DUBAI (FIBA U17 World Championship) - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Basketball Association has signed world leading companies Emirates Airline and Dubai Duty Free as sponsors for the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship.

Emirates will serve as the Presenting Sponsor and Official Airline of the Championship, while Dubai Duty Free will be the Event Sponsor as well as the Team Sponsor of the host country's national side.

The 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship takes place in Dubai, UAE from Friday 8 to Saturday 16 August 2014.

This marks the first time that the UAE and Middle East region hosts a FIBA World Championship, resulting in strong support from the local business community.

For Emirates Airlines, this is their first time being associated in an international basketball tournament.

Ismail Al Gargawi, President of the UAE Basketball Association said: “This is a great success for the UAE Basketball Association and for basketball in general. Emirates Airlines, one of our most iconic local companies has pledged its support for basketball. We are also proud to have the support of Dubai Duty Free for this historical basketball event, and their support will help us organise an event that will be a truly special experience for participants, visitors and locals alike."

Emirates Airlines, with a fleet of 220 aircraft, currently flies to 143 destinations in 81 countries around the world, and the network is expanding constantly.

Emirates has been committed to sports sponsorships from football to tennis, rugby and golf in both the UAE and around the world for over 20 years. As Presenting Sponsor and Official Airline of the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship, Emirates has added basketball to the list of sports for which it shows strong support both locally and internationally.

Dubai Duty Free, which employs 6,000 people, has grown to become one of the leading airport retailers in the world.

Over the past three decades, Dubai Duty Free has developed strong links to several sports, running its own ATP and WTA tennis tournaments as well as supporting a number of other events which include Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters, Emirates Airlines Dubai Rugby 7’s, and UIM Skydive Dubai XCAT World Powerboat Series to name a few. By signing a long-term agreement with the UAE Basketball Association, Dubai Duty Free has once again proven its support for local and international sports.

The 16 teams from across FIBA's five zones that will compete in the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship are: Angola, Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Serbia, Spain, UAE and USA.

The action will take place in Al Ahli Arena and Al Wasl Arena and the Hamdan Sports Complex.

FIBA