The postponement of the Tokyo Olympics has thrown the schedules of elite athletes across the world into disarray.
Organisers of the Games have also been going though their own nightmare scenarios as they try to reorganise plans that have now been ripped up because of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, it has had little or no impact on the Emirates, according to Ahmad Al Tayeb, head of sports and technical affairs of the UAE National Olympic Committee (NOC).
“Yes, it certainly will have a big impact on the organisers of the Games, the International Olympic Committee and all those athletes who have been preparing for years,” Al Tayeb said.
“Actually for us, we will not have such consequences because we only have two judokas already qualified for the Games. We may have a few wild cards in a few other sports, but that won’t be an issue.
“We got the maximum wild cards [eight] in Rio and we are hoping we may get the same number, or perhaps, even less for Tokyo. For them, it really doesn’t matter if the Olympics is put off by a year.
“There are a few qualification events still left, if anyone wants to have a try, but realistically we don’t have any athletes who can reach those qualification marks.”
Al Tayeb insisted the NOC would focus more on the smaller events such as the Asian Youth Games slated for November.
“The only question, if any, we would face is the local NOC elections that are held before the Olympics,” Al Tayeb said.
“If a new committee is elected then they will have less time for the Olympics that’s held in 2021.
“The postponement of the Olympics was inevitable after the spread of the coronavirus. It was also the right decision because safety comes first.”
The two UAE judokas already in the Tokyo Games are the Moldovan-born pair Victor Scvortov and Ivan Remarenco.
They were training in the Czech Republic and were to travel for the Ekaterinburg Grand Slam in Russia in mid-March as part of their Tokyo Games preparations.
However, the Grand Slam was cancelled and the two judokas flew to Moldova.
“They will take an extended break until we reschedule their plan ahead of the Games next year,” said Nasser Al Tamimi, general secretary of the UAE Wrestling and Judo Federation.
“The whole sporting world has come to a standstill. When the IJF [International Judo Federation] decided to call off the Grand Slam and the remaining qualifying competitions, we knew this was coming.
“For us, the postponement of the Games will not have a big impact because both Victor and Ivan have competed at Rio and we are confident they will not feel a big impact in rescheduling their preparation until next year.”
Checks continue
A High Court judge issued an interim order on Friday suspending a decision by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots to direct a stop to Brexit agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports.
Mr Justice Colton said he was making the temporary direction until a judicial review of the minister's unilateral action this week to order a halt to port checks that are required under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Civil servants have yet to implement the instruction, pending legal clarity on their obligations, and checks are continuing.
The biog
Nickname: Mama Nadia to children, staff and parents
Education: Bachelors degree in English Literature with Social work from UAE University
As a child: Kept sweets on the window sill for workers, set aside money to pay for education of needy families
Holidays: Spends most of her days off at Senses often with her family who describe the centre as part of their life too
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Age: 19
Profession: medical student at UAE university
Favourite book: The Ocean at The End of The Lane by Neil Gaiman
Role model: Parents, followed by Fazza (Shiekh Hamdan bin Mohammed)
Favourite poet: Edger Allen Poe
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
More coverage from the Future Forum
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
