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In another gala night in the United Arab Emirates, the SPIA Awards presented their 2025 awards at Space42 in Abu Dhabi, one of the countries that is most committed to sporting spectacles around the globe. Sixteen awards were presented to events, agencies and other protagonists of the sports industry, in a ceremony that is already a reference in the sector in the Middle East
The host country shared the big piece of the pie, starting with the Goals UAE program, which saw the integrative role of the project recognised at the Abu Dhabi Marathon, which was won last December by Chala Ketema Regasa. Also relevant was the award to Ethara, the company that resulted from the merger of Abu Dhabi Motorsports and Flash Entertainment, which won the award for outstanding contribution to sport in the Middle East. The same company picked up two more accolades for Best Sports Initiative and Best Agency.
Abu Dhabi also won another award, for best sports venue, for Surf Abu Dhabi, or the waves in the middle of a desert. In technological development, Karate Combat triumphed and in sustainability the DP World Tour Green Drive program to end carbon emissions in 2040. Among suppliers, Arena Group was chosen, providing logistics in soccer, golf and horse racing, among others.
In the best sponsorship alliance category, Pepsi won for its agreement with the Saudi Football League, Tik Tok lifted the trophy for best audience engagement and Dubai, last year's host of the big event, had to settle for the well-deserved award for best event of the year, thanks to the final of the former European Golf Tour, the Dubai DP World Tour Championship
Meanwhile, as the best sports program for youth, ahead of the academy that Juventus has in Dubai, was chosen the Active Hub Sports Program with the aim of promoting an active and healthy lifestyle among community . Finally, in the best advertising campaign category, the DP World without borders program was chosen.
There were two more individual awards to Aref Hamad Al Awani, secretary general of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, for his leadership in strategy and Adwa Al-Arifi, the first female board member of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation for her leadership in transformation. MARCA, as the official newspaper of the event, presented several of the awards through Gema Monjas, MARCA's business director, and Adrian Carrion, the newspaper's marketing director.