‘Business as usual’: Mike Ballard and a story of rugby, paralysis and inspiring UAE return


Paul Radley
  • English
  • Arabic

April 4, 2014. Grand final day for the leading amateur rugby union players of the Middle East. Unbeaten Abu Dhabi Harlequins hosting defending champions Jebel Ali Dragons.

And the first day of the rest of Mike Ballard’s life.

“It was a big day, because I was playing for the first XV and we had gone 10 from 10 in the Gulf Top Six season,” the broad-shouldered American recalls.

“It was the West Asia cup final. Everybody was amped up and excited for it. I’m not one of the guys in the showcase, I’m one of the guys in the background, just making sure everybody else gets the ball and looks good.

“So I wouldn’t get nervous, just excited. The game was in the afternoon, so you have all day to get mentally ready for it.”

It was just like any other match, other than the fact it was a final. The Dragons were looking to complete a treble of domestic titles, but the home team at Zayed Sports City, Ballard’s Harlequins, were ahead.

“It was going well,” Ballard, 31, says. “We had the lead when I left the game. It was a really close game throughout. It was a grind, but we had just gone up by a try, and I was just trying to focus on getting from ruck to ruck, and scrum to scrum.

“About 30 minutes in, I made a tackle. There was one guy coming at me. One of our guys had him up high, and stopped his momentum a bit.

“I went low, went to grab his legs. Instead of him falling forward, and off to my side, he somehow fell on top of me. I ended up at the bottom of a pile.

“As I was on the ground with my butt on the ground, holding onto his legs, my head came down between my legs, with guys on top of me. At that point, I felt my back break.”

At that point, his life changed. The pile up of bodies, an occurrence that takes place numerous times during every rugby match, but seldom with such catastrophic effect, had broken his spine at the point where the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae meet.

** Watch: Ballard Foundation Gulf rugby players get ready for Madagascar **

“Within about the first 10 seconds, it dawned on me the situation.

“Initially I thought it was just a ‘stinger’,” he said, referring to the name players give to momentary numbness in their arms that follows a heavy tackle.

“After a couple of seconds, I realised it wasn’t my arm that went numb, it was my legs. From that point on, I went onto the stretcher, and that started my process of rehabilitation.”

A process that has reached the point where, just over two years on, he is back in Abu Dhabi. Back at work. Self-sufficient and independent.

He is wheelchair-bound, but his convalescence has reached the stage where he is more concerned with helping others than himself.

His name is attributed to a foundation that has great plans to help needy causes the world over through rugby, starting in Madagascar this week.

“Mike wanted to use those funds to help other causes, which is typical of the man,” says Ed Lewsey, the Harlequins scrum half, who was a driving force behind setting up the Mike Ballard Foundation.

Even if the man himself does all he can to deflect attention. It seems to be his default setting. He made it to the Harlequins first team, just over a year after first taking up a sport he had never even seen on television before moving to the UAE five years ago. He says it was thanks to the older guys in the front-row club taking him under his wing.

His role when he got to the first XV was to be in the background, rather than the showcase, as he puts it. To help get the ball to the guys who really could play.

What about his job teaching in a school for special needs? Not a natural calling for a person driven by a desire to help others, he claims. Rather, he just fell into it.

He lapses once, when recalling his youth spent in a small town in Michigan, when he says he was “something like a hometown hero”, who excelled in baseball, American football, and wrestling. Immediately, he catches himself, saying he was “jokingly” trying to convey a sense of his upbringing.

At university, he was “not big enough or fast enough” – his words, obviously – to make the football or wrestling teams, so pursued baseball instead. Naturally, his defence was “a liability”, but he could just about hold his own because of his batting skills.

Given his college won their conference while he was a sophomore and junior, and he was picked as captain in his senior year, clearly he is unwittingly indulging in yet more one-downmanship.

Amazingly, he was even thinking of others first when he suffered his accident. He says he realised the extent of the damage, that of the onset of paralysis, straight away, but his mind was already wandering sideline.

“My mom and sister-in-law were visiting, as it was spring break,” Ballard says. “They were at the game. It was the first rugby game they had ever seen.

“I remember thinking that because they were out there, I had to try to fake it, and make it look like everything was alright. I knew they would be worried in that situation, so my immediate thoughts turned to them.”

Despite the ordeal they went through, in the hours and days that followed, Ballard was grateful to have mother Karen, who works in a hospital, so close by.

He had emergency surgery in Abu Dhabi that night, to realign his spine between the T12 and L1 vertebrae. He stayed in the capital until he was physically healthy enough for a 24-hour flight via Medivac back to Michigan.

Read more: Gulf rugby side ready for 'serious' Madagascar match and contributing goodwill

“A Medivac is like a billionaire’s mini-jet, but 20 or 30 years old and has been basically turned into an ambulance,” Ballard says, of the aircraft which was just large enough for two pilots, a doctor, his mother, and him prone on a stretcher mounted to the wall.

“We didn’t talk about much. That was just an uncomfortable day. I was in too much pain to sleep. I couldn’t focus to read or watch movies. We were just sitting there wallowing in how rough the situation was. That was a long night.”

He says depressive thoughts only came later, but if he ever did wallow, it is not apparent now. He might have been forgiven for wishing never to return to the site of his accident, or for wanting to consign his time in the UAE to memory.

In fact, the complete opposite is the case. Ballard says the chance to move halfway around the world to work in Abu Dhabi in 2011 was a once in a lifetime opportunity, one that he never wanted to pass up.

Returning was always his ambition. In particular, returning to support his former teammates at the 2014 Dubai Rugby Sevens drove him during his rehabilitation. He made that trip. It was the first time he had travelled anywhere since the accident.

The next time he returned to the capital, 12 months later, it was for good, to return to the New England Centre for Children to work. To see his mates. To show them he was OK.

He returned to find a fund-raising apparatus in his name in such good working order that it could be rerouted elsewhere to make a genuine difference to other people’s lives.

The Conquistadors team, set up in time for the 2015 Sevens to promote the foundation, picked Madagascar as their first overseas, goodwill mission.

It fits the bill perfectly. Like the players, many Madagascan people are rugby-mad. And, given the poverty that pervades on the island, many could do with a little bit of help.

Ballard hopes the trip to Antananarivo, to deliver medical supplies, wheelchairs and provide rugby coaching, will be the first of many such ventures.

And, for the rest of the time he is just happy to be back in the old routine. Work routine, he says, helps with work-out routine. Whereas in the past it might have been wrestling, baseball or rugby, swimming is now his sport of choice.

What happens next, he is not quite sure, but he knows he is right where he should be for now.

“I just wanted to show everyone I was alright,” he says. “I left in a hurry. The last time everyone had seen me I was sewn up, and couldn’t even roll over in a hospital bed.

“I didn’t want that to be the last way everyone out here saw me and remembered me, so it was a big goal to get back out, and continue on, business as usual.

“I still haven’t figured out the plan. I wanted to come back here, first and foremost, to finish what I started. Work, Abu Dhabi, the Quins ... I didn’t just want to leave in the middle of the night and leave everything open ended.”

We come bearing gifts

The Air Seychelles Mike Ballard Foundation Conquistadors have taken a precious cargo with them for their tour to Madagascar.

As well as their own playing kit, the team of players assembled from eight clubs across the Arabian Gulf have some significant excess luggage.

In transit in the Seychelles on Wednesday, they donated 20 wheelchairs to a local hospital, while the following items carried on with them to their final destination.

For the Association Aide Manjakasoa Madagascar Rehabilitation Centre

40 wheelchairs.

20 cervical collars.

10 glucose meters and test strips.

10 aluminium crutches for children and adults.

4 tensiometers - for measuring blood pressure.

4 oximeters or saturometers.

2 digital otoscopes - used to perform examinations of the ear.

2 stretchers.

For seven rugby clubs and three schools in Antananarivo

700 training cones.

350 junior rugby jerseys, shorts and socks, in the colours of Arabian Gulf rugby clubs.

500 men’s jerseys and t-shirts, also donated by Arabian Gulf rugby clubs.

Junior rugby boots, courtesy of GoSport.

100 new rugby balls, courtesy of Doha RFC.

60 used rugby balls.

20 ball pumps.

28 suitcases/kit bags.

15 caps.

2 cubic metres of donated clothing and miscellaneous sports items.​

pradley@thenational.ae​

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

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Squads

India: Kohli (c), Rahul, Shaw, Agarwal, Pujara, Rahane, Vihari, Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Shami, Umesh, Siraj, Thakur

West Indies: Holder (c), Ambris, Bishoo, Brathwaite, Chase, Dowrich (wk), Gabriel, Hamilton, Hetmyer, Hope, Lewis, Paul, Powell, Roach, Warrican, Joseph

The biog

Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza

Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby

Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer

Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.

How being social media savvy can improve your well being

Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.

As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.

Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.

Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.

Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.

However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.

“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.

People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.

Squad

Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas) 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

How%20champions%20are%20made
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EDiet%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E7am%20-%20Protein%20shake%20with%20oats%20and%20fruits%0D%3Cbr%3E10am%20-%205-6%20egg%20whites%0D%3Cbr%3E1pm%20-%20White%20rice%20or%20chapati%20(Indian%20bread)%20with%20chicken%0D%3Cbr%3E4pm%20-%20Dry%20fruits%20%0D%3Cbr%3E7.30pm%20-%20Pre%20workout%20meal%20%E2%80%93%20grilled%20fish%20or%20chicken%20with%20veggies%20and%20fruits%0D%3Cbr%3E8.30pm%20to%20midnight%20workout%0D%3Cbr%3E12.30am%20%E2%80%93%20Protein%20shake%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20intake%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204000-4500%20calories%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESaidu%E2%80%99s%20weight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20110%20kg%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStats%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Biceps%2019%20inches.%20Forearms%2018%20inches%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance

Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.

Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.

The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why your domicile status is important

Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.

Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born. 

UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.

A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier

Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August

 

Group A

Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar

Group B

UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

 

UAE group fixtures

Sunday Feb 23, 9.30am, v Iran

Monday Feb 25, 1pm, v Kuwait

Tuesday Feb 26, 9.30am, v Saudi

 

UAE squad

Ahmed Raza, Rohan Mustafa, Alishan Sharafu, Ansh Tandon, Vriitya Aravind, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Basil Hameed, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Ayaz, Zahoor Khan, Chirag Suri, Sultan Ahmed

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Best Foreign Language Film nominees

Capernaum (Lebanon)

Cold War (Poland)

Never Look Away (Germany)

Roma (Mexico)

Shoplifters (Japan)

The Old Slave and the Mastiff

Patrick Chamoiseau

Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

Rajasthan Royals 153-5 (17.5 ov)
Delhi Daredevils 60-4 (6 ov)

Rajasthan won by 10 runs (D/L method)

FFP EXPLAINED

What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.

What the rules dictate? 
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.

What are the penalties? 
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 290hp

Torque: 340Nm

Price: Dh155,800

On sale: now

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Nick's journey in numbers

Countries so far: 85

Flights: 149

Steps: 3.78 million

Calories: 220,000

Floors climbed: 2,000

Donations: GPB37,300

Prostate checks: 5

Blisters: 15

Bumps on the head: 2

Dog bites: 1

ON%20TRACK
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Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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

High profile Al Shabab attacks
  • 2010: A restaurant attack in Kampala Uganda kills 74 people watching a Fifa World Cup final football match.
  • 2013: The Westgate shopping mall attack, 62 civilians, five Kenyan soldiers and four gunmen are killed.
  • 2014: A series of bombings and shootings across Kenya sees scores of civilians killed.
  • 2015: Four gunmen attack Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya and take over 700 students hostage, killing those who identified as Christian; 148 die and 79 more are injured.
  • 2016: An attack on a Kenyan military base in El Adde Somalia kills 180 soldiers.
  • 2017: A suicide truck bombing outside the Safari Hotel in Mogadishu kills 587 people and destroys several city blocks, making it the deadliest attack by the group and the worst in Somalia’s history.

Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt

Tesalam Aleik

Abdullah Al Ruwaished

(Rotana)