UAE's most decorated jiu-jitsu fighter Faisal Al Ketbi said the 2020 Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship will be a “very special edition” when the tournament takes place, as scheduled, in November.
The championship, also known as the World Pro, is the highlight of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s (UAEJJF) international calendar. It is usually staged in April but this year’s edition was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event will now be held later in the year.
"Under the present situation when every sporting activity around the world is at a standstill, it is like music to the ears to hear jiu-jitsu's biggest event is going to take place. It will be a very special edition," Al Ketbi told The National.
“The World Pro is the biggest jiu-jitsu event in terms of numbers and prize fund (Dh2.5million last year).
“It will be a very special gathering of the international jiu-jitsu community after the catastrophe of Covid-19. We are still not sure when this situation will improve, but we are hopeful it will be behind us soon.
“It wasn’t easy for our federation to announce that the World Pro is happening this year under these circumstances. I believe my jiu-jitsu friends across the world will appreciate and applaud the UAEJJF’s decision.”
The World Pro drew more than 10,000 participants from over 100 countries in 2018, when it completed 10 years.
The numbers were restricted to 5,000 last year with the federation insisting they wanted quality rather than quantity.
Al Ketbi has won gold in blue, purple and brown belts in the World Pro but a gold in black belt has eluded him. He came close in 2018 and 2019 when he reached the final.
“I can only do my best and keep trying like every year,” he said about his chances in November.
“It’s going to be a difficult championship this time because we still don’t know when we can resume training.
“These days, with the stay at home orders of the UAE government, we are confined to training alone and indoors. I believe it’s the same in other parts of the world.
“I have been going through my fitness programme. I have been doing it twice a day and now it’s just once a day because of Ramadan.”
The Emirati has taken additional responsibility by serving as section leader of volunteers in one of the Covid-19 testing centres.
“If we want to resume sporting activities, we need to first control the spread of the coronavirus,” Al Ketbi added.
“It’s a massive task and our government is doing everything within their control to put an end to this.”
As part of the volunteer work, Al Ketbi assists medical staff and those who arrive for the tests. He has been working from 9am to 3pm, seven days a week, for more than a month.
“Many members of the jiu-jitsu community, including some of my colleagues in the national team (including Emirati jiu-jitsu referee Ibrahim Al Hosani and Asian Games gold medallist Hamad Nawad) have joined me.
“I shuttle between Adnec (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre) and Musaffah, where tests are carried out every day.
“It’s a huge and challenging task for the medical staff and me and my team are doing whatever we can to help, including logistics and other services.”
In addition to the volunteer work at the test centres and his own training routine, Al Ketbi also runs an online fitness class to encourage people to exercise during the lockdown.
And whenever possible, Al Ketbi, 33, makes the most of his time at home with his young family – eldest son Tahnoun (5), daughter Fatima (3) and the 18-month old twin boys Mohammed and Zayed.
“As a professional athlete I have to give most of my time to jiu-jitsu, which has taken me to where I am today,” he said.
“These are extraordinary times and I joined the voluntary services because my country needs everyone to contribute in whatever way they can to combat the coronavirus.
“Our main task is to protect everyone living in the UAE and make it a safe place for them. Of course I miss my family very much but when I’m at home, I spend as much time as possible with my wife and kids.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
