Ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics, which is slated to feature at least two athletes from royal families in the region, we break down a history of Gulf royals to participate in the Games.
Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum, UAE
Shooting – 2016, 2012, 2008, 2004, 2000
The son of Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai from 1990-2006, is at 39 headed to his fifth Olympic Games in Rio. The skeet shooting marksman has won several international titles in his career, and finished tied-ninth at the 2000 Sydney Games and 13th at London 2012. He has been the UAE flag-bearer at three Olympics – London, Athens and Sydney.
Sheikh Ali bin Khalid Al Thani, Qatar
Equestrian – 2016
The 33-year-old showrider has competed at the Asian Games, Pan-Arab Games, World Championships and FEI World Cup previously. The Rio Games will be his first Olympics.
Sheikh Juma bin Dalmook Al Maktoum, UAE
Shooting – 2012
The two-time Asian Games medallist (double trap silver Guangzhou 2010, double trap bronze Incheon 2014) finished 13th in London, four points off qualifying for the final.
Prince Abdullah bin Mutaib Al Saud, Saudi Arabia
Equestrian – 2012 (bronze), 2008
Prince Abdullah, 31, is a two-time Olympian, having competed at London 2012 and Beijing 2008. In London he won a bronze medal as part of the Saudi Arabian mixed jumping team, the Kingdom’s third medal as a nation at the Olympics.
Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE
Taekwondo – 2008
The Ruler of Dubai’s daughter carried the UAE flag into the opening ceremony in Beijing, where she competed in taekwondo. In the 67kg classification she was seeded 14th and fell to eventual gold medallist Hwang Kyung-seon of South Korea. She also competed in the repechage round, losing to Sandra Saric of Croatia.
Prince Faisal Al Shalan, Saudi Arabia
Equestrian – 2008
The accomplished 29-year-old show jumper, who has won medals at the Asian Games, Pan-Arab Games and Islamic Solidarity Games, competed at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Hasher, UAE
Shooting – 2008, 2004 (gold), 2000
The winner of the Emirates’ lone medal at an Olympics, a gold in the double trap at the 2004 Games. Sheikh Ahmed went to Athens for his second Games at age 40 in 2004, and competed in both the trap and double trap. He reached the final round in the former before finishing fourth, a point away from a bronze medal. He blew away the competition in the latter, however, with 189 points in the final that were 10 better than second-placed Rajyavardhan Rathore of India and set an Olympic record (beaten four years later in Beijing). In China he returned for a third Games and finished seventh in double trap.
Sheikha Latifa bint Ahmed, UAE
Equestrian – 2008
One of three members of the Al Maktoum family at the Beijing Games, she went to Hong Kong, where the equestrian events were held, and narrowly missed out on reaching the third qualifying stage.
Princess Haya, Jordan
Equestrian – 2000
Though not a native of a Gulf country, Princess Haya did marry into the UAE Royal family in 2004 when she wed Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Ruler of Dubai and Vice President of the UAE. She competed in the mixed jumping individual event in Sydney and carried her nation’s flag at the opening ceremony.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Who are the Sacklers?
The Sackler family is a transatlantic dynasty that owns Purdue Pharma, which manufactures and markets OxyContin, one of the drugs at the centre of America's opioids crisis. The family is well known for their generous philanthropy towards the world's top cultural institutions, including Guggenheim Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate in Britain, Yale University and the Serpentine Gallery, to name a few. Two branches of the family control Purdue Pharma.
Isaac Sackler and Sophie Greenberg were Jewish immigrants who arrived in New York before the First World War. They had three sons. The first, Arthur, died before OxyContin was invented. The second, Mortimer, who died aged 93 in 2010, was a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. The third, Raymond, died aged 97 in 2017 and was also a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma.
It was Arthur, a psychiatrist and pharmaceutical marketeer, who started the family business dynasty. He and his brothers bought a small company called Purdue Frederick; among their first products were laxatives and prescription earwax remover.
Arthur's branch of the family has not been involved in Purdue for many years and his daughter, Elizabeth, has spoken out against it, saying the company's role in America's drugs crisis is "morally abhorrent".
The lawsuits that were brought by the attorneys general of New York and Massachussetts named eight Sacklers. This includes Kathe, Mortimer, Richard, Jonathan and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, who are all the children of either Mortimer or Raymond. Then there's Theresa Sackler, who is Mortimer senior's widow; Beverly, Raymond's widow; and David Sackler, Raymond's grandson.
Members of the Sackler family are rarely seen in public.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
