Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Monday, April 7th 2014 [ME NewsWire]

Sports Activities Enhance Familiarity among Inmates and Improve their Health

The second season of the “Sports for All with No Limits” program for female inmates kicked off at the Punitive & Correctional Institutions Department at Abu Dhabi Police. The event, which runs until the end of the year, is held in partnership with Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and features participation of 170 female inmates of different nationalities. The sport activities include: volleyball, basketball, aerobics, and running, in addition to a set of educational and sports lectures, and medical rests.

Sports is a Rehabilitation Requirement

At the opening ceremony of the “Sports for All with No Limits” activities, Colonel Dr. Abdullah Mohammad Bu Hindi, Director of Al Mafraq Juveniles Care Center at Abu Dhabi Police emphasized the instrumental role of sports as a rehabilitation requirement for female, male, and juvenile inmates. He also noted that sports relieves psychological pressure and fills inmates’ leisure time with useful activities.

Colonel Dr. Bu Hindi explained that sport is a key therapeutic and development method that helps inmates adapt with the new reality, and makes them feel loved and cared for.  “It is highly beneficial to organize sports, recreational, and innovative competitions such as the ‘Sports for All with No Limits’ program, which begins today and continues throughout the year,” he said.

For his part, Colonel Saeed Obaid Makhluf Al Naqabi, Chief of Al Wathba Section at the Punitive and Correctional Institutions Department at Abu Dhabi Police, stressed the vital role of sports in the rehabilitation process of female inmates. “Sports contribute to control inmates’ hostile behavior, and encourage them to show discipline. It also helps positively change community members’ perception about inmates. Moreover, such sport activities relieve psychological and social impacts of incarceration and pressures on female inmates, promotes familiarity among them and improve their physical health,” noted Colonel Al Naqabi.

Colonel Al Naqabi also praised the Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s instrumental role and their keenness to promoting physical sports among all community segments, including the female inmates of the Punitive and Correctional Institutions Department at Abu Dhabi Police. “The second season of ‘Sports for All with No Limits’ is organized following the wide acceptance and success of the first edition among female inmates,” he said.

Supporting all society segments

For her part, Noura Al Ansari, Chief of Women's Sports Section at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, expressed her happiness with the ongoing sports programs and initiatives for female inmates of the Punitive and Correctional Institutions. She reiterated the Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s keenness to supporting all community segments by organizing sports contests and activities that contribute to raising their awareness regarding risks and health issues that result from lack of physical activity and idleness, and the need to practice sport as a daily activity for a healthy life.

Mrs. Al Ansari commended the joint collaboration with the Punitive and Correctional Institutions, which yielded the “Sports for All with No Limits” program for the second consecutive yea.  “The program is regarded as an important and distinguished initiative that Abu Dhabi Sports Council is keen to support and develop as well as to enhance interaction, with the program to serve the target category of female inmates,” she added.

Additionally, Mrs. Al Ansari expressed her delight for the wide contribution and distinguished interaction with the second season of the “Sports for All with No Limits” program for female inmates at the Al Wathba Punitive and Correctional Institution. She also noted that ADSC is dedicated to promoting the sports education among all community segments, and to providing the necessary resources and capabilities to achieve success of this distinguished sports experience within social institutions.

Sports: Food for the Mind and Soul

First Lieutenant Sobha Muflih Zuwaid, Women’s Branch Manager at Al Wathba Section, the Punitive and Correctional Institutions Department at Abu Dhabi Police said that sports activities reflect the police leadership’s attention to the various aspects of care and rehabilitation of male and female inmates at the Punitive and Correctional Institutions, with a view to prepare them and reintegrate them back into society.

She also explained that female inmates are receiving comprehensive care through educational, awareness, social, and sports programs. “Based on these programs, we are seeking to make a real change in their behavior and turn them into righteous members of society,” added First Lieutenant Zuwaid. “There is no doubt that sport is a key factor to reducing negative vibes and channeling physical energy; it also nourishes the mind and soul, proving the old Roman saying: ‘A sound mind in a sound body’.”

Furthermore, First Lieutenant Zuwaid praised Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s collaboration with the Punitive and Correctional Institutions’ Department at Abu Dhabi Police on the second season of “Sports for All with No Limits” program, in order to promote the importance of sports activities for female inmates at the Punitive and Correctional Institutions.

Sports Fosters Self-Esteem

For her part, Aida Al Aziz Al Mohseni from Abu Dhabi Sports Council and female inmates training supervisor, explained that sport is a highly important social activity. She also noted that practicing different sport activities maintains female inmates’ fitness and provides them with new skills, which help them adapt to stress, anxiety and depression often caused by incarceration. “Exercising has also a positive psychological effect, as physical fitness and activity not only increase self-esteem, but also build self-confidence,” she said.

Al Mohseni noted that female inmates have interacted positively with the training on different sports. They have also shown a spirit of fair competition, which contributed to creating a fun-filled atmosphere of enthusiasm, encouragement, and harmony amongst them during the “Sports for All with No Limits” activities.

First Lieutenant Nayef Ayed Al Otaibi, Production and Marketing Branch Manager at the Punitive and Correctional Institutions Department at Abu Dhabi Police praised the positive impact of organizing sporting activities and events for female inmates at the Punitive and Correctional Institutions Department at Abu Dhabi Police, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC). He emphasized the valuable role of this initiative in supporting rehabilitation efforts of female inmates with a view to reintegrate them in society. “Following  the success of the first season of the ‘Sports for All with No Limits’ activities, which spanned over the course of one month last year, we have decide to extend the second season of the event until this upcoming December,” added First Lieutenant Al Otaibi.

Moza Khamis Salem, from the Women Branch at the Punitive and Correctional Institutions Department at Abu Dhabi Police, reiterated the significant attention dedicated by the department to the rehabilitation of female inmates. She noted that sporting activities are one of the most sophisticated aspects of rehabilitation, as they help to protect inmates against heart and pressure diseases and diabetes, in addition to maintaining their physical fitness.

On the other hand, the female inmates expressed their gratitude to the Punitive and Correctional Institutions Department and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council for organizing such sporting events. “Such activities are a valuable opportunity for us to positively change lifestyle, in a psychological and physical way. Not to mention that sporting contests help to strengthening harmony amongst us and reducing stress and negative behaviors,” they said.

The opening ceremony of the second season of the “Sports for All with No Limits” activities was attended by Colonel Dr. Abdullah Mohammad Bu Hindi, Director of the Al Mafraq Juveniles Care Center at Abu Dhabi Police; Colonel Saeed Obaid Makhluf Al Naqabi, Chief of Al Wathba Section at the Punitive and Correctional Institutions Department  at Abu Dhabi Police; First Lieutenant Sobha Muflih Zuwaid, Women’s Branch Manager at Al Wathba Section,  the Punitive and Correctional Institutions Department  at Abu Dhabi Police; Noura Al Ansari, Chief  of the Women's Sports Section at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council; and a large  number of officers from the Punitive and Correctional Institutions Department. It is worth mentioning that the ceremony began with the UAE National Anthem followed by recitations from the Holy Quran, delivered by one of the female inmates. After that, the activities started with a volleyball match between the Head of the ADP Punitive and Correctional Institutions Department team and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council team.

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The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.

Contacts

The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department

Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media

Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317

E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com

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