Lebanon’s Ray Bassil – World Class Medal Winning, Trap Shooter

Ray Bassil (aka) Ray Jacques Bassil.

Won her first title at age 15, Female Arab Championship, Algiers.

  •  First and only woman ever to represent the Arab countries in Trap Shooting at the Olympic Games in Rio 2016
  • First Arab Woman to compete in 2 Olympics games and win 3 consecutive world cup medals
  • Twice represented Lebanon at Olympic games (2012, 2016)

Other Honours:

  • UNDP – Youth and Gender Goodwill Ambassador

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pix: fondationsaradar.org

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LEBANON

Sarah Gamal: First Arab Woman Basketball Referee at Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Hijab-wearing referee to become first Arab and African woman to officiate 3×3 games at Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Both the 32-year-old and 3×3 will make their debuts at the Olympic Games with Gamal becoming the first Arab and African woman to officiate a 3×3 basketball game at the Olympics.

The Egyptian proudly wears a black hijab and is the first hijab-wearing basketball referee for FIBA at an international level.

The headscarf worn by many Muslim women is allowed to be worn by players under certain conditions since FIBA changed its rules in 2017.

Gamal will follow in the footsteps of Moroccan referee Chahinaz Boussetta as a fellow Arab, who refereed five-on-five basketball at Rio 2016.

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Egyptian Basketball referee Sarah Gamal gestures while holding a ball during a match in the country’s northern city of Alexandria, on April 17, 2021. (AFP) / pix: thearabweekly.com

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EGYPT

Bahrain’s Ali Monfaradi : International Jiu-Jitsu Champion

Ali Monfaradi (aka)  Ali Seena E. A. Monfaradi . Athlete. Jiu-Jitsu. Black Belt Holder.

Ali has 2 nicknames –  One is “The Beast From The Middle East” and the other one, which was ‘coined’ by his coach Michael Langhi is “Cadeira Elétrica” (Electric Chair).

Represented Bahrain in competitions regionally and globally.

Business:

Founder of ‘Elements BJJ’ – a sports business venture

Winner :

  • 1st Place IBJJF European Open NoGi (2019)
  • 1st Place IBJJF German Nationals (2017)
  • 1st Place IBJJF Berlin Open (2018)
  • 1st Place UAEJJF Czech Republic Pro (2019)
  • 1st Place JJIF World Ju-Jutsu Championship (2018)
  • 2nd Place IBJJF Berlin NoGi Open (2018)
  • 2nd Place IBJJF London Fall NoGi Open (2017 / 2018)
  • 2nd Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro (2021)
  • 2nd Place UAEJJF Dubai National Pro (2018)
  • 3rd Place JJIF World Ju-Jutsu Championship (2018)
  • 3rd Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro (2019)
  • 3rd Place IBJJF London Fall Open (2017)
  • 3rd Place IBJJF Berlin Open (2018*)

Records of Achievements (Colored Belts):

  • 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2012 blue)
  • 1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2012 blue)
  • 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2012* blue)
  • 3rd Place IBJJF European Open (2017 brown)
  • 3rd Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2012* blue, 2015 purple)
  • 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship (2011 blue, 2014 purple)

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pix: bjjheroes.com

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BAHRAIN

Ahmed Yahya – President of FFRIM , Mauritania

Ahmed Yahya is a businessman. At 44, Yahya is the youngest candidate in the bid for Africa’s big seat in football.

The head of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (FFRIM), a post he has held since 2011.

Achievements in football

  • Founded football club FC Nouadhibou in 1999 and served as President of the club until 2004. The club has won two cups and six national titles,
  • Elected as the President of FFRIM, 2011
  • Member of CAF’s Executive Committee since 2017. Yahya also sits on the Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions.
  • CAF Awards – awarded as ‘The Continent’s Best Football Administrator ‘ 2017 by CAF (Confederation of African Football)
  • Under his FFRIM leadership, Mauritania qualified for the first time in history for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) under coach Corentin Martins (2018)
  • Mauritania was crowned CAF’s Team of the Year for 2018,
  • Mauritania selected a women’s team to represent the country for the first time (2019)
  • FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, praised Yahya for role in developing both football and its infrastructure in Mauritania (2019)
  • Yahya was re-elected as the President of FFRIM in a landslide victory (2020)

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pix: sabcnews.com

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MAURITANIA

Ramla Ali – First British Female Muslim Boxing Champion

Ramla Ali (aka) Ramla Said Ahmed Ali

Somali-British. English Professional Boxer, Model, Author and Racial Equality Activist.

First/s :

  • First Muslim Woman Boxer to win English National Titles in 2016
  • Somalia’s First ever Boxing Representative for Tokyo 2020 Olympics
  • First Female Somali Boxer in history to compete professionally
  • First male or female to win the African Boxing Title and International Gold medals whilst representing Somalia
  • First Boxer in history to have represented Somalia in Women’s World Championships, New Delhi, India

Winner : a few listed below :

  • As an amateur – Won Novice National Championship, England (2015)
  • England Boxing Elite Championship (2016)
  • African Zone Featherweight Title (2019)
  • etc..

Social Activist:

  • Launched a club ‘ The Sister’s Club’, UK (2018)

Model:

  • Front covers of British Vogue, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Guardian Observer, Wonderland, ELLE, The Square Mile, The Week, Swiss Style, Puss Puss Magazine etc..

Brand Ambassador:

  • Pantene nominated her as its newest Ambassador and Face of their Hair Care Brand (2019)

Book:

  • ‘Not Without A Fight’

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pix: olympicchannel.com/en

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UNITED KINGDOM / SOMALIAN-BRITISH

Emirati Omar Al-Fadhli Wins jiu-jitsu Gold Moscow : March 2021

 Emirati jiu-jitsu champion Omar Al-Fadhli has won the gold medal in the 62kg purple belt category at the third round of the sixth edition of the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Grand Slam in Moscow.

The tournament, staged in the Russian capital, witnessed the participation of 222 competitors from 15 countries holding purple, brown, and black belts in the Japanese martial art.

Emirati champion was only Arab participant in third round of sixth edition of Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Grand Slam tour

source: arabnews.com

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Omar Al Fadhli won the gold medal in the 62-kg purple belt category in Moscow. (WAM)

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Yacine Bourhane, Professional Footballer

Yacine Bourhane . Professional Footballer

Currently plays as mid-fielder for ‘Chamois Niortais FC2’.

Also represents the Comoros National Team

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pix: Twitter@ChamoisNiortais

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FRANCE / COMOROS

Saudi Prince Abdullah bin Musaad Buys Another Football Club. Taking his Tally to 5 Football Clubs

Prince Abdullah bin Musaad has recently acquired the French Club – Chateauroux prop up French second division.

The club is being bought through his company, United World.

Chief executive Abdallah Al-Ghamdi “saw the last game and reached an agreement with club officials and the board of directors,” the prince said.

His current porfolio :

  •  Sheffield United, England’s Premier League
  • Beerschot , Belgium,
  • Kerala United, India
  • Al-Hilal United , UAE

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Prince Abdullah bin Musaad / pix: arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

UAE Coach Houriya Al-Taheri – First Arab Female FIFA-Certified Coach

Houriya Al-Taheri. Female Emirati Footballer. UAE National Team Player. Coach.

Highlights:

  • Manager, UAE Women’s National Team
  • Former Captain, UAE Women’s National Team. Led the team to victory in 2010 and 2011 at the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Women Championship.
  • Led the UAE squad to victory over Iraq in 2017. The UAE’s first win on a World Cup qualifier
  • Former Goal Keeper – UAE Women’s National Team
  • Selected by FIFA as Women’s Football Regional Coach in Jordan

Author:

  • Book ‘Becoming a Legend ‘ by Houriya Al-Taheri and Hannah Bass

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pix: @ggwcup

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Abdel Rahman Mahmoud – First-ever Bahraini Athlete to Qualify for Shot Put at Olympics

Twenty-year-old Abdel Rahman Mahmoud, is Bahrain’s first-ever athlete to qualify for the men’s shot put competition at the Summer Olympic Games, confirmed by the Bahrain Athletics Association (BAA).

This is Bahrain’s first qualification to any of athletics’ throwing events at the Olympics.

Mahmoud secured his place at the Tokyo Olympics after achieving the qualifying standard of 21.10 metres.

He earned the shot put gold medal at the Belarus Athletics Indoor Cup on Friday.

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pix: gulf-insider.com

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BAHRAIN