Aimed at supporting the development of football fields and sports infrastructure in areas facing problems of water salinity, Bank Muscat presented the first water desalination equipment as part of its green sports initiative to Al Jazeera Sports Team in the wilayat of Al Musannah. HE Abdullah bin Mohammed al Balushi, Majlis Ash’shura member from the wilayat of Musannah, was the guest of honour at the ceremony attended by dignitaries and senior bank officials.
In 2015, the bank widened the scope of green sports initiative offering four options for sports teams to green football fields with natural or synthetic turf, or avail support for flood lights or water desalination equipment to facilitate greening of fields in areas facing problems of water salinity. The move was aimed at providing wider representation to teams to build sustainable sports infrastructure in all parts of the Sultanate.
Saif bin Said Al Filaiti, regional manager – South Batinah, said: “The first water desalination equipment presented to Al Jazeera Sports Team marks a major milestone, reiterating the bank’s commitment to develop green football fields across the Sultanate. We congratulate Al Jazeera Sports Team for utilising the opportunity to benefit from the greening initiative, thereby setting a fine example for other teams in Oman to promote Oman as a sporting nation.”
The green sports initiative launched by Bank Muscat in 2012 has gained momentum with a total of 49 teams across the Sultanate benefiting from it till date. Marking the fifth year of the unique CSR initiative, the bank will soon announce 15 sports teams selected for support to develop football fields in 2016 in line with the ‘Let’s Do More’ vision and partnership to promote Oman as a sporting nation.
Humaid bin Ali Al Balushi, president of Al Jazeera Sports Team, said: “The water desalination equipment presented to Al Jazeera Sports Team is a big boon for the development of sports and the game of football in Oman. We thank Bank Muscat for this laudable gesture. The unique initiative is a big support for the country’s youth and we are confident that many youngsters will benefit from this programme and become sporting heroes for the country.”
The football fields developed as part of the green sports initiative are also serving as a meeting place for children and youth to be engaged in gainful activities. The fields are used to host various activities such as Ramadhan nights, group weddings and other celebrations. Such community activities are helping children and youth develop strong positive character traits.