KUWAIT: Zain, the leading digital service provider in Kuwait, announced its main sponsorship of the third GCC Games' padel competitions. The company's support comes as part of its wider official sponsorship of the GCC Games hosted by the State of Kuwait between 16-31 May and organized by the Kuwait Olympic Committee under the patronage of HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Zain visited the men's and women's padel national teams during their training camp at the Kuwait Sports Club's courts at Kaifan. The teams are preparing to take part in the upcoming playoffs after the Kuwait Olympic Committee officially announced padel among the sports listed for the GCC Games. Padel is a racket sport that witnessed great popularity recently in Kuwait and around the world and features a unique playstyle that consists of a mix of tennis and squash.

The sport is usually played in doubles in a closed court with walls the balls can be played off. The men's playoffs will be held at Yarmouk Sports Club's courts in Mishref, while the women's playoffs are set to be played at Kuwait Sports Club's courts in Kaifan. Zain's support to the padel competitions comes as part of its wider official sponsorship of the third GCC Games in collaboration with the Kuwait Olympic Committee.

Zain officials with Kuwait men's padel team.

The company is keen on supporting the various sports programs and official competitions hosted in Kuwait with the aim of elevating the Kuwaiti sports scene. Zain strongly believes in the role played by the sports sector in progressing national economy and developing the local touristic scene. The third GCC Games features wide participation from GCC national teams in 16 different sports, including fencing, esports, table tennis, swimming, karate, judo, athletics, tennis, shooting, cycling, ice hockey, futsal, basketball, volleyball, handball, and padel - which Zain sponsors.

The games feature the participation of over 1,800 players from across the GCC and are held across 12 sporting venues in Kuwait. The competition also features 300 gold medals, 300 silver medals, and 300 bronze medals to winners. The third GCC games have selected the fox Salmi as the event's official mascot, inspired by the Fennec fox (Al Hesni), one of the icons of Kuwaiti wildlife, known for its ability to live in Kuwait's harsh desert environment and extreme heat.

The company's support to this event springs from its corporate sustainability strategy towards supporting Kuwaiti sports. Zain is a strong believer in the talents and capabilities of the nation's young athletes and continues to support a great number of local athletes who represent Kuwait in local, regional, and international arenas.

As a leading private sector company in Kuwait, Zain is constantly looking to identify and support excellence across the sports sector. The company will continue to put Kuwaiti sports and athletes at the forefront of its priorities and pledges to continue motivating them to achieve all the recognition and support they deserve.