Remember the days when a referee was lambasted if he showed a red card, even if it had been warranted, on account of the fact he had ruined the spectacle?
How amateurish does that idea sound now? It seems bizarre to think there was ever a time when officials were encouraged to treat offences leniently, just to make sure the contest did not suffer.
Professionalism, both with players and officials, has consigned such attitudes to the archives. The sport is better for it, but still some old habits refuse to die.
Like with Jared Payne's tackle in the air on Alex Goode when Ulster lost to Saracens in their European Cup quarter-final last weekend. He had his eyes on the ball all the way, so it could not have been deliberate, his apologists said. So what? Rugby union's rules are complex enough. If the official is then tasked to adjudicate on intent, it is an impossible job.
Maybe he should refer to the televised match official (TMO). Once he has had his say, it would be best to call three or four character witnesses to vouch for the honesty of the perpetrator. Perhaps someone from forensics could sit next to the TMO and offer their view.
Or perhaps he should just stick to the fact it was reckless, dangerous, and avoidable, and do the needful by showing red.
The idea that Payne’s dismissal “ruined the spectacle” does not work, either. The match was all the more memorable because of it, not just because of the issue it raised but because of the monumental endeavour of the Ulster players in spite of their disadvantage.
pradley@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
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Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
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Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
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How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
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You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Ahmed Raza, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Chirag Suri , Zahoor Khan
Match info
Manchester United 1
Fred (18')
Wolves 1
Moutinho (53')
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
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Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
