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Mideast’s first baseball league announces completion of Dubai ballpark

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Baseball United Chairman and CEO Kash Shaikh speaking at the Dubai Sports Council. (Supplied)
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Updated 06 November 2024
Arab News
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Mideast’s first baseball league announces completion of Dubai ballpark

  • Baseball United Ballpark at The Sevens will be unveiled with the Arab Classic International Baseball Tournament running Nov. 7-10
Updated 06 November 2024
Arab News

DUBAI: The Middle East’s first professional baseball league has completed the construction of a Dubai ballpark in just 38 days.

The Baseball United Ballpark is the first baseball ground in the region. It will debut to the public beginning this week with the Arab Classic Tournament, which will see nine nations from the GCC and South Asia take part in the largest international baseball tournament in the region’s history.

Baseball United Chairman and CEO Kash Shaikh shared the news of the ballpark — as well as several other record-setting milestones — at a press conference held in partnership with Dubai Sports Council and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

Prominent figures attended, including Baseball United co-owners and Major League Baseball legends Barry Larkin, Mariano Rivera, Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus. Government officials from the UAE, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic were also present.

“We have come a long way in a short time,” said Shaikh. “In just two short years — fueled by the belief and support of the Dubai government, regional baseball federations, baseball legends, baseball fans around the world, and the will and resilience of our own Baseball United team — we’ve all made history. And we’ve made that history over and over again. I say that with no exaggeration or hyperbole, because everything we are doing together has truly never been done before.

“Together, we’ve transported a completely new sport to a completely new part of the world, and we’ve built another bridge to connect people to Dubai as one of the world’s greatest sports and entertainment destinations.”

Baseball United’s historic milestones include:

- The expansion of its ownership to 20 baseball legends. In addition to Larkin, Rivera, Beltre and Andrus, top players such as Albert Pujols, Felix Hernandez, Robinson Cano, Robinson Chirinos, Ryan Howard, Bartolo Colon and Ronald Acuua Jr. are part of the investment group. These players have more than 300 years of combined professional baseball experience, 80 MLB All-Star appearances and 15 World Series Championships titles.

- The launch of Baseball United’s official merchandise line in Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and The Galleria Mall (Abu Dhabi) in partnership with GO Sport. Official baseball jerseys will be available for sale for the first time, including the jerseys of all four inaugural Baseball United franchises: Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Mid East Falcons and the Dubai-based Arabia Wolves.

- The formation of the first-ever UAE National Baseball Team in partnership with Emirates Cricket Board. The new UAE team will play its first-ever match at 1 p.m. GST on Thursday against India. It will also face off against Pakistan at 8 p.m. GST the same day.

- The completion of the first-ever professional baseball field in the history of the region. Baseball United Ballpark, with field dimensions mirrored after the iconic Yankee Stadium, is the only professional field within 10,000 km of Dubai. The field will be home to all Baseball United events, tournaments and its upcoming league season, as well as serve as a launchpad for international events with top baseball teams from around the world.

- The opening of the Arab Classic International Baseball Tournament from Nov. 7-10 at Baseball United Ballpark at The Sevens. Nine nations from the GCC and South Asia will take part in the largest and most competitive international baseball tournament in the history of the region with four consecutive days of baseball at the new Baseball United Ballpark. Twenty-one games will be played in morning and evening sessions, with the championship held on Nov. 10. Evening games will be streamed for free at baseballunited.com.

Tickets for all sessions are available via Platinumlist. Ticket prices begin at AED49 ($13).

“We are so excited that — for the first time in history — all these national baseball teams from the subcontinent and the GCC will finally have a stage to showcase their passion, their talent and their development,” said Shaikh. “Growing the game at the grassroots and national team levels is so important to our mission at Baseball United. We know that this is where and how we build the foundation of this sport in the region. We transformed an empty oval of dirt and dust into a world-class baseball field in just 38 days so that these national teams and their players would be the first to play at our new ballpark.

“Our new field will enable so many other opportunities like this one for so many countries, communities and athletes,” he added. “It is truly a game-changer for Dubai and the region. We can’t wait to host everyone at the ballpark.”

Acclaim for Bounou, Al-Dawsari as world reacts to Al-Hilal’s performance against Real Madrid

Updated 3 sec ago
Arab News
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Acclaim for Bounou, Al-Dawsari as world reacts to Al-Hilal’s performance against Real Madrid

  • New coach Simone Inzaghi’s tactics praised after Saudi club’s impressive 1-1 draw in FIFA Club World Cup
  • It was on social media, however, that the impact of Al-Hilal’s performance reverberated most
Updated 3 sec ago
Arab News

DUBAI: An impressive 1-1 draw by Al-Hilal against Spanish giants Real Madrid in the FIFA World Club Cup has drawn praise from football fans and media alike, with goalkeeper Yassine “Bono” Bounou and captain Salem Al-Dawsari receiving particular attention.

Al-Dawsari caused a stir among the media, who recalled his heroics in scoring Saudi Arabia’s winner against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, while Bounou was a key player for Morocco who reached the semifinals in the same tournament.

There was also recognition of the role played by Simone Inzaghi, the new Al-Hilal coach, who took over the reins following his departure from UEFA Champions League finalists Inter Milan.

“For Al-Hilal, many foreign players who now play for the club have experience at top teams and stages of tournaments, like Manchester City and World Cup semifinals,” wrote the Washington Post after the encounter at Hard Rock Stadium in Washington.

“Inzaghi has made a big step after guiding Inter Milan to two Champions League finals, now stepping out of his comfort zone.”

Al Jazeera said Real Madrid had labored to the 1-1 result draw against a spirited Al-Hilal and that “Simone Inzaghi’s men showed defensive grit and enough attacking intent to rattle their illustrious opponents.”

The BBC compared the Al-Hilal coach’s debut to that of opposite number Xabi Alonso, saying: “Inzaghi will likely be the more satisfied, with his unfancied Al-Hilal side impressing and threatening to deliver a remarkable result even without a prolific marksman of their own, given Aleksandar Mitrovic was ruled out through injury.”

It was on social media, however, that the impact of Al-Hilal’s performance reverberated most.

Many commenters highlighted the challenges posed by 33-year-old Al-Dawsari to Real Madrid debutant Trent Alexander Arnold, who was involved in one of the most high-profile transfers of the summer when he joined the Saudi club from Liverpool just weeks ago.

“I was raving about Salem Al-Dawsari during the Arabian Gulf Cup as one of the best players I have ever seen. An unbelievable talent and Real Madrid found that out for themselves,” journalist David Rhys Williams wrote on X.

Seb Stafford-Bloor of The Athletic echoed the sentiments in his own tweet: “Salem Al-Dawsari is a super player — and he’s had an excellent half. Causing all kinds of problems down Real’s right.”

One user said: “Trent getting dunked on by Salem Al-Dawsari,” while another commented: “Trent getting cooked by Al-Dawsari.” Others posted memes of the Al-Hilal player’s success in the head-to-head battle.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois praised Bounou after a stoppage-time penalty save against Frederico Valverde secured a precious point for Al-Hilal.

“Fede has a very strong shot but he does not look at the keeper. Bounou moved early and could reach it. Bounou is good at penalties,” said Courtois.


On X, @Medias24, with over 180,000 followers, said: “A world-renowned drill specialist, Yassine Bounou, once again demonstrated his instincts against Real Madrid. Marca praises him, FIFA celebrates him, and the numbers confirm: the Moroccan goalkeeper has become a global icon.”

Meanwhile Moroccan football account @MoroccanGrinta proudly tweeted: “Penalty in the 90th minute against Real Madrid? Not a problem when you have Yassine Bounou. The Atlas Lion delivers a masterclass and secures a crucial point for Al-Hilal.”

Sports News Africa posted a video of Bounou’s save and said: “We’ll let you watch yet another save from the best African goalkeeper in history against the GREAT Real Madrid. Yassine Bounou…”

Topics: Salem Al-dawsari FIFA Club World Cup real madrid Al-Hilal

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Olympic leader Bach got 10 percent raise in 2024 payment that trails far behind soccer’s elected leaders

Updated 47 min 11 sec ago
AP
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Olympic leader Bach got 10 percent raise in 2024 payment that trails far behind soccer’s elected leaders

  • Bach on Monday will formally hand over to President-elect Kirsty Coventry
  • The IOC has classed the 71-year-old Bach as a volunteer on a full-time executive mission
Updated 47 min 11 sec ago
AP

GENEVA: The International Olympic Committee paid its president Thomas Bach $350,000 in 2024, the Olympic body said Friday — a 10 percent raise for his final full year in office after a two-year freeze.

The payment, or “indemnity” in Olympic language, revealed in its annual report is small compared to soccer bodies that, like the IOC, are based in Switzerland and count annual revenue in billions.

Bach on Monday will formally hand over to President-elect Kirsty Coventry, who will start an eight-year initial term as the Olympic body’s first female leader and first from Africa.

The IOC has classed the 71-year-old Bach as a volunteer on a full-time executive mission who “should not have to finance activities related to his function from his personal savings.”

Bach, who also gets living allowances, was paid from 12 percent to 15 percent what soccer gives its top elected officials.

FIFA paid its president Gianni Infantino $5.2 million in taxable salary and bonus last year, plus other expenses. Infantino also is among the 109 IOC members and so can claim $7,000 each year for office costs and $450 daily allowance when on Olympic business.

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin got almost $4.3 million in taxable income last year, including $300,000 from FIFA as one of its vice presidents.

It is unclear if the 41-year-old Coventry will be a salaried president of the IOC instead of officially a volunteer. The IOC was asked for comment.

The two-time Olympic champion in swimming left her job as sports minister of Zimbabwe after winning the seven-candidate IOC election in March.

Bach’s annual payment has been decided by the IOC’s ethics commission on the stated principle “the president should not financially benefit from his position.”

The German lawyer held a series of business consultancies and board of director seats before being elected in 2013 to lead the IOC.

The IOC paid Bach 225,000 euros ($259,000) in 2020. It rose to 275,000 euros ($317,000) in the year of his re-election, 2021, then was frozen for each of the next two years.

International sports bodies have typically published details of leadership pay as part of governance reforms, particularly after corruption scandals in soccer.

Topics: Thomas Bach International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kirsty Coventry

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Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers postponed, relocated due to Israel-Iran conflict

Updated 20 June 2025
Reuters
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Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers postponed, relocated due to Israel-Iran conflict

  • Preliminary matches involving Jordan, Iran, Lebanon, Bhutan and Singapore were due to kick off on Monday
  • The Group A qualifiers will now take place from July 7 to 19
Updated 20 June 2025
Reuters

BEIRUT: Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers scheduled for next week in Jordan have been postponed until July and moved to Qatar due to the air war between Iran and Israel, the Asian Football Confederation confirmed on Friday.

Preliminary matches involving Jordan, Iran, Lebanon, Bhutan and Singapore were due to kick off on Monday and run through to July 5.

The Group A qualifiers will now take place from July 7 to 19, with further details regarding venues and match timings yet to be confirmed by the regional body.

The Football Association of Singapore had earlier said that the matches had been postponed by the AFC due to the “ongoing situation in the region and logistical concerns” raised by several participating member associations.

Qualifiers for the competition will begin elsewhere in the region on Monday, with the draw for the finals to be held on July 29. The 12-team tournament will be played in Australia next March.

Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, saying it aimed to prevent its longtime enemy from developing nuclear weapons.

Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel. It says its nuclear program is peaceful.

Topics: Iran-Israel Conflict Women's Asian Cup qualifiers Jordan Lebanon

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Record participation as UAE students compete in annual contest at Yas Island

Updated 20 June 2025
Arab News
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Record participation as UAE students compete in annual contest at Yas Island

  • The ADNOC Yas in Schools National Finals 2025 will bring together 1,400 students, 310 teams, and 113 schools with contests in F1 in Schools, Formula Ethara, and 4x4 in Schools
Updated 20 June 2025
Arab News

ABU DHABI: The 15th edition of the ADNOC Yas in Schools National Finals kicked off at Yas Marina Circuit, featuring a record-breaking number of participants from across the country. This year, 1,400 students representing 113 schools and 310 teams are competing in a series of STEM-focused competitions that run until June 22.

The event, a flagship initiative in the UAE’s youth and education landscape, aims to foster skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through hands-on projects and competitive challenges. The finals include contests in F1 in Schools, Formula Ethara, and 4x4 in Schools, which emphasize engineering, design, sustainability, and teamwork.

Throughout the week, students will demonstrate their abilities by engineering miniature race cars, developing branding and sponsorship strategies, and presenting their projects to judges. The winners of the F1 in Schools category will represent the UAE at the global finals later this year.

Ali Al-Beshr, general manager of Yas Marina Circuit, said: “This year’s finals showcase the ambition, creativity, and skill that define the ADNOC Yas in Schools program. We are proud to support ADNOC’s commitment to youth empowerment, sustainability, and STEM development, and to watch the UAE’s next generation rise to the challenge.”

The competition aligns with national priorities to nurture a knowledge-based economy and promote sustainable innovation. Notably, many participating teams include students from underrepresented groups, with sustainability integrated into their engineering designs and presentations.

Since its inception, the program has contributed over 1 million hours of student engagement across more than 1,100 schools nationwide. The event supports ADNOC’s corporate social responsibility efforts and aligns with the UAE’s broader goals in education, sustainability, and economic development.

The winners will be announced during an online awards ceremony scheduled for June 24.

 

Topics: Abu Dhabi UAE

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No. 1 tennis player Jannik Sinner featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single

Updated 20 June 2025
AP
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No. 1 tennis player Jannik Sinner featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single

  • Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner is featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single “Dust and Glory”
  • The song blends Italian and English and mixes Bocelli’s vocals with spoken verses from Sinner
Updated 20 June 2025
AP

ROME: Top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner is featured on Andrea Bocelli’s new single, “Dust and Glory” that was released Friday.
The song, which blends Italian and English, mixes Bocelli’s vocals with spoken verses from Sinner.
It’s a tribute to the struggle and beauty of life’s journey, and “the fine line that turns dust into glory.”
There’s also an accompanying four-minute music video featuring private footage from the childhoods of both Italian stars, with current scenes filmed at Bocelli’s home in Tuscany.
“Talent doesn’t exist; it has to be earned,” Sinner says in the recording.
“Sharing this journey with Jannik was fascinating,” Bocelli said. “We’re from different worlds but close in commitment and discipline in the constant search for authenticity and beauty. I have always been his fan, fascinated not only by his talent, but also by his humility and his inner strength.”
Sinner added: “I am very honored and happy to be part of this project with Andrea, who for 30 years has been a unique and extraordinary voice, a flag of our country in the world. I could never have imagined hearing my voice in one of his songs, all this is a strong emotion.”

Topics: tennis Jannik Sinner Andrea Bocelli

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