Arabs & Arabian Records Aggregator. Chronicler. Milestones of the 25 Countries of the Arabic Speaking World (official / co-official). AGCC. MENA. Global. Ist's to Top 10's. Records. Read & Enjoy./ www.arabianrecords.org
Somali-origin players Afif and Abdirisaq play pivotal roles in leading Qatar to victory in the AFC Asian Cup.
On Saturday, February 11, 2024, the football world turned its eyes towards a historic clash that would etch the names of Akram Hassan Afif and Yusuf Abdirisaq into the records of the AFC Asian Cup lore.
In a match that was anything but ordinary, Qatar’s national team, buoyed by the exceptional talent of its Somali-origin stars clinched their second successive victory in the tournament by overcoming Jordan with a decisive 3-1 win.
Qatar’s triumph was heralded by the remarkable performances of Akram Afif and Yusuf Abdirisaq, whose origins trace back to Somalia, showcasing the diverse and rich talent pool contributing to Qatar’s footballing success.
Akram Hassan Afif emerged as the tournament’s top scorer, remarkably netting three penalty goals in the final match.
His prowess on the field and his unique celebration, holding up a letter ‘S’ in honor of his Kuwaiti wife watching from the stands, captured the hearts of fans and ignited discussions across social media platforms.
Afif’s journey from the streets of Doha to becoming a footballing icon is a narrative of determination, skill, and the love for the game.
Yusuf Abdirisaq, on the other hand, fortified Qatar’s defense with his agility and keen sense of play.
Born in Hargeisa, Yusuf’s path to footballing stardom is a tale of resilience and adaptation. Representing Qatar on the international stage, Yusuf’s performance in the Asian Cup final was a clear demonstration of his defensive prowess and his significant role in the team’s success.
The match itself was a rollercoaster of emotions as three penalties were awarded, leading Qatar to victory.
Despite the debates, the focus remained on the skillful play and strategic acumen displayed by the Qatari team, particularly its Somali stars.
The Arab media and international press were lavish in their praise for Qatar’s achievement, with special emphasis on Afif’s scoring feat and Abdirisaq’s defensive mastery.
Their stories of personal and professional triumph resonated well beyond the football pitch, inspiring many young athletes around the world.
Off the field, both players have faced their share of challenges and controversies, such as Abdirisaq’s alleged racial abuse incident, which he and the Qatar Football Association strongly refuted.
Akram Afif, the son of a former Somali national team player, has football in his blood. His journey from Qatar’s youth leagues to becoming a key player for Al Sadd, and on loan from Villarreal, is a beacon of hope and inspiration for many aspiring footballers in the Arab world and beyond.
Yusuf Abdirisaq’s story is equally compelling, showcasing the potential for football to change lives and transcend borders. From his early days at Al Sadd SC to his loan at Al-Arabi SC and back, Yusuf’s career trajectory highlights the opportunities and challenges faced by players of diverse backgrounds in the world of professional football.
As Qatar celebrates its second consecutive AFC Asian Cup victory, the contributions of Akram Afif and Yusuf Abdirisaq will be remembered as pivotal to this historic achievement.
Their talent, perseverance, and dedication have not only led their team to glory but have also served as a powerful reminder of the unifying power of sport.
SCENES shines a spotlight on youth around the world who are breaking down barriers and creating change. The character-driven short films will inspire and amaze, as these young change-makers tell their remarkable stories.
Horseback archery stands out among the many equestrian disciplines that combine modern riding techniques and ancient tradition. The sport combines the skill of riding with the precision of archery, and it holds a special place in Arabian heritage.
Archery is difficult enough when stationary, but try doing it while riding a horse travelling more than 30 miles per hour. Qatari horseback archery gold medalist, Bader Mubarak Al Marri, is well accustomed to this.
A life-altering call
Bader took six lessons of horseback riding before giving it up. “What kept me from horseback riding in 2018 was a lack of time, an unfavourable atmosphere and the scarcity of people in the field,” Bader explains.
Bader’s surprising journey to becoming a champion began when he received a surprise call from Fuad Almudahka, the founder of the Equestrian Sport Centre in Qatar.
The life-changing phone call happened in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bader found himself at home with a lot of spare time on his hands at this time, so he decided to take up Fuad’s offer.
“Coach Fuad contacted me saying, ‘Bader, I have workshops in horseback archery. If you’d like to take part, we welcome you at the Horseback Archery Equestrian Centre,'” Bader recalls.
Not good enough
After completing Fuad’s workshop, Bader wanted to enter Qatar’s ‘Al Nashab’ crossbow event. Coach Fuad was against it and advised him to develop his riding skills first.
Undeterred, Bader converted Fuad’s feedback into inspiration and vowed to do his best to improve his skills. “Let me train these two months,” he said to Fuad. “I’ll enter the contest if I improve my horseback riding skills. If I can’t, I won’t,” Bader promised Fuad.
Man on a mission
Bader was a man on a mission. He spent the next two months at AlSamriya Riding School , training in archery once a week and horseback riding for the rest of the week.
With so much training Bader found he had the speed, and precision needed for target archery, also known as Qabak archery. According to the World Horseback Archery Federation , Qabak is a category where the competitor rides the horse at speed and fires an arrow at a circular target at the top of a poll.
Despite being prepared for the tournament, Bader was surprised to have won first place after three rounds. “No way, that’s impossible,” Bader said to himself. “There are more experienced and skilled players in the sport than myself,” he said.
Local to international gold
Bader travelled to Turkey for his first international competition. He didn’t win that time around, but his confidence grew. He aimed to get acquainted with other international archers and gain skills.
“Bader returned to Qatar motivated, and he worked hard for the World Cup qualifiers in South Africa,” recalls Azeez Al Qahtani, a fellow rider and mentor.
Undeterred, Bader used that experience in Turkey to his advantage at the horse archery World Championship qualifiers. “On January 20, 2023, I got first place in the Qabak track held in South Africa,” Bader tells SCENES about his most significant accomplishment to date.
“The gold medal he got was well deserved,” AbdelAzeez says. “Bader winning that medal really makes people wonder, ‘What is this sport?’ Practice makes everything perfect, and Bader is a demonstration of that,” he adds.
‘Arabs were particularly skilled at it’
Various cultures around the world have practised horseback archery for centuries. In Arab history, its roots run deep, and many wish to preserve a connection to an exciting bygone era.
“Previously, it wasn’t a sport. It was for hunting and battle. Arabs were particularly skilled at it,” explains Abdel Aziz. “Today, all the international players who made the sport alive again go back to a specific old Arabic book called ‘Arab Archery’,” he adds.
Even though it has a long history, horseback archery is now considered a modern sport. And Bader hopes his recent success will lead to more riders emerging from Qatar.
The pavilion of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) TASMU (SMART Qatar) recorded the longest independent concrete structure built using 3D printing technology.
According to the Qatari News Agency (QNA), the pavilion of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) TASMU (SMART Qatar) has entered the Guinness World Records Book as the longest independent concrete structure built using 3D printing technology.
On this occasion, HE Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammed bin Ali bin Mohammed Al Mannai stated that the Guinness World Record is not only a symbol of innovation and achievement, but also a testimony to the State of Qatar’s commitment to transcending all boundaries in the field of technology – promoting fruitful cooperation and providing innovations that improve peoples lives. The MCIT pavilion is tangible evidence of the technological progress witnessed by the State of Qatar, where traditional values are in harmony with advanced technology to meet global challenges.
The Ministry’s pavilion was built on an area of 170 square meters with a height of 12.4 meters, and was designed in the form of a tower consisting of ten levels with seven bricks in each row. It was built from 75 individually 3D printed pieces, as “an ideal example of fruitful cooperation between different talents and experiences, and a living example of transforming ambitious visions into tangible reality,” according to the QNA.
MCIT is actively contributing to Expo 2023 Doha as an event that is in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and focuses on sustainability and innovation. The Ministry’s pavilion represents its commitment to providing technology-based solutions and enhancing efforts made in support of sustainability endeavors that are in the interest of residents, citizens, companies, and visitors in the State of Qatar.
Recently, Qatari students – Mohammad Fadhel Annan and Lujain Al Mansoori – were awarded 25,000 QAR from a Qatar Development Bank (QDB) competition for their 3D printed vegetable development, in which they used a custom-made 3D printer and a combination of artificially grown vegetable cells and UV-sensitive 3D printer ink.
The main building of Expo 2023 Doha, built on an area of 4,031 sqm by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), has won the Guinness World Records title for “The Largest Green Roof” in the world.
This is a new achievement for the Public Works Authority , which has also executed various projects for major international events in the country including the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix.
The new achievement is the 6th title to be added to the world records won by Ashghal which has previously got 5 Guinness World Records titles, a statement said. Among the achievements are the world’s largest electric bus depot in Lusail, the implementation of the longest air-conditioned outdoor path in Umm Al Seneem park, the longest continuous cycling path (Olympic cycling track), the longest piece of asphalt/bituminous concrete laid continuously along Al Khor road, and the most nationalities planting trees simultaneously.
Mohammed al-Khouri, Secretary General of the International Horticultural Expo 2023, expressed his delight with the main building of Expo 2023 receiving a world title. This major achievement came just before the start of the International Horticultural Expo 2023, adding momentum to this global event.
Eng. Jaralla Mohamed al-Marri, Building Projects Department Manager said Ashghal always strives to reach the global level through its outstanding projects. He noted that the remarkable Guinness World Record for the main building of Expo 2023 is a new global recognition for ‘Ashghal’ projects.
It’s worth mentioning, the Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ has completed the construction of the main building of the international exhibition, service buildings, and prepared the external and internal gardens of the exhibition to accommodate participants and visitors of one of the major horticultural exhibitions in the Middle East.
The building was designed to showcase the highest horticultural standards in a hot climate area, presenting a model of a green country existing in a desert climate like the State of Qatar.
This project was designed to provide the visitor with an interactive experience with nature and modern urban construction with elements of Qatari characteristics. The roof of the main building was planted with Pennisetum, Dahlia and green grass.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, honoured winners of the Arab Reading Challenge 2023 at the concluding event of the 7th edition, which also saw awards granted to Community Champion, Outstanding Supervisor and Best School, as well as the People of Determination Champion.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid honoured Abdullah Mohammad Abdullah Al Berri from Qatar, and Amnah Mohammad Al Mansoori from the UAE, who tied for the first place as the Arab Reading Champions 2023.
The challenge in its 7th edition saw a record participation of 24.8 million students from 46 countries, representing over 188,000 schools under the mentorship of around 150,000 supervisors.
Speaking to an audience of over 1,500 people attending the event at the Dubai Opera, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid stressed that the “Future welcomes those armed with knowledge. It resides inside of books. Those who read today will get to write chapters in the book of tomorrow.”
His Highness said, “We are thrilled to witness the competitive spirit among Arab students, and to have met a generation of young minds who believe books are the best way to build the future.
“Reading is the key to understanding ourselves and the world around us. It is the compass that has outlined the path of human civilization and will continue to be the driver to better human life. The Arab Reading Challenge continues to reveal bright Arab minds, capable of miraculous feats,” he added.
“We are proud of our Arab students and their commitment to the Arabic language. We deeply believe in their ability to preserve it and unlock endless horizons of knowledge. The UAE will always stand behind the Arab youth and help spread our Arab culture. This is a responsibility we all share.
“This year, we have 24.8 million champions, I congratulate you all, and thank all participating ministries of education and educators, as well as everyone who has contributed to this success. The Arab Reading Challenge is for everyone, because acquiring knowledge requires no permission,” His Highness Sheikh Mohammed concluded.
The event was attended by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence.
Investing in People Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and Secretary-General of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, said that since its launch by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2015, the Arab Reading Challenge continues to evolve and break records, reflecting the visions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed for investing in people, enabling the new generation to gain knowledge and encouraging them to read and enrich the Arab cultural scene. The initiative fosters a strong connection to the Arabic language and highlights its role as a key component of the Arab identity.
“Honouring the 7th Arab Reading Challenge Champions is an acknowledgment of excellence, perseverance and willpower of students, and of the dedication of tens of thousands of schools and educators.
“The Arab Reading Challenge will continue to grow in quality and quantity, further inspiring and impacting the lives of students who have grown more knowledgeable and more attached to their mother tongue. Just as addition of the People of Determination category this year represented a milestone, the Challenge will continue to introduce new ideas and updates that reflect its ambition and its mission,” Al Gergawi added.
Fierce Competition The final round of qualification for 1st place winners at witnessed fierce competition among the students who already passed several qualifiers, with Abdullah Mohammad Al Berri from Qatar and Amnah Mohammad Al Mansoori from the UAE emerging as joint Champions receiving the 1st place award of AED 500,000 each.
Naema Jehad Rajoub from Syria and Mohammad Walid Abdullatif from Egypt (Ministry of Education) tied for second place and received an award of AED 100,000 each.
People of Determination H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum honoured winners of the newly added People of Determination Champion category, which saw the participation of 22,506 students. Yousuf bin Dawoud from Tunisia won 1st place and an award of AED 200,000, followed by Abdullah Ammar Mohammad Al Sayyed from Egypt (Ministry of Education) in second place, earning an award of AED 100,000, while Zaid bin Tariq Al Adi from Oman won 3rd place and an award of AED 50,000.
Community Champion H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed also honoured winners of the Community Champion category for students participating in the Arab Reading Challenge from non-Arab countries as well non-Arabs. The 1st place title was awarded to Mohammed Abdulraqib Ali Ahmed Al Kawkabani from Malaysia, who received an award of AED 100,000.
Maram Saddouqi from France came in 2nd place and received AED 70,000, while Hussain Mustafa Ihsan from Türkiye came in third and received AED 30,000.
Outstanding Supervisor The Outstanding Supervisor Award, presented by Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, went to Samaher Al Sawaei from Jordan, who outshined 149,826 reading supervisors taking part in the 7th edition of the challenge and received a AED 300,000 award. Winners of the 2nd and 3rd places for this category are Fuad bin Medyef Al Talhi from KSA (winning an award of AED 100,000) and Noorah Al Shehhi from the UAE (winning an award of AED 50,000), respectively.
Best School His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the King Abdullah II School for Excellence in Jordan with the Best School Award and an AED 1 million prize. It was followed by Saudi Arabia’s Mawaheb Al Watan School, which received an AED 500,000 award, while the Martyr Pilot Ali Mohammed Ali School from Egypt came in third place and received an award of AED 300,000.
With 100 percent student participation, the King Abdullah II School for Excellence has launched several initiatives to highlight the challenge and nurture the love of reading among its students, organised several meetings with authors, poets and intellectuals, and signed partnerships with Yarmouk University and other institutions to support its initiatives.
Tours for Knowledge The Arab Reading Challenge delegations visiting the UAE to attend the event had an extensive and enriching program that toured the emirate. The delegations visited the Mohammed bin Rashid Library and toured its various sections, learning about the millions of research works offered by the smart library to students and academics via the UAE’s largest database.
Another visit to the Global Village, a major family entertainment destination in Dubai, introduced the students to the myriad of cultures of the world through entertainment shows, craft displays and food. The delegations also visited Motion Gate, the Hollywood-inspired theme park and part of the Dubai Parks and Resorts.
Record Achievements The 7th Arab Reading Challenge builds on its success story since 2015, further contributing to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for preparing a future generation who loves reading and knowledge, capable of expressing their identity in Arabic and are keen on learning and using this rich language in their day-to-day interactions.
The Arab Reading Challenge also helps build a value system that encourages youth to learn about other cultures, which instils the principles of tolerance and coexistence, and opens the door for a global open dialogue.
Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) has reached a deal to acquire the World Padel Tour (WPT), the oldest global professional padel tour, from Spanish brewing powerhouse Damm’s Setpoint Events.
Under this agreement, the WPT will be combined with the QSI-owned Premier Padel to form a single global professional padel tour. The tour, which will be called Premier Padel, will be governed by the International Padel Federation (FIP). Financial terms of the agreement were not released.
“This is a historic moment for the sport of padel,” Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the chairman of QSI and Premier Padel, said in a statement. “As the fastest-growing sport globally, QSI is proud to be at the heart of driving the development of padel professionally worldwide, always placing the players at the center of our mission to grow the sport everywhere.”
The new tour will kick off in 2024. Until the end of 2023, the separate WPT and Premier Padel tours will be played as scheduled.
QSI, which also owns Ligue 1’s Paris Saint Germain, launched Premier Padel in 2022. Within its first year, over 500 players worldwide competed in tournaments in five cities. The tour was expanded to eight cities in 2023. According to the organizers, the inaugural 2022 tour has broadcast agreements that cover over 180 countries and attracted 22.7 million views on YouTube.
World Padel Tour (WPT) started in 2013 and has been the prominent padel circuit, featuring over 26 men’s and women’s tournaments across six countries. A total of 510 men and 317 women compete in the circuit, which is broadcast in more than 150 countries.
While WPT has a total prize fund of $121,000, Premier Padel has $568,000.
There have been disputes between the two leagues. When players signed with WPT, their contracted barred them from playing in other leagues.
According to Politico , last year, the world’s top padel players and FIP jointly submitted a competition complaint to the European Commission, accusing Damm’s Setpoint Events—which runs WPT—of breaking EU law by distorting competition. WPT responded by suing players that joined Premier Padel and taking legal action against FIP, the Professional Players Association (PPA) and QSI, arguing that QSI is trying to exclude them from the market. The WPT also had filed a lawsuit in Madrid against the FIP, claiming it was deviating from its role as an impartial, non-profit regulatory body.
The global padel industry is valued at over $2 billion and is forecast to surpass $4 billion by 2026, according to a recent report from Deloitte .
There are currently 25 million people playing Padel in 110 countries, compared to 16 million two years ago.
source/content: sportico.com (headline edited)
____________
Starting in 2024, the World Padel Tour and Premier Padel will combine to operate as a single tour.PHOTO BY DOMENICO CIPPITELLI/NURPHOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES
The Singaporean Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, presented His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, with a flower during the ceremony naming the famous flower after him, showcasing the strong collaboration between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Singapore.
H.E. the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, was honored at the 8th meeting of the high-level joint committee in Singapore.
A report by the Financial Times has said that the country’s sovereign wealth fund, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), has taken a stake in the owner of Washington’s professional basketball and hockey teams in US sport.
As per the report, the fund is paying $200mn for a 5% stake in Monumental Sports and Entertainment (MSE) in a deal that values the owner of the National Basketball Association’s Washington Wizards, the Women’s National Basketball Association’s Washington Mystics and the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals at $4.05bn.
The report also mentions that the investment from QIA, at an estimated $450bn in assets, comes less than a year after the NBA amended its bylaws to allow sovereign wealth funds to invest in clubs.
The QIA said, “As one of the largest integrated sports and entertainment companies in the country, MSE’s platform provides unique opportunities and scalability for growth and partnerships”.
As per the report, people familiar with the Monumental deal said that the QIA was taking a stake in the group as a financial transaction to gain exposure to a company with a diverse range of assets. As per reports, QIA will not gain board representation as part of the transaction.
Gulf Food Production Company “Raw’a“, one of the leading companies in the State of Qatar in dairy production, won the Fine Taste Award for the year 2023, which is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of food and beverage industry worldwide, presented by the International Taste Company Institute in Brussels, Belgium. The evaluation was conducted by a committee of more than 200 international chefs with 86 Michelin Stars awarded to the finest chefs and restaurants around the world after competing with more than 120 international products.
136 hours of blind tasting
Rawa is the first Qatari dairy company to receive the award for good taste, after it was subjected to an organoleptic assessment that includes the visual, aromatic, flavour and textural aspects, in addition to the final mouth texture. The evaluation process took place over 136 hours of blind tasting conducted on hundreds of products from around the world, with the aim of selecting the best among them.
Award-winning product
The award-winning product is yogurt consisting of four grains and fruits containing (wheat – barley – oats – rye – apple fruit – coconut fruit). It is a healthy choice full of wholesome fruits and grains . It is the consumer’s first choice in market’s and best seller.
Mr. Mohammad Ali Al-Kuwari CEO of Raw’a, stated that Gulf food Co. pursues a strict strategy related to the quality and safety of its products and revolves around adopting several practices in its factories, including, for example, the activation of several internal audits on dairy products. In addition, the quality of these products is periodically tested.
The company is always keen to perform the above in order to ensure the safety of its products and their compliance with the highest standards of quality and taste before they reach the consumer.
It also pays great attention to developing its products with the support of a specialized research and development team to ensure that the company is compatible with the latest technologies that guarantee quality and taste while maintaining the characteristics that Qatari consumer is accustomed to in our range of products.
Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai has hailed the continuous successes achieved by Qatari champion Nasser Al Attiyah at the global stage, the latest of which was his Dakar Rally 2023 title victory for a second time in a row and the fifth overall.
Al Mannai said that Al Attiyah winning the Dakar Rally title is a great achievement for Qatar motorsports and sports in general, especially since this is his fifth victory at the tough international event following his earlier wins in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2022.
Al Mannai explained that such achievements are not strange for the champion driver who has been winning titles and bringing victories to Qatari sports and motorsports in particular, noting that he is used to ascending the podiums in all forums, which makes him the most prominent Qatari sportsperson in the recent years.
Al Mannai stressed that Al Attiyah has become a key figure in the world of desert rallies whether at the global level or in the Middle East, considering that his successive achievements are a great incentive for all Qatari drivers to follow the same path and achieve titles and championships.
The QMMF president congratulated Al Attiyah on this great achievement, which serves as a motivation for him to continue victories this season in various competitions, wishing him success and continuing the same professional approach that he follows in managing his team and its participation in various international tournaments.
Al Mannai also noted that Al Attiyah’s victory this year was due to the strong strategy he followed, as he pressed in the early stages and led the rally by a comfortable margin and then fought the rest of the stages with the aim of maintaining the lead and not taking risks.
Al Mannai also stressed that Al Attiyah is a role model for all Qatari youth, not only for those in motorsports but for all sportpersons, which raises the ceiling of ambitions to achieve many achievements and raise the name of Qatar high at all international forums.
It is noteworthy that Al Attiyah first participated in the Dakar Rally in 2004, and during his presence in twenty editions he was able to win the title five times in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2022, and occupied the runner-up position on five occassions in 2010, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021.
Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Qatari driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah celebrates with co-driver Mathieu Baumel of France, Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai and officials after winning his fifth Dakar Rally title in Saudi Arabia, on Sunday. PIC: RED BULL
