Tag: Football

Tulasidas Balaram, Secunderabad-born football legend, passes away

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Hyderabad: One of India’s legendary footballers Tulasidas Balaram is no more. He was born in Ammuguda in Secunderabad but after playing the major portion of his football career in Kolkata, he decided to continue to live in Kolkata after he retired from the sport. He did not get married and was living alone. He was looked after by a Bengali family who loved him dearly.
When he was a youngster playing in the football grounds of Hyderabad and Secunderabad he was discovered by the legendary football coach Syed Abdul Rahim who fashioned his game and made him one of India’s most feared strikers. Balaram himself stated at a gathering in Hyderabad three years ago: “Rahim saab spotted me, trained me and he made me what I am today. Without his guidance, I would have been nothing. It was all due to his foresight.”
Balaram went on to represent India in two Olympic Games and was also a member of the Indian team which won the gold medal in the Asian Games in 1962. Incidentally, after that India never won the gold medal in the Asian Games.
Victor Amalraj, another renowned footballer from the twin cities knew him well. “Balaram anna often used to come to my house and was very friendly with my children. Whenever we discussed football I was struck by his deep understanding of the finer nuances of the sport. His guidance helped me to progress in my own football career. Balaram anna played for India with great distinction. He was India’s most outstanding player in those days along with P.K. Banerjee and Chuni Goswami,” said Amalraj who was grief stricken after hearing of Balaram’s passing away.
“When I was playing for the big three clubs in Kolkata, I used to run to him and seek his comments before and after every match. When
I used to play for East Bengal, I used to see him standing behind the goalpost and watching our practice almost every day. His career was affected by his ill health otherwise he could have continued to play for a longer duration,” said Amalraj.
Another famous Hyderabad player Shabbir Ali who captained and coached India in his heyday said that Balaram was the pride of the twin cities. “He was an excellent player who was among the best strikers in all of Asia. We all knew Balaram anna to be a marvelously gifted player whose talent and skill were fine-tuned by coach Rahim saab. At the Asian Games in 1962, Balaram scored one goal in the match against Japan and India won 2-0,” said Shabbir Ali.
“He was a very quiet person. Unlike many star players he never showed off, never tried any political games off the field and never even spoke much. We all had great respect for him. The only sad thing was that he did not get the Padma Shree which he richly deserved,” said Shabbir Ali.
According to experts who had seen Balaram in action, his ball distribution was beyond comparison. During his playing days in the East Bengal club in Kolkata, he finished as a second-highest goal scorer with 23 goals in 1959. In 1961, he was appointed captain and led the team admirably. It was one of his best seasons and the Kolkata crowds fell in love with him. But at a later stage,
his relationship with the East Bengal club soured and he felt hurt by the attitude of the club management.

Due to health problems, he ended his playing career when he was still young. However, he became a good coach and he taught his trainees what he had learned from his guru Rahim Sahab. He coached the BNR team and the Kolkata Mayor’s team. His death at the age of 87 has robbed Indian football of a rare gem. His name will live on in the hearts of football lovers all across India.
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#Tulasidas #Balaram #Secunderabadborn #football #legend #passes
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 16, 2023
XFL 3.0: can Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson make spring football work?

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He’s starred in updates of Baywatch and Get Smart, so the Rock has some experience of questionable reboots. Now we’re about to discover whether he can score a box office hit with the third version of the XFL.
The actor, AKA Dwayne Johnson, is a co-owner of the spring American football league, which kicks off on Saturday when the Dallas-area Arlington Renegades host the Vegas Vipers in Choctaw Stadium, the former home of the Texas Rangers baseball team.
The original XFL, a partnership between NBC and what is now World Wrestling Entertainment, imploded after a single season in 2001 as headlines pilloried “sex, booze and sleaze” and television viewers decided that a league promising cameras in cheerleaders’ locker-rooms and Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura as a pundit was not a serious proposition.
Another spring start-up aiming to capitalize on the growing market for live betting – the Alliance of American Football, backed by a Texas-based pickleball mogul – crumbled after only eight weeks in 2019 and filed for bankruptcy.
Still, the wrestling tycoon Vince McMahon tried again in 2020: resurrecting the XFL, dropping the gimmicks, pledging a competition free from anthem kneelers and criminals and reportedly spending $200m, only for the reborn league to shut after five weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic. It promptly filed for bankruptcy.
Enter Johnson, the former pro wrestler, who as a student hoped in vain to be drafted into the NFL then had a brief stint with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He bought the XFL rights for $15m, partnering with his ex-wife, Dany Garcia, and RedBird Capital, a New York-based investment firm that owns AC Milan and Toulouse FC and has partnerships with the New York Yankees and Fenway Sports Group, the owner of Liverpool and the Boston Red Sox.
An XFL representative was unavailable for comment, but the investors clearly believe the 2020 edition was doomed by unfortunate timing, not a lack of potential. Johnson vows a “league of grit and hunger”, since many players nurture ambitions of reaching – or returning to – the NFL.
As in 2020, this year’s iteration features eight teams. Washington, St Louis, Houston, the Dallas area and Seattle return, while Los Angeles, New York and Tampa Bay are out – replaced by Las Vegas, Orlando and San Antonio. The St Louis Battlehawks were arguably the league’s biggest success three years ago as fans embraced the return of professional football after the NFL’s Rams deserted the city for Los Angeles.

To limit costs – which are considerable, given the large rosters, travel, venue hire and health insurance – each team will be based at a hub in Arlington, with players living in hotels and practicing in the area during the week, before travelling to games. There is another important difference from 2020: this time, the XFL has company.
The United States Football League (USFL) aimed to rival the NFL in the mid-1980s but collapsed, in no small part thanks to the hubris of the owner of one of its teams, the New Jersey Generals: a certain Donald Trump. Those days are long gone; the NFL is indomitable. Salaries are far below NFL levels and the XFL even has an agreement with the NFL to share “insights and practices”.
The rebooted XFL shut after five weeks in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic and promptly filed for bankruptcy. Photograph: Michael Owens/Getty Images
A new USFL with some of the old team names began play in 2022. The sides were named for cities in the eastern half of the country: Houston, New Orleans, Michigan (Detroit), Pittsburgh, Birmingham, Tampa Bay, New Jersey and Philadelphia. Oddly (but economically), all the regular-season games took place in Birmingham, leading to sparse crowds. This year the Memphis Showboats replace the Tampa Bay Bandits and the USFL will kick off on 15 April, its start overlapping with the XFL’s climactic weeks. Fixtures will be held in Birmingham, Memphis, Detroit and Canton, Ohio.
Meanwhile, the indoor Arena Football League, which went out of fashion at roughly the same time as center partings and Britpop and was last glimpsed in 2019 – plans to relaunch with 16 teams in 2024. Not to mention assorted other ventures, such as the interactive Fan Controlled Football, due to open its third season in May this year after deploying the former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and the 49-year-old former NFL great Terrell Owens in 2022. Preseason in the Canadian Football League begins in May.
Clearly, this is a lot, especially since the litany of past failures suggests that Americans have limited appetite for spring leagues. And there is only so much playing talent to go around, risking a dilution of the on-field product that turns off potential fans who have grown accustomed to the slick fare, packed stadiums and sense of occasion on offer in the NFL and at the top college level.
And yet … 113 million Americans – a third of the country’s population – watched the Super Bowl last Sunday on Fox while regular-season NFL games averaged 16.7 million viewers. The NFL accounted for 82 of the hundred most-watched US television programmes in 2022, according to Sportico, with college football appearing five times in the chart. Surely some of these viewers want more?
“These [new] leagues are going to live and die on how they are consumed and watched and accepted on television,” says Patrick Crakes, a media consultant and former Fox Sports executive. “If you base it on how much football Americans watch in the fourth quarter of every year, my God, you’d think there’d be room for 12 of these.”
Network executives are keenly aware of the value of live sport in a fractured media landscape. Viewing figures-wise, Crakes says, “Football has stayed kind of flat. So if you stay flat while everything else goes down because the attention’s lower, you gain value.”
Since the XFL has teams that actually set foot in the cities that bear their names, even if merely on weekends, it is likely to feel more authentic and generate more fan engagement than the USFL. The XFL, which has a television deal with ESPN, averaged 1.9 million viewers in 2020, according to Sports Business Journal – higher than Formula 1 and comparable with the highest-profile English Premier League matches.
The USFL averaged 715,000 last year. That may not look like much, but it’s twice as high as MLS, which had an average audience of only 343,000 on ESPN and ABC in 2022 – yet sealed a new $2.5bn, 10-year deal with Apple TV. Forbes reports that the average MLS franchise is worth $579m.
And as Crakes points out: “Fox basically owns the USFL”. While the XFL is beholden to investors who presumably want to turn a profit, the metrics for success probably look different to a broadcaster that runs its own league and so can exert tight control over costs and strategy while having deep enough pockets to fund the competition for several seasons even if it’s initially struggling to make money.
Fox Sports is said to have committed $150m to the USFL over three years. While still profit-driven, it can use the USFL as a proving ground for on-air talent, experiment with broadcast innovations that might graduate to its NFL coverage and refine the business model for possible use in other ventures. For Fox, Crakes says, “this is a low-risk shot to build a cost-efficient program with some value in a time period when they don’t have a lot going on.”
It’s a modest ambition and a far cry from the cultural and commercial phenomenon that is the NFL. But if history is any guide, merely surviving for more than a season or two would be no small achievement for one of these start-ups, let alone both.

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#XFL #Dwayne #Rock #Johnson #spring #football #work
( With inputs from : www.theguardian.com )

February 16, 2023
‘Playing football in heaven’: tributes pour in after boy rescued in Thai cave dies in UK

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Tributes have been paid to Duangpetch Promthep, one of the 12 boys rescued from a flooded Thai cave in 2018, who died in the UK on Tuesday.
Kiatisuk Senamuang, the founder of the Zico Foundation and a mentor to Duangpetch, known also as Dom, wrote in a message: “Have fun playing football in heaven, be what Dom wanted to be, just go for it, go to watch every match you want to.”
Kiatisuk’s foundation had supported Duangpetch, a talented player, to attend a football academy in the UK. Duangpetch was found unconscious in his dorm by a teacher on Sunday and was taken by ambulance to hospital, where he died on Tuesday.
“I wish you have a safe journey, if you are free, please come to visit me or just come to see me coaching,” Kiatisuk wrote on social media. “Tonight I will remember all the memories we had. I don’t know when I can fall asleep. I will remember all the memories. I love you so much.”
Kiatisuk said during an emotional online press conference on Wednesday night that he wasn’t aware Duangpetch had any health conditions. “Dom was very strong and very fit,” he said. “He ran fast, well and didn’t have any issues with injuries.”
The cause of Duangpetch’s death has not been confirmed, but the BBC reported that Leicestershire police had said the death was not suspicious.
It is not clear when a funeral ceremony will be held. During Wednesday night’s press conference, Duangpetch’s mother asked how he would be returned, so that his body or ashes could be repatriated and his soul brought home.
Duangpetch was the captain of the Wild Boars football team whose 12 members, aged 11 to 16 at the time, became trapped in a Thai cave along with their 25-year-old coach in 2018. They had adventured into the cave as a fun excursion, but flash floods filled the tunnels, cutting off their exit.

For more than two weeks they were trapped inside the dark cave complex, while billions of people around the world watched a rescue effort by international divers and Thai Navy Seals bring them to safety. One rescuer died during the mission, and a second rescuer died later from a blood infection.
Ekkaphol Kanthawong, the coach who was trapped alongside Duangpetch in 2018, wrote on Facebook that he had been waiting all day for a miracle, hoping the news of Duangpethc’s death was not true.
“Didn’t you ask me to cheer you once you’re in the national league? Why did you break the promise? Didn’t we make all the plans when you come back to play football and go cycling with us?
“Since you were young, you kept saying that you wanted to play in the national league. Why didn’t you do as you said?” Ekkaphol wrote.
“Rest in peace my little brother, if the next life exists, we will see each other again, Dom.”
Images of Duangpetch, including a photo taken during the 2018 rescue, showing him smiling and wrapped in a foil blanket, appeared on the front of Thai newspapers on Thursday and on TV news.
The British ambassador to Thailand said in a statement that he was saddened to hear of Duangpetch’s death. “My condolences to all his family and friends.”
The Royal Thai embassy in London also conveyed its “deepest sympathies” for the loss of Duangpetch, saying: “Our heartfelt condolences to Dom’s family for the passing of their loved one.”
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#Playing #football #heaven #tributes #pour #boy #rescued #Thai #cave #dies
( With inputs from : www.theguardian.com )

February 16, 2023
Captain of football team rescued from Thai cave in 2018 dies in UK

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Duangpetch Promthep, one of the 12 boys from the Wild Boars football club who were rescued from a flooded Thai cave in 2018, has died in the UK.
Duangpetch, who had moved to the UK to attend a college’s football academy, died on Tuesday, said the Zico Foundation, which had supported his scholarship abroad. His death was also confirmed by Brooke House college in Leicester.
Duangpetch, known as Dom, was found in his dorm by a teacher on Sunday and was taken by ambulance to hospital, Kiatisuk Senamuang, the founder of the Zico Foundation, told an online press conference.
Duangpetch was treated at the hospital until Tuesday but was unresponsive.
Duangpetch had travelled to the UK late last year to attend the college. “Dom was very happy with playing football there,” Kiatisuk said. “Dom was very fast, very smart, full of happiness.”
Ian Smith, the principal at Brooke House college, said: “This event has left our college community deeply saddened and shaken. We unite in grief with all of Dom’s family, friends, former teammates and those involved in all parts of his life, as well as everyone affected in any way by this loss in Thailand and throughout the college’s global family.
“The college is liaising with statutory authorities and the Royal Thai embassy in London, and dedicating all resources to assist our student body, as they as young people process Dom’s passing. Beyond that, we are unable to comment further at this time and would ask for privacy and compassion as we continue to support the students in our care at this time, drawing on the kindness and assistance of the Market Harborough community.”
The cause of Duangpetch’s death has not been confirmed, but the BBC reported that Leicestershire police had said the death was not suspicious.

Before moving to the UK, Duangpetch had written on social media: “Today, my dream has come true because I will become a football student in England.”
Duangpetch was captain of the Wild Boars, the football team that became trapped in Tham Luang cave complex in the Doi Nang Non mountain range in 2018. A 17-day international operation to free the boys captivated the world.
Duangpetch’s teammates were among those who left tributes on social media. “You told me to wait and see when you get the national team’s call-up when we last met before you travelled to England. I was teasing that I need to get your autograph when you get back. Sleep well, my friend,” wrote Prachak Sutham, who was rescued with Duangpetch. Their team had been through a lot together, he said, “both joy and suffering”.
Titan Chanin Viboonrungruang, also from the Wild Boars, wrote: “You used to tell me that we will follow our dream in football. You’re a person who inspires me to improve and catch up with you. If there were to be a next life, I wish that we can play football together again, Dom. You will always be in my memory.”
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#Captain #football #team #rescued #Thai #cave #dies
( With inputs from : www.theguardian.com )

February 15, 2023
Arrest warrant against ex-Indian women’s football coach in POCSO case

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New Delhi: A Delhi court has issued an arrest warrant against former Indian U-17 women’s football coach Alex Mario Ambrose accused of sexually abusing a woman athlete in June 2022 when the team was training in Norway.
The Dwarka court issued the warrant under Section 70 (compel the appearance or arrest of any person or search any place that the court requires) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
The case attracts the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and it was registered against him last year.
The Additional Session Judge during the hearing also issued notice to the surety on breach of the bond for not adhering to the conditions imposed for bail.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on February 25.
Ambrose has been suspended and called back from Norway for alleged “misconduct” with a minor player during a training tour to Europe in June last year.
The 40-year-old, who was suspended from the national governing body of football in India, is accused of alleged sexual misconduct which took place with a minor girl when the Indian team was in Europe preparing for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Claiming “tarnishing his reputation”, Ambrose denied the sexual misconduct charges and sent a legal notice to the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

The notice, issued by his lawyer, called the AIFF’s action “arbitrary and unconstitutional”.
He had said: “My client was forced to admit to what he has never done by putting him under fear, duress and coercion. My client was not allowed to offer any explanation nor was my client intimated or informed about the charges/allegations/accusations levelled against by him.”
The U-17 women’s team had featured in the World Cup in India, which was held from October 11 to 30 last year.
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#Arrest #warrant #exIndian #womens #football #coach #POCSO #case
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 11, 2023
Toyshine Edu-Sports Kids Football Soccer Educational Toy Ball Size 3, 4-8 Year Kids Toy Gift Sports- Fox

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Product Description

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#Toyshine #EduSports #Kids #Football #Soccer #Educational #Toy #Ball #Size #Year #Kids #Toy #Gift #Sports #Fox

February 4, 2023
Saudi Arabia to host 2027 Asian Football Confederation’s Asian Cup

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The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Wednesday, announced that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) won the hosting of the 2027 Asian Nations Cup, for the first time in its history, since its inception in 1956.
This came during the work of the 33rd Congress of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which kicked off on Wednesday, February 1, in the Bahraini capital, Manama.
The Kingdom was the only bid presented at the Congress in Manama after India’s withdrawal in December 2022.
After the announcement, the Saudi Al-Ekhbariya channel quoted Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as saying, “This victory is an opportunity to create the future of football in the Kingdom and the continent of Asia, and we look forward with determination to open new horizons for Asian football.”
The Saudi Minister of Sports, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, expressed, in a speech on the occasion, his country’s welcome to the countries of Asia in 2027, stressing that “the Kingdom is making great strides in hosting the largest international sporting events.”
The Saudi Arabia 2027 committee concerned with the Saudi file to host the 2027 Asian Nations Cup on Wednesday revealed the new and developed stadiums that will be worked on to host the tournament.
هل تخيّلت يومًا أن هذه “الدرّة” بإمكانها أن تصبح أكثر جمالًا؟ 🤩
◉ رفع عدد المقاعد
◉ إزالة المضمار
◉ مرافق جديدة
في #السعودية2027: سيظهر استاد الملك فهد بهذا الشكل 🔥😍 pic.twitter.com/GACbzctxoO
— Saudi 2027 (@saudi2027) February 1, 2023
On October 17, the AFC Executive Committee selected a shortlist of those wishing to host the continental event held once every four years, which included Saudi Arabia and India, but the final decision to be made by the General Assembly, postponed it until early February.
The Kingdom obtained the vote of 43 countries to organize the 2027 Asian Nations Cup out of 45 votes, and Palestine and Turkmenistan abstained from voting.

It is noteworthy that Qatar will host the next edition of the Asian Cup, from June 26 to July 16, 2023.

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#Saudi #Arabia #host #Asian #Football #Confederations #Asian #Cup
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Saudi Arabia: Will football become a major factor in making an impact on the world map?

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Dubai: Till now, the economic and social impact of football was largely visible only in Latin American countries, but after the successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup by Qatar, the way Arab countries have realised the power of this game and started working in that direction is commendable and also going to become an example of foresight.
Football is an important part of Saudi Arabian culture and has been played for many years. With the recent signing of football superstars like Ronaldo, Saudi Arabia’s Al Nasr Club has signed a deal worth Rs 170 billion, indicating that Saudi Arabia wants to use football to promote tourism and culture in the country.
The manner in which Cristiano Ronaldo has been given a luxurious 5-star suite of 17 rooms to live in, as well as exemption from the law which prohibits unmarried cohabitation, it is clear that the purpose of this agreement and its effect is not going to be limited to playfield.
Two of Saudi Arabia’s biggest clubs, Al Nassr and Al Hilal, are investing heavily in their teams to make them globally competitive. This has increased interest in the sport among both locals and tourists alike.
Al-Nassr’s rival Al Hilal is reportedly making a whopping offer of 24 billion rupees per season for Argentine striker Lionel Messi, according to a report in Barca Universal. Al Hilal is said to be Al Nassr’s biggest rival.
Messi’s contract with his French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is set to expire in June, and the Saudi club is keen to sign him as soon as possible. Al Hilal is currently not allowed to add any players until the next transfer window, according to regulations, but they are open to signing the Argentine star now and allowing him to join the club in the summer.
Speaking to IANS, former Gulf News editor Bobby Naqvi said, “Football is also being used as a tool for social change in Saudi Arabia. It has been able to bring together people from different backgrounds and cultures. It is helping, as well as providing an outlet for young people who previously did not have access to entertainment or other forms of entertainment.”
“Football’s popularity is growing in Saudi Arabia year by year and now it has become an important part of the culture. Players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Neymar have played at Al Nassr, Al Hilal, and Al Wehda.

“With news of signings for teams such as Saudi Arabia, it is inevitable that more people from around the world will be attracted to watch sports in Saudi Arabia. This increased interest will contribute to an influx of tourists resulting in increased ticket sales, merchandise May contribute to the economy through growth in sales, hospitality, and business.
“These efforts are part of Saudi Vision 2030, a national transformational roadmap launched in 2016. The roadmap aims to position Saudi Arabia as an economic powerhouse in the world. Saudi Arabia strives to establish itself as an attractive destination for visitors and investors and to provide excellent quality of life to its people. Football has much to offer to Saudi Arabia and can be seen as a step toward cultural progress.”
As part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s vision 2030, Saudi Arabia prioritised sports in 2016. Since then, the sports industry in Saudi Arabia has been progressing toward three major goals. Increasing community participation in sports to 40 per cent by 2030, improving Saudi athletes’ overseas exposure, and boosting the sports economy.
One of the goals of Vision 2030 was to make the state a hub for top professional sporting events, which would have significant implications for the country, such as job creation.
According to the 2020 Sports Ministry report, the sports sector created more than 14,000 jobs that year. In addition, jobs in sports clubs have increased by 129 per cent over three years due to new sporting offerings. Between 2018 and 2021, administrative jobs grew by 156 per cent, while career opportunities in sports increased by more than 114 per cent.
The economic impact of tourism is another important benefit of hosting sporting events in the Kingdom, as these events contribute to an increase in the number of foreign visitors from around the world who can spend money and boost the Saudi economy.
According to the ministry, sporting events generated 36.9 million Saudi riyals ($9.8 million) in ticket revenue and visitor spending in 2020. In addition, the sports sector contributes to hotel spending and the hospitality industry in general. Both the cities of Jeddah and Riyadh host events such as Formula E, Formula 1 and Race on the Red Sea during the first eight months of 2022.
One of Saudi Arabia’s biggest obstacles in promoting sports was the low participation of women. Top-down reforms have helped address this problem. In 2018, families-not just men-were allowed to enter the stadium. Following this change, the number of participants in athletic events increased by 152 per cent.
To encourage women’s participation in sports, the Ministry of Education issued a decision in 2017 to implement sports classes in girls’ schools, which were not previously available in public schools. All these reforms helped women’s participation in sports skyrocket by 150 percent from 2015 to 2019. Today, the state has over six thousand female athletes and twenty-seven women’s sports teams.
Saudi Arabia has participated in the FIFA World Cup six times and the number of clubs playing professional football in Saudi Arabia is over 100, with 16 clubs playing in the Saudi Professional League, 20 clubs in the First Division, 28 clubs in the Second Division and 32 in the Third Division.
As India has withdrawn the bid to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, Saudi Arabia is left as the sole bidder for it, and it is for Saudi Arabia to claim the FIFA World Cup after successfully hosting the Asian Cup.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly preparing to stake claim to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. If we talk about Arab countries, then this country with a population of about 36 crores has always been enthusiastic about sports. Saudi Arabia has also won many medals in the Summer Olympic and Winter Olympic Games.
Apart from football, equestrian sports, horserace, athletics, formula one, and karate are also very much liked by the people of Saudi Arabia and their participation is visible. As it is clear that Saudi wants to separate its economy from oil, sports and tourism can become its main source of income. In the coming days, we can see a lot of sports-related activities here.
Saudi Arabia, a mostly desert country with summer temperatures touching 50 degrees Celsius, has been chosen to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games and is building one such sports complex in the $500 billion mega-city Neom. which will remain cold and snowy year-round for the winter sports complex.
The Saudi capital Riyadh will host the Asian Games in 2034.
Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal told media that hosting the Olympics was the kingdom’s “ultimate goal”. Saudi money has knocked the world of golf with the LIV tour of golf by investing huge money. Top players have been lured by record-breaking prize money and hefty sign-on fees. Former world number one Dustin Johnson has been one of the major beneficiaries, earning $35 million in total prize money in the inaugural season – having been given $150 million just for agreeing to play. The LIV will expand its 54-hole, part-team format this year to a 14-tournament international event offering a record $405 million in prize money.
In cricket, Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil exporter and one of its richest companies, began sponsoring major events organised by the International Cricket Council, including the men’s and women’s ODI and T20 World Cups. Saudi Arabia has overtaken horse racing with the $20 million Saudi Cup, the world’s richest race. The last two editions have been won by Saudi-owned horses.
Not only Saudi, but other neighbouring countries are continuously investing to build Arab ownership and influence in football.
Qatar wants to invest in the English Premier League (6 billion Pounds), the world’s richest and most watched league, with its Sports Fund (QSI). Recently held investment talks with London-based club Tottenham Hotspur. Qatar has bought a 22 percent stake in Portuguese club SC Braga for 19 million Pounds. QSI is also exploring options in Belgium, Spain, and Brazil.
The English Premier League is closely related to the Gulf countries. The royal family of Abu Dhabi bought Manchester City Club in 2008. The club has won the Premier League 6 times since Abu Dhabi bought Manchester City and Manchester City is also in financial profit. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) bought English Premier League club Newcastle United in 2021 for 300 million Pound. Qatar also owns beIN- the sports broadcaster for Europe and the Middle East. Apart from football, Qatar is now taking interest in Squash, Tennis, and Formula One with its Sports Fund (QSI).
Another important factor behind the promotion of tourism through sports and games is the nomadic nature of the Saudi people. Every year, about $50 billion is spent by Saudis travelling abroad. It is the effort of the Saudi government to give the young generation of working age above 35 years the option to spend within the country.
In Saudi Arabia, 60 per cent of the population is under the age of 35, who are standing with Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the winds of Saudi change. This is a Saudi population that is educated abroad, speaks English, and is ready to be a change agent with technology.
According to statistics, tourists in Saudi Arabia spent 27 billion riyals ($7.19 billion) during the first six months of 2022, making tourism one of the most promising sectors in the kingdom.
The Investment Ministry said that 3.6 million foreign tourists visited the kingdom during the second quarter of the year, which greatly contributed to the plan to diversify sources of income as part of Vision 2030. Saudi Arabia aims to become a top five global destination by 2030, and to this end opens the country to foreign tourism and investment.
Turki Alalsheikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, said six million people attended the Riyadh Season 2022 winter festival within a month of its launch on October 21.
Saudi Arabia has opened its borders to international luxury hospitality brands and welcomed foreign visitors for the first time to its ancient heritage sites and pristine coastline while opening up new wonders for the world to see.
With the inclusion of sporting and entertainment events around the world, Saudi Arabia is creating more opportunities for its citizens and foreign tourists to explore. According to Saudi Vision 2030, the country aims to increase the private sector’s contribution to GDP to 65 per cent by 2030. Saudi Arabia has also allowed its citizens to rent Airbnb-style property through a new portal similar to the global rental marketplace.
The recent announcement of Saudi Entertainment Ventures, to invest more than SAR 50 billion to build 21 entertainment destinations that will provide unique and innovative world-class entertainment experiences and global partnerships from within the sector.
SEVEN recently announced the beginning of construction of its entertainment destination in the Al Hamra district of Riyadh as well as the location of the upcoming projects in 14 cities across the Kingdom: Riyadh, Kharj, Makkah, Jeddah, Taif, Dammam, Khobar, Al Ahsa, Madinah, Yanbu, Abha, Jazan, Buraidah, and Tabuk.
Saudi Entertainment Ventures has announced the beginning of construction of its entertainment destination in Tabuk.
With a development value of more than SAR 1 billion, SEVEN’s entertainment destination in Tabuk will transform the entertainment landscape in the region with a wide range of attractions and experiences.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 29, 2023
Saudi Arabia women’s football team wins first-ever int’l tournament

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Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) marked another milestone as the women’s football national team won its first-ever international friendly tournament, which was hosted by the city of Dammam, between January 11 and 19.
Four women’s teams participated in the international friendly tournament— Pakistan, Comoros and Mauritius, in addition to Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi women’s team achieved the championship, after a draw against Pakistan (1-1) on Thursday evening, at the Prince Saud bin Jalawi Sports City Stadium in Al-Rakah.
Al-Bandari Mubarak scored Saudi’s goal, in the 28th minute of the match, before Pakistan women equalized with a goal in the 64th minute.
The women of the Saudi national team won the championship after topping the group with 7 points.
The women of the Saudi national team achieved a record in the tournament, as they conceded only one goal, which made Sarah Khaled, the Greens goalkeeper, win the title of the best goalkeeper in the tournament.
The match was led by Anoud Al Asmari, who became the first Saudi female referee to receive an international badge from FIFA.
In February 2022, the Saudi women’s football team achieved a historic victory over Seychelles with two clean goals, in its first official match in its football career.

In August 2022, Saudi Arabia expressed its desire to host the Asian Cup in women’s football in 2026, in an additional step towards involvement in women’s football.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 21, 2023
These Things Are Banned By Qatar At Football World Cup 2022 – The Chenab Times

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The 2022 FIFA World Cup, the biggest football spectacular of the year, began on November 20 in Qatar. The tournament has only been going for four days, but because of the strict regulations the Qatari government has put in place, there have already been a number of controversies. Qatar’s authorities have made it clear that they want to be welcoming to the supporters, but they also expect everyone to respect their traditions and laws. The laws and cultural practises of Qatar, particularly its rules around alcohol, drugs, sexuality, and dress code, have been asked by fans.
Here is the list of banned things:
Alcohol
Officials made the unexpected announcement that viewers won’t be able to drink beer at the nation’s eight World Cup stadiums just two days before the tournament’s opening match. The Guardian reports that alcohol will only be sold in hospitality boxes and in fan zones after 7 p.m. for £12 (Rs. 1164) for a 500ml bottle of Budweiser.
Food
Food of any kind cannot be brought in, except for food for babies or when it is necessary for medical reasons, according to Yahoo News. The kiosks located on the stadiums’ first floors will serve food and soft drinks to spectators.
Rainbow Hats
The Arab country that forbids homosexuality clamped down on wearers of Rainbow T-shirts and hats. A former football player was ordered to take off a rainbow bucket hat before entering the stadium, and an American journalist was reportedly momentarily detained by security personnel on Monday when he attempted to enter the World Cup stadium wearing a rainbow-themed t-shirt. The FIFA World Cup 2022 would also forbid fans from flying pride flags.
Revealing clothes
It has been suggested that foreign visitors wear clothing that is not overly exposing. According to Qatari legislation, if one doesn’t do this and shows too much skin, they might potentially go to jail.
The official tourism website for Qatar states, “Although there is no strict dress code in Qatar, visitors (both men and women) are nonetheless asked to respect the local way of life by refraining from wearing unnecessarily revealing clothing in public. In general, it is advised that both men and women wear clothing that covers their shoulders and knees.”
Playing football
Fans have been instructed not to play the game outside the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, which is one of the greatest ironies ever. On Wednesday afternoon, a small group of visitors from various nations decided to play a quick game. However, authorities quickly intervened and told the group to disperse, according to Metro.
Singing And Chanting On Metro
It is typical for fans at a major sporting event to be a little boisterous while cheering on their team. Fans have been asked to tone down the “noise,” though. According to a Daily Star report, police in Qatar warned enthusiastic World Cup supporters they were chanting too loudly after receiving a complaint from an irate local on the metro.

Sporting Equipment And Inflatable Items
Frisbees, bicycles, rollerblades, skateboards, kick scooters, electric scooters, and inflatable objects like balloons are prohibited within the stadium, according to Stuff.co.nz. The activities do not allow the use of large goods like steps, benches, folding chairs, crates, cardboard containers, umbrellas, large bags, backpacks, luggage, and sports bags.
Musical Instruments
According to a Sky News report, loud noise-making equipment and devices are not permitted inside the stadium. This applies to whistles, loudspeakers, vuvuzelas, etc.

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November 24, 2022