Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor held talks with Turgay Demirel, President of FIBA Europe in a meeting that took place at the Al Habtoor Group head office on Al Wasl Road on Thursday March 3, 2016. Demirel is the Former President of the Turkish Basketball Federation and a leading figure in international basketball. FIBA Europe is a zone within the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) which includes all 52 national European basketball federations. HQ of FIBA Europe, in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
Demirel was accompanied by Islamil Al Qerqawi, President of the UAE Basketball Association. Also present was Ziad Ida, Director of Community Relations and Safety, Al Habtoor Group.
Al Habtoor, an avid sport fan, regularly sponsors sporting events including the UAE Basketball Association, and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). He is also the founder of the Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge, a professional tennis tournament for women tennis players. “The Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge, now in its 19th year, has kicked started many famous tennis players careers.”
In addition, the Al Habtoor Group is building a polo and equestrian centre in Dubailand. The Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club, due to open next year, is an upmarket development that includes a 136-key Andalusian-style St. Regis hotel, 162 stylish bungalows, 24 of which will be St. Regis-branded homes. In addition there will be a state of the art polo academy, multiple polo fields as well as show jumping and dressage arenas, a riding school and 500 stables.
Separately, Demirel praised Al Habtoor for a speech titled ‘Call for Action’ which he gave in Washington DC last year at the 24th Annual Arab-US Policymakers Conference. The speech focused on Middle Eastern politics – with an emphasis on Syria where Al Habtoor said the situation had “escalated beyond control” due to the lack of action by world leaders – notably the US.
Demirel also congratulated Al Habtoor on his best-selling autobiography, ‘Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor – The Autobiography’. Demirel said he had purchased a copy of the book and expressed his admiration for the Chairman.