Damascus, Apr. 20 (SANA) President Ahmad al-Sharaa along with several ministers attended on Monday the inauguration ceremony of al-Fayhaa Indoor Sports Hall in Damascus, carried out by Ministry of Sports and Youth, following its rehabilitation and full preparations to host major basketball tournaments.
The event featured the introduction of the Syrian and Lebanese national basketball teams ahead of a friendly match held to mark the reopening of the hall in its new form.
In remarks during the ceremony, President al-Sharaa expressed pride in attending the event, noting that basketball is among his favorite sports, but had been set aside during years of war.
“What you see today is a beginning, and the future holds much more,” the President said, stressing that Syria is entering a new phase focused on building and reconstruction.
The President pointed to the longstanding ties between the Syrian and Lebanese peoples, describing them as historically strong and positive, despite being affected at times by politics.
“It is wonderful that our first joint activity is a basketball match, where there is neither winner nor loser,” he added.
President al-Sharaa highlighted that the precision you see in this achievement will be the primary trait of the New Syria. Syria and Lebanon are both tired of the tragedies of war. It is time to put an end to that and move toward building and reconstruction.
For his part, Assistant Minister of Sports and Youth Jamal al-Sharif, said the hall has never been merely a structure, but a space where Syrians gather around unity and fair competition.
He noted that reopening the venue in line with international standards signals the return of life to one of Syria’s key sports landmarks, adding that it will serve as a platform for achievements, a home for athletes, and an inclusive space for fans.
He called for preserving and further developing the facility as a shared responsibility, stressing that the stands will remain open to the public as partners in the success of Syrian sports.
The ceremony, attended by a number of ministers and sports and youth figures, included a presentation showcasing the hall before and after rehabilitation, along with various sports performances.
The hall underwent a comprehensive upgrade covering technical and service aspects, elevating it to the level of leading venues in Asia and preparing it to host major basketball events.
Rehabilitation works included installing a new court surface in line with international standards, renovating and reorganizing seating areas, upgrading lighting systems, modernizing scoreboards to display results, timing, and statistics, improving entrances, locker rooms, and Enhanced entry and exit logistics to support large-scale championships.
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