CapitaLand Investment’s wholly owned lodging business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), organized the fourth edition of its Futsal tournament, the Ascott Premier League. The tournament saw Chennai’s elite diplomatic community coming together for the coveted title.
This year the tournament was organized in association with Honorary Consular Corps Diplomatique (HCCD) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Refugee Agency. Dayanidhi Maran, Member of Parliament and P. K. Sekar Babu, Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Government of Tamil Nadu were the chief guests at the event.
Speaking at the event, Supriya Malhotra, Ascott’s Area General Manager said, “We are delighted to be hosting our fourth edition of the Ascott Premier League and have the unwavering support of Chennai’s diplomatic community. The objective of this year’s Ascott Premier League is to promote fitness and camaraderie amongst the diplomatic community based in Chennai but most importantly to throw light on the plight of refugees who get uprooted from their homeland. We hope this paves the way for more such collaborations in the future.”
Kiri Atri, Assistant External Relations Officer at UNHCR said: “Sport is an important part of the UNHCR’s mandate to protect and empower displaced children and youth, as well as promote social inclusion and develop positive relationships with host communities.
Sport has more to offer than just physical rewards. It promotes physical and mental well-being, teamwork, friendship, and respect among the forcibly displaced and those who host them, as well as understanding and positive relationships between them and those who host them. The UNHCR’s collaboration with the Ascott in achieving these objectives is fruitful and welcomed.”
The trophy for Ascott Premier League was unveiled in a glittering ceremony at Radio Room on 9th December 2021 by Dr Ishari K. Ganesh, Founder and Chairman of Vels University and Vels Film International, Dr. Yashwanth Kumar Venkataraman, Honorary Consul El Salvador and Mr Jose Charles Martin of Whistle Urban Sports Hub, in the presence of other dignitaries from the diplomatic community.
The Ascott Premier League took place on 12th December, Sunday, at Whistle Urban Sports Hub (indoor Futsal court) in Nungambakkam. The eight teams that participated in the tournament this year were Consulates of Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Russia and UK, along with one team comprising of Honorary Consuls in Chennai and one team representing UNHCR. The UNHCR team comprised of refugees that the organization is supporting.
Two groups of four teams each competed within the group. After winning 3 rounds each in the Group level, the UNHCR team comprising of refugee players from the Thiruvathur camp and Team Russia played against each other in the finals. UNHCR beat Russia 4-0 and were declared the champions of Ascott Premier League 2021. Mahindra XUV 700 and Yash Dental Hospital also partnered in organizing this event.
