Emirati Shahad Budebs hopes seeing more women in full body or hijab sports gear will encourage other Arab athletes to compete in the gruelling CrossFit games.
The UAE national was part of the first Arab team to make it to the world CrossFit games in Madison, Wisconsin, this week.
Team Dubai competed against 40 of the world's top teams in a fiercely competitive event.
I was the only one wearing hijab. This is my identity. I’m saying I’m proud to be here.
Shahad Budebs
The athletes hope their experiences will open doors for others to take on the challenge to be counted among the fittest in the world.
“It was a great experience competing against the toughest athletes and we learnt a lot about how we need to prepare,” said Ms Budebs, the UAE national CrossFit champion who made it to the individual event in Madison, the US, in 2019.
She stood out as the only woman in a headscarf, long-sleeved shirt and full-length leggings in a sea of bikinis, shorts and tank tops.
Ms Budebs hopes the images will inspire young women to join the ranks of Muslim female athletes competing professionally while wearing modest sports gear.
“I was the only one wearing hijab. This is my identity,” she told The National from Madison.
“I’m saying I’m proud to be here. I want to tell other women, if you are only one wearing the hijab, don’t be afraid to compete against the strongest in the world.”
She received tremendous support online with messages from across the world and a shout out from the organisers who mentioned her on Twitter.
“People said they were proud and happy to see me competing,” she said. “They were very supportive.”
The teams were given a series of challenges that covered rope climbs, distance swims, lifting weights, pushing weights over an extended stretch, running and completing obstacle courses.
Ms Budebs plans to work on improving her swimming technique while wearing a hijab swimsuit.
“It’s still baby steps for us. It's not easy to get here so I want to train harder and come back stronger next year,” she said.
“Swimming is my weakness, it’s challenging because I have only been swimming for the last two years.
“Wearing the full swim suit made me slow and heavier. So I need to understand how to improve my skills.”
There have been several women who have competed in the Olympics and other international games in the hijab.
Athletes aim to broaden the conversation so it becomes natural for young girls to take up high-intensity sports.
Team Dubai placed 35th among the world’s top 40 teams and is determined to return better prepared.
The team included Emiratis Bader Al Noori, Mahmood Shalan and Irish resident Kat Fearon. Ms Fearon said others would follow the example Ms Budebs had set.
“It is so inspiring for women to see Shahad competing in her hijab among the best athletes in the world, it gives women the motivation and courage to believe they can too,” she said.
Bader Al Noori, a first lieutenant with the Dubai Police and team captain, said he hoped more women would take up the sport.
The rules stipulate a team comprises two women and two men. There have also been expatriate teams with podium finishes at the CrossFit games.
“Shahad has been a big inspiration to many women I’m really hoping we find more Arab women athletes,” he said.
“My goal was to open the doors for UAE nationals. I want a team competing every year from UAE. We need to get the next generation in the sport.”
Lt Al Noori said they would need coaches specifically to hone running and swimming skills.
“We need more training outside the gym,” he said.
“The competition was an eye opener and I’m sure after this you will find more Arab teams wanting to compete.”
Athletes said it was crucial for the young to have Arab female sports role models growing up.
Tackling antiquated notions that sport makes women "too muscular and bulky" and encouraging girls to be comfortable wearing the hijab in open competitions was also important.
“We have women who are dedicated to sport but some don’t like to train with the hijab,” Lt Al Noori said
“It’s hard in our culture to accept women who are physically strong. They see a girl with muscles and think ‘Why is she like that'.
“People need to be educated. It should start with schools emphasising more on all sports like football and basketball. The only way to change this is through education.”
Company%20profile
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Fifa Club World Cup quarter-final
Esperance de Tunis 0
Al Ain 3 (Ahmed 02’, El Shahat 17’, Al Ahbabi 60’)
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
AT%20A%20GLANCE
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The Bio
Favourite Emirati dish: I have so many because it has a lot of herbs and vegetables. Harees (oats with chicken) is one of them
Favourite place to go to: Dubai Mall because it has lots of sports shops.
Her motivation: My performance because I know that whatever I do, if I put the effort in, I’ll get results
During her free time: I like to drink coffee - a latte no sugar and no flavours. I do not like cold drinks
Pet peeve: That with every meal they give you a fries and Pepsi. That is so unhealthy
Advice to anyone who wants to be an ironman: Go for the goal. If you are consistent, you will get there. With the first one, it might not be what they want but they should start and just do it
Mobile phone packages comparison
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
%E2%80%98White%20Elephant%E2%80%99
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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The lowdown
Bohemian Rhapsody
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee
Rating: 3/5
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Results
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: RB Kings Bay, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: AF Ensito, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: AF Sourouh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Baaher, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
9pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Mootahady, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
9.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Dubai Canal, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
10pm: Al Ain Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Harrab, Bernardo Pinheiro, Majed Al Jahouri
