Kalba Club: First Sand Badminton Court in Region

The Kalba Cultural and Sports Club, in cooperation and strategic partnership with the UAE Badminton Federation, officially opened the first permanent outdoor sand badminton court in the Middle East, in a landmark sporting accomplishment that reflects the club’s leadership and its continued commitment to adopting innovative initiatives and developing individual sports in line with the highest international standards.

The opening ceremony was attended by His Excellency Rashid Saeed bin Freish Al Kindi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kalba Cultural and Sports Club; Ian Wright, Development Director at the Badminton World Federation; Salem Al Mazrouei, Vice Chairman of the UAE Badminton Federation; Abdulrahman Ibrahim Al Darmaki, Board Member and Secretary General; Jassim Mohammed Al Shehhi, Board Member and Director of Team Sports; along with a number of officials from the club and the federation.

The opening of the court is the result of fruitful cooperation and strategic partnership between Kalba Cultural and Sports Club and the UAE Badminton Federation, reflecting the advanced status the club has attained at both regional and international levels, and strengthening its presence as an active partner in supporting and developing the sport of badminton.

This project is the first of its kind in the region, providing an innovative training environment for playing badminton outdoors on a permanent sand surface. It contributes to diversifying training methods, enhancing players’ performance, and attracting new segments of participants to the sport, in line with the shared vision of the club and the federation to expand the base of practitioners.

James Whitfield

James Whitfield is Archysport's racket sports and golf specialist, bringing a global perspective to tennis, badminton, and golf coverage. Based between London and Singapore, James has covered Grand Slam tournaments, BWF World Tour events, and major golf championships on five continents. His reporting combines on-the-ground access with deep knowledge of the technical and strategic elements that separate elite athletes from the rest of the field. James is fluent in English, French, and Mandarin, giving him unique access to athletes across the global tennis and badminton circuits.

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