Alfa, managed by Orascom Telecom, has signed a sponsorship deal for the women’s basketball team of Riyadi Club for the 2015-2016 (current) season. The agreement was signed by Alfa CEO and Chairman Marwan Hayek, and Riyadi Club President Hisham Jaroudy.
The signing ceremony, which took place at the company's headquarters in Furn el Chebbak, was attended by Riyadi Club President Jaroudi, Vice President Tammam Jaroudi, secretary Mazen Tabbara, team manager Ahmed Shaker, sports activities director Jawdat Shaker, and assistant coach Marwan Diab. It was also attended by Alfa officials and staff, as well as media representatives.
Hayek
After welcoming Riyadi Club and media representatives, Hayek said: “Alfa’s two experiences with Riyadi Club in 2015 were crowned with success through its sponsorship of the women’s basketball team at the “International Hisham Jaroudi Championship” in Beirut and the “Arab Clubs Championship for Women” in Cairo, with the team emerging victorious both times. Thus, it was only natural for our relationship to evolve into a permanent one this season, and we look forward to further pursuing it in the coming years”.
He added: “We are gathered here today to sign a sponsorship deal between two eminent institutions in Lebanon, the first of which is Alfa, a pioneer in the launch of cellular service in Lebanon in 1994, followed by being the first to launch the 2G, 3G +, and 4G LTE technologies. Moreover, we will soon launch 4G + / 4.5G technology that will cover all of Lebanon and offer unprecedented speeds. The second institution is Riyadi Club which is a true monument to Lebanese sport with its achievements, knowing that the basketball team is as old as Lebanon’s independence and has witnessed Lebanon's history ever since its independence in 1943”.
Hayek then added: “We see Riyadi Club as a microcosm of Lebanon, featuring love, tolerance and pluralism within the same family. Not only do these values represent Lebanon, but they also were our model growing up, and we hope that they will remain present in our society today. We feel concerned because we share the same values and principles as the club, the most important being the family spirit value”.
He also said: “Riyadi Club is headed by Mr. Hisham Jaroudi, who has offered nothing but the best in the field of sports, and more specifically in basketball, contributing his best efforts all along”.
Hayek pointed out that “In these difficult times in our region, especially regarding the condition of women, Alfa supports the women of Riyadi Club specifically, and this gives a special flavor to this cooperation as it overlaps with Alfa’s role in supporting women’s rights. Indeed, women constitute half of society and they represent 40% of Alfa’s staff. We hope that this number will increase to 50% and affirm through this move Lebanon's essential role in supporting and empowering women”.
He finished by saying that “although the sponsorship deal is ostensibly a material one, it holds a much greater dimension as it represents the partnership and complementarity between Alfa and Riyadi Club. We hope that this partnership will continue for many years and culminate in many victories at the end of the year, including the championship trophy”.
Jaroudi
As for Jaroudi, he thanked Hayek for this initiative to support the women's team, saying: “When Riyadi Club began its journey in basketball in 1943, there was no women's team. Today, thanks to Tammam Jaroudi and his wife Nayla Alameddine, who was one of Lebanon’s best basketball players, this champion team was founded and has made great achievements since four years”.
He added: “Half of the 700 students attending Riyadi Club’s school are female. They come from various backgrounds and Lebanese regions and train on a weekly basis. We are proud of our role in training the future stars of basketball”.
Jaroudi concluded by thanking Hayek and Alfa, and hoped that this kind of support will prevail in all companies to benefit all sports clubs, especially in light of the difficult times Lebanon is going through.
The partnership contract for the current season was then signed between Hayek and Jaroudi, followed by the exchange of commemorative shields.
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