Tunisian basketball referee Rifaq Dhuklai has achieved her dream of officiating matches at the Dubai International Basketball Tournament, currently in its 35th edition at the Al Nasr Club's hall in Dubai, which concludes today. Dhuklai, who resides in the UAE, has been involved in basketball for 14 years before finally getting the chance to be part of the officiating teams for the current edition. She officiated, alongside Syrian international referee Muhyiddin Khatib and referee Hassan Haji, her first match in the tournament, which was a group stage encounter between Libyan Al-Ahli and Syrian Al-Karama, ending in favor of the Libyan team. Dhuklai told "Al-Ittihad Al-Youm": "The great support that the female element receives in the UAE Basketball Federation, especially with the late Syrian Qasim Dadoosh, an international lecturer who previously held the position of Secretary of the Federation's Technical Committee, as well as the current role model and legend of UAE refereeing Yaqoub Ghabesh, who has refereed over 150 matches in (Dubai League), paved the way for my 14-year refereeing career and contributed to my gradual progress in obtaining the international license and achieving my dream of refereeing matches in this tournament, which is the oldest and most prestigious in the region." She explained: "The Federation's approach to supporting the female element, especially those working in the education sector, had a significant impact in facilitating my gradual integration into the officiating teams and providing various means for success in developing my skills, including undergoing six courses under the auspices of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and two courses under the American Professional Basketball League (NBA)." She added: "The experience I gained over 14 years and the gradual progression in officiating youth-level matches allowed me last year to officiate matches in the UAE Men's League, before I finally had the opportunity to achieve my dream and be on the court as part of the officiating team for the current edition of the Dubai International Tournament." She concluded: "I look forward to seizing this opportunity to return to this tournament in future editions and achieving a new dream: to be the first female referee to blow the final whistle."
