Roger Federer on his way to victory in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Roger Federer on his way to victory in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Roger Federer on his way to victory in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Roger Federer on his way to victory in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

2012: Looking back at UAE sport events


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January 26

Tiger Woods makes Abu Dhabi debut

The American golfer is no stranger to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, but a first sighting at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship swelled galleries to unprecedented levels. Woods was the star attraction in one of the most formidable fields in European Tour history, and his results through the first three days suggested that a return to his past form might not be wholly fanciful. He leaned on Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy, seasoned performers here, for the opening rounds before enjoying a Sunday shoot-out with Robert Rock, a relative unknown from England who extended Woods's championship drought - which would end two months later.

January-February

England's tour of the UAE against Pakistan

Top-quality cricket is not unusual in the UAE, going back to the glory days of the 1980s and 1990s, nor since it returned as an international destination in 2006 and especially not since Pakistan began using the Emirates as a home venue. But the

was easily the best full tour to be hosted here. The emphatic score line of the Tests (3-0 to Pakistan) and ODIs (4-0 to England) do not reveal the true nature of some intriguing, closely fought games. Two Tests were humdingers and the result of the series was one that rang loudest through the year of cricket; the world's No 1 side toppled by arguably the world's craziest side. The crowds were reasonable for the Tests and very good for the limited-over games, a reminder that the UAE is an ideal and historic location for international cricket.

February 22

28,724 see UAE Olympic team close in on London

One day before the match, Mahdi Ali, the Emirati coach, had called on "anyone who loves his country" to attend the crucial Olympic qualifying tie against Australia at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, and he was rewarded by the biggest crowd to see a national team play since 2001. Mahdi Ali's side, in turn, gave the singing, flag-waving supporters reason to celebrate with a

leaving the UAE footballers on the brink of qualifying for their first Olympics.

March 3

Federer wins fifth Dubai Tennis Championship

Always a crowd favourite in Dubai,

delighted his fans with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Andy Murray to win his fifth crown at the Aviation Club, and the first since 2007. "To hear my name resonate throughout the stadium was great," Federer said after the win. "I tell you, it gives you goose bumps. It's great motivation to play well. That's why I played so well this week, and particularly in the final." It was the first time Federer and Murray had played since the 2010 World Tour Finals, and they went on to clash four more times, including the Wimbledon and London Olympics finals. Every time Federer has triumphed in Dubai, he has gone on to win Wimbledon as well and it was the same in 2012.

March 11

Majed Naser hit with ban after slapping coach

As the Al Ahli players and staff celebrated a 1-0 win over Al Wasl in an Etisalat Cup semi-final, the losing goalkeeper, Majed Naser, got into an argument with Grafite and, after being pulled away from the Brazilian, approached the Ahli coach Quique Sanchez Flores from behind and slapped him on the back of the head. As the shocked Ahli players confronted him, Naser spat at the Ahli defender Yousuf Mohamed and was pulled away from the scene by the Wasl coach, Diego Maradona. The outburst led to a 17-match suspension by the UAE Football Association. Naser, however, was guilty of another eruption in the GCC Champions League final against Al Muharraq, butting Ismail Abdul Latif to earn a red card in the 10th minute. He was later shipped off to Ahli.

March 14

Fightback puts UAE footballers in London Olympics

Behind 2-0 after 46 minutes, the UAE Under 23 team seemed heading for a crushing defeat on the cold and wet pitch at JAR Stadium in Tashkent. The hosts, Uzbekistan, would qualify for London 2012 with a victory, and at 2-0 it seemed inevitable. However, Ahmed Khalil (left, above) scored two remarkable goals, with a free kick and a volley, in five minutes to level. Haboush Saleh won it for the Emiratis in added time, and

with one of the most remarkable performances in the country's history.

March 31

Godolphin's Monterosso wins Dubai World Cup

The expression "Godolphin drought" had entered the lexicon of horse racing, referring to the stable founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Not since 2006 had a Godolphin horse won the US$10 million (Dh36.7m) Dubai World Cup, Sheikh Mohammed's creation and the world's richest race as well as the richest meeting. On a warm Saturday night, Godolphin's Monterosso finished first under Mickael Barzelona, and stablemate Capponi was second. Cityscape won the $5m Dubai Duty Free and Cirrus Des Aigles the $5m Dubai Sheema Classic.

March

ICC World T20 qualifiers

If the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy was not being killed off next year after a final showing in England, it would be easy to see it being hosted in the UAE. The region's infrastructure is ideal for a short, sharp tournament of the world's top eight sides. Proof of that was evident in the World T20 qualifiers, held across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, to determine which two Associate teams would compete in the World T20 in Sri Lanka in September. Sixteen teams, from Afghanistan to Papua New Guinea to Denmark, battled it out over 12 days and 72 matches (Ireland and Afghanistan went through). The tournament went off so smoothly that it will be held here again in 2013. And in 2014, the UAE will host its most high-profile global event, the Under 19 World Cup.

July 10

Maradona fired by Pro League side Al Wasl

Diego Maradona's turbulent time as the coach of the Dubai side Al Wasl came to end after 422 days of high drama, but little else. The Argentine legend was dismissed midway through his two-year contract after a disappointing season that saw the team finish eighth in the Pro League. They failed to progress beyond the second round in the President's Cup and lost in the semi-finals of the Etisalat Cup. The final straw was the loss in the final of the GCC Champions League. Wasl seemed to have the title in their grasp after winning the away leg of the final against Al Muharraq 3-1, but the Bahraini club, helped by Majed Naser's early red card, took the second leg 3-1 and triumphed 5-4 in the penalty shootout. That defeat led to the resignation of the club's board and the new committee showed Maradona the door three weeks later.

July 26

UAE give Uruguay a scare at London Olympics

Ismail Matar's calm exploitation of a defensive lapse gave the Emiratis a 22nd-minute lead over a Uruguay side featuring Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani. The South Americans, ranked No 3 in the world, were at risk throughout, as 60,000 watched on at Manchester, before they secured a 2-1 victory over the UAE. Said Matar, the captain: "I think we played a great game." It was not the only encouraging performance by the Emiratis. The Olympic football debutants were level with Great Britain with 18 minutes to play, at Wembley three days later; and they held Senegal 1-1 at Coventry on August 1.

August 4

Schoolgirl becomes UAE’s first Olympic weightlifter

Khadija Mohammed learnt she had been selected for London 2012 via a phone call on the way out of an Arabic exam on her 17th birthday and the Dubai schoolgirl became the country’s first weightlifting Olympian. However, her moment of history nearly never happened. Missing her family back at home as the Games fell during Ramadan, the teenager was riven by homesickness. Two days before her event, she tearfully asked to be flown home. The Emirates Weightlifting Federation persuaded her to stay, and she lifted a total 113 kilograms at the Excel Arena in east London, while competing in the 75kg class. “When she appeared in the competition, she seemed very cool, which surprised me a lot,” said Sultan bin Mejren, the president of the sports’ governing body in the UAE. “We really appreciate what she has done. Her appearing in the Olympic Games is history.”

August-September

Australia’s tour of the UAE against Pakistan

International cricket (or any sport, for that matter) played during peak summer months in the UAE? You would not have thought it possible. Yet Australia agreed to play six games (three ODIs and three Twenty20s) against Pakistan, admittedly after considerable reluctance. Officials were sent to check weather conditions, start times were moved back (meaning matches finished at crazy hours), more drinks breaks were introduced and ice vests used. Ultimately, it worked fantastically. The heat and humidity became an extra player as well as the backdrop to an engaging mini-series. The matches were hard fought, the physical toll they took on super-fit players another layer. Above all the crowds were fantastic throughout.

September 4

For all the success of the London 2012 Olympics, many observers regarded the Paralympics which followed as an even greater triumph. That was certainly the case for the UAE. While Emirati aspirations went mostly unfulfilled during the first two weeks, their Paralympians delivered like never before. The UAE contingent brought back a gold, silver and bronze from London. Abdullah Sultan Al Aryani started the unprecedented run of national success, in the sport in which the UAE has its deepest Olympic pedigree: shooting. The Al Ain marksman won gold in the mixed R6 50m air rifle prone SH1 on Day 6 of the Games. “It’s amazing,” he said after his victory. “It’s a dream – the first time I have won gold and the first gold medal for UAE in this competition. It’s everything for me.”

September 9

Hammadi adds bronze to silver at London

After Abdullah Sultan Al Aryani had set the bar for UAE Paralympians by taking shooting gold, Mohammed Hammadi helped himself to a slice of history, too. The Emirati athlete became the first UAE Olympian to collect two medals at a Paralympics, when he added bronze in the 100-metre wheelchair T34 to his earlier silver in the 200m race. Most athletes would regard success like that as mission accomplished. Hammadi, though was already looking to further glories. He said he would start readying himself to go for gold in Rio de Janeiro in four years’ time from the moment he returned home from the UK. “There is no harm in aiming for the sky,” Hammadi said. “Now I have the experience and next time I not only want to win gold but establish new marks, inshallah.”

October 8

UAE drivers win on two continents

Khalid Al Balooshi became the first driver from the Middle East, and only the third non-American, to win in the elite Top Fuel category in a National Hot Rod Association event, in the US state of Pennsylvania. The Dubai racer hit a top speed of more than 526kph while winning the 3.735-second race in the world’s fastest form of motorsport. Earlier in the day, in Egypt, Khalifa Al Mutaiwei won the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies title eight years after he first won it. The Emirati had come out of retirement to return to the series and he won the title for a second time.

November 4

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix sees Vettel fightback

The fourth Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit was the medium for viewing Sebastian Vettel’s fierce determination to win the world title for a third successive year. The Red Bull Racing driver had started last after his car was found to have insufficient fuel, post-qualifying. Rubbishing the notion that passing is nigh impossible at Yas Marina, the German charged through the field to finish an astonishing third, behind Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso, in front of the crowd of 50,000 in attendance and millions across the world watching on television. The points won proved crucial in helping Vettel become the youngest three-time champion in F1 history later in the month in Brazil.

November 9

Jebel Ali Dragons win UAE Premiership

In what was probably the highest standard domestic rugby match seen on these shores, Jebel Ali Dragons finally ended their XVs drought by beating Abu Dhabi Harlequins in the UAE Premiership grand final. The loss was only the second defeat the Harlequins suffered in all of 2012 in the format. Each of them were costly, though. The previous defeat, to Dubai Hurricanes in February, had also cost them the previous edition of the Premiership. Atypically, the Dragons saved their best for last. The perennial bridesmaids of the 15-a-side game here have been used to sweeping all before them, in recent years, then stumbling at the last hurdle. This time, they unleashed Sean Crombie, a former Scotland sevens player, on their unsuspecting rivals – with dramatic success.

November 25

McIlroy underlines position as golf’s No 1

A season born in Abu Dhabi concluded with confirmation in Dubai that Rory McIlroy now occupies a whole other level of golf. The Northern Irishman arrived at the National Course in January as the world No 3 and reigning US Open champion, yet having trumped Tiger Woods into second place, he returned to the Emirates to see out 2012 as golf’s undisputed top player. McIlroy, 23, was the established No 1 in Europe even before a ball was struck at the DP World Tour Championship. A first Race to Dubai crown had been sealed with two weeks to spare, but he was still intent on a fifth victory of a remarkable year and achieved it with birdies on the final five holes.

December 1

Samoa win the Dubai Sevens

The Dubai Rugby Sevens was memorable for three reasons: 1) it rained, the first time a Sevens has been seriously effected by storms since South Africa’s soggy success at the Exiles in 2006; 2) the most recognisable figures at the event were a cyclist, Bradley Wiggins, plus a bunch of ex-rugby league players from the Joining Jack charity side; and 3) because a new name was inscribed on the Emirates International Trophy, that of Samoa. Their success was telling of the influence the Pacific island nation wield in the sport, albeit much of it implicitly. New Zealand, who they beat in the final, were captained by DJ Forbes, who is half Samoan. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in the UK, the Samoa-born Manu Tuilagi was leading England to a shock win over a full All Blacks side full of Samoans.

December 5

Falaknaz says plans in motion for Dubai 2024 Olympic bid

A Dubai bid to stage the 2024 Summer Olympics moved a step closer to reality when a leading official of the UAE National Olympic Committee confirmed the city has been making plans. Abdulrahman Falaknaz, the NOC finance director, said a bid would be made as soon as an expected go-ahead from the Government was forthcoming. “The UAE has the infrastructure, capability, manpower and know-how to host such events,” he said. “There is pressure on cities when they host huge events like the Olympics, but Dubai and the UAE can take it.” The city had contemplated a bid for the 2020 Games, but that race is now between Istanbul, Tokyo and Madrid. However, the NOC are committed to applying to stage the Games four years later. “I can assure you that our bid will be a comprehensive and winning bid,” Falaknaz said.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%20profile%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EElggo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20August%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Luma%20Makari%20and%20Mirna%20Mneimneh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Education%20technology%20%2F%20health%20technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Four%20employees%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Jawab Iteiqal
Director: Mohamed Sammy
Starring: Mohamed Ramadan, Ayad Nasaar, Mohamed Adel and Sabry Fawaz
2 stars

Plan to boost public schools

A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.

It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.

Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.

Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.

What is graphene?

Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.

It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.

It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.

It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.

Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.

The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre V6

Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km

Price: Dh179,999-plus

On sale: now 

WORLD CUP SQUAD

Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Angelo Mathews, Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Jeevan Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep

Water waste

In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.

Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.

A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.

The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Teams

India (playing XI): Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami

South Africa (squad): Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Rudi Second

Types of policy

Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.

Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.

Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.

Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.

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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

UAE v United States, T20 International Series

Both matches at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free.

1st match: Friday, 2pm

2nd match: Saturday, 2pm

UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Amjad Gul, CP Rizwan, Mohammed Boota, Abdul Shakoor, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat

USA squad: Saurabh Netravalkar (captain), Jaskaran Malhotra, Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jannisar Khan, Xavier Marshall, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh

The biog

Name: Sari Al Zubaidi

Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati

Age: 42

Marital status: single

Favourite drink: drip coffee V60

Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia 

Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude 

The biog

DOB: March 13, 1987
Place of birth: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia but lived in Virginia in the US and raised in Lebanon
School: ACS in Lebanon
University: BSA in Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut
MSA in Design Entrepreneurship at the School of Visual Arts in New York City
Nationality: Lebanese
Status: Single
Favourite thing to do: I really enjoy cycling, I was a participant in Cycling for Gaza for the second time this year

FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tell Me Who I Am

Director: Ed Perkins

Stars: Alex and Marcus Lewis

Four stars

It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times

If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.

A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.

The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.

In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.

The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.

Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.

Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.

“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.

The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.

“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.

“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”

match info

Southampton 0

Arsenal 2 (Nketiah 20', Willock 87')

Red card: Jack Stephens (Southampton)

Man of the match: Rob Holding (Arsenal)

VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC