Roberto Carlos , Cantona To Strut Their Stuff In Langkawi

LANGKAWI (Kedah, Malaysia) Jan 28 (Bernama) -- Beach football fans are in for a treat. Two of the biggest names in world football, former internationals Roberto Carlos and Eric Cantona, will strut their stuff at this year’s inaugural Langkawi International Beach Soccer (LIBS) Tournament 2019 from Aug 24-28. The tournament, involving clubs from Spain, Italy, France, Bahrain or Iran, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, will see the champions get US$10,000, runners-up US$5,000 and third-placed team US$3,000. Kedah Youth and Sports, Arts, Culture and Heritage, Entrepreneurship Development and Non-Governmental Organisations Committee chairman Mohd Asmirul Anuar Aris expects the duo’s presence to attract more tourists and, at the same time, boost the island’s tourism industry. He said the state government and Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) fully supported any sports event that could help promote the duty-free island. The Kedah government hopes to make tourism as its main industry so that it can bring good returns to the state and help provide a huge economic impact for the people,” he told a press conference to jointly launch three international championships in Langkawi’s sport tourism calendar this year – LIBS, 16th KFC Langkawi International Premier Regatta (Feb 13-19) and the fourth edition of the Tuba Trail Run (April 20). “All these three events are expected to draw huge numbers of local and foreign tourists.” He said 325 sailors from 20 countries had registered for the regatta, to be held at the National Sailing Training Centre, Kelibang. “Among the countries to have confirmed participation are Hong Kong, China, Bahrain, Kuwait, Thailand, India, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore,” he said, adding that more than 1,000 participants would compete in the three categories – 30km, 15km and four kilometres – of Tuba Trail Run. --BERNAMA