
Multiple prizes
In addition to the free flights for the fans, several private sector establishments promised to award the players with cash prizes, free flights and even scholarships. Few days prior to Bahrain’s previous match against Qatar, Bin Hindi Motors-Kia Bahrain promised each player who scores in the match with a ticket to attend one of the matches of the World Cup 2018 in Russia next summer. Minutes after the end of the match, the company congratulated Ali Jaffar, the scorer of Bahrain’s only goal in the match, on its Instagram page and promised him a comprehensive flight to Russia.
Another message online stated that Gulf University has pledged to provide the player who score the winning goal for Bahrain against Qatar would be granted a scholarship worth BD13, 000.
However, the statement couldn’t be found on the university’s official website.
Furthermore, few sports experts and analysts promised cash prizes of up to BD3, 000 to the Bahraini players.
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