Football: AFC Awards ceremony to be held at Emirates Palace

(From left) Marwan bin Ghalita, president UAE Football Association; Mohammed bin Hazzam Al Dhaheri, general secretary UAE Football Association; Dato Windsor John, general secretary Asian Football Confederation; and Aref Hamad Alawani, general secretary ADSC, during the ceremony.

The 2016 Asian Football Confederation Annual Awards event will be held on December 1 at the Emirates Palace. The award night is returning to the capital after 10 years and will be a 'brief affair with only 12 awards being given out under six categories'.
AFC general secretary Dato' Windsor John and UAE Football Association general secretary Mohammed Hazzam Al Dhaheri inked the deal at the Emirates Palace Hotel on Tuesday. Abu Dhabi Sports Council general secretary Aref Hamad Al Awani and UAEFA president Marwan Ahmad bin Ghalita were also present.
AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa was delighted at Abu Dhabi hosting the event.

"The Awards event represents the pinnacle of our continent's achievements. Football has grown enormously to command a dominant place in the UAE and we are pleased to hold the annual awards in Abu Dhabi," he said in a statement.
He thanked the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the UAEFA for their support. "I am confident we will witness a glorious night as we celebrate the continent's best talent," he added.
Dato' John said there will be only 12 awards and the rest will be given throughout the year with other events. "It will be six categories with some having three awards. The idea is to keep it brief. It will be one hour event," the AFC general secretary added.
John said Abu Dhabi had requested to host the awards event.
"It was not difficult to say 'yes'. The UAE are the host of 2019 AFC Asian Cup and in preparation for the event we see a lot of good work being done. I am sure Abu Dhabi will put up a good show," he said.
"We have shifted the event's date from November 30 to December 1 considering availability of hotels, VIPs, match dates and Formula One too was a criterion," he added.
Aref Al Awani hopes the Awards Night will have a 'positive effect' on the UAE football. 
"We are getting this event after 10 years (the first time was in 2006). We will be having a lot of events at that time with the National Day, Formula One and if any UAE club makes it the (AFC Champions League) final then that too can be held here. It was a strategic plan to request for to host this event," Al Awani said.
UAEFA president Ghalita was confident the Awards gala will be a world-class show.
"I have full confidence that Abu Dhabi Sports Council will make it a winning event. This will be a good opportunity for networking and showing all our beautiful city and infrastructure. It will also be a good start for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup," Gulaitha added.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com