• Sustainability Cricket Match to be held today (Saturday 3 February) between Desert Vipers and Gulf Giants.
• Programme launched to raise awareness in schools about the importance of sustainability and increase the popularity of cricket

Organizing the Sustainability in Sports Summit and Awards Ceremony in October 2024 in collaboration with Sport Spirit Events.

Avram Glazer: We are proud to collaborate with Dubai Sports Council to promote sustainability in sports.

Dubai Sports Council and Desert Vipers announced the launch of an initiative to achieve sustainability in sports stadiums and events in Dubai, organizing the Vipers Cricket Sustainability Match at Dubai International Stadium today (Saturday 3 February 2024), and launching a school programme to introduce sustainability and cricket to all schools in Dubai in collaboration with Sports Spirit Events.

This came during a press conference held at the Dubai Sports Council headquarters, during which His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, Avram Glazer, owner of the Desert Vipers team competing in the DP World T20 Cricket World Cup, and Philip Oliver, CEO of the team, spoke, in the presence of Nasser Aman Al Rahma, Assistant Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, and a number of executive directors of Dubai clubs and organizers of sports tournaments in Dubai.

His Excellency Saeed Hareb said: “Today we meet to unify efforts between the Dubai Sports Council and the Desert Vipers team to promote sustainability in sports for the future of the nation and the world, as sustainability occupies a significant position in the approach of the wise government as well as in the work of the Council and is at the forefront of our goals within the strategic plan for the sports sector 2024-2033, and it also occupies a significant position in the Desert Vipers team, and we are pleased to announce that we are unifying our efforts with this distinguished team to support sustainability applications in our stadiums and sports tournaments. The initiative also includes awareness campaigns and practical applications to make our tournaments and sports sustainable and environmentally friendly.”

Hareb added: “International tournaments have been organized in Dubai that have applied sustainability standards, including the European Tour Golf Championship – Road to Dubai, as well as the SAIL GP race. Today, new cricket tournaments will be added in cooperation with Desert Fiber. In the future, we will work on expanding the initiative to include other tournaments and multiple sports facilities in various sports. We are keen to spread the practice of sports and enhance its position in society for the health and happiness of all. We are also keen for sports to have an effective contribution to a green future for the planet so that we can all enjoy a healthy and happy life for us and for future generations.” Commenting on the collaboration between Desert Vipers and Dubai Sports Council, Avram Glazer, owner of Desert Vipers, said: “This is a proud day for us, and a historic day for Desert Vipers, to partner with Dubai Sports Council to promote sustainability in sport. Dubai Sports Council has a unique approach, and we are delighted to take this important opportunity to chart a path for sporting sustainability that others are struggling to achieve.”

Philip Oliver, CEO of Desert Vipers, said: “Our collaboration is a perfect blend of two sporting organisations with shared goals of accelerating the pace of sustainability in sport in the UAE in general, and in Dubai in particular, and contributing to its achievement as the future of sports movements in the world. At Desert Vipers, we realise that our collaboration with Dubai Sports Council will enable us to make a positive impact on society, helping to protect the environment through the practice and enjoyment of sport now and in the future. Our collaboration with Dubai Sports Council in the field of sustainability is a logical collaboration for both parties, and by working together, we will work to make a tangible difference for sustainability in sport in Dubai and the UAE.” United Arab Emirates, and I would like to extend our sincere thanks to our local partner, Sports Spirit Events, for facilitating this exciting collaboration.”

Saif Mohammed, Founder and Chairman of Sports Spirit Events, expressed his great pride in being part of the collaboration between Dubai Sports Council and Desert Vipers to support sustainability in sports. He said: “Sports Spirit Events is honored to facilitate this collaborative effort, as we act as the official representative of Desert Vipers in the UAE, and together we aim to make a positive difference and set a precedent for environmentally conscious practices in sports through various community engagement and awareness initiatives.”

The Desert Vipers team has shunned single-use plastic water bottles from their dressing room and replaced them with reusable bottles filled with locally sourced water while the Dubai government has banned single-use plastic bags.

The Vipers Sports School has also implemented an extensive education program across all schools in the emirate, in line with Dubai Sports Council’s mission to nurture talent.

Desert Vipers have become the first Dubai-based sports team to join the United Nations Framework on Sport for Climate Action, and Dubai Sports Council has been keen to support the team’s initiative to underscore its commitment to innovation and reward excellence.

The collaboration will highlight the Vipers’ activities, with the Sustainability Match taking place at Dubai International Stadium today (Saturday 3 February) featuring the first-ever recycling of plastic bottles on the pitch. The match, against the Gulf giants, will see a replay of the inaugural 2023 tournament final, and will be attended by the sustainability departments of over 80 UAE companies.

The collaboration between Dubai Sports Council and Desert Vipers also aims to integrate all sports, not just cricket, in raising awareness of the need for sustainability, and will also host the first Sustainability in Sport Summit and Awards Ceremony, with Avram Glazer in attendance, with details of the summit to be announced at a later date.