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Ronaldo’s transfer to Al-Nassr from Manchester United draws huge excitement online

Ronaldo’s transfer to Al-Nassr from Manchester United draws huge excitement online
Ronaldo’s two-year deal with the Riyadh giants, after leaving Manchester United, set off a flurry of reactions on social media. (AFP)
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Updated 03 January 2023
Arab News

Ronaldo’s transfer to Al-Nassr from Manchester United draws huge excitement online

Ronaldo’s transfer to Al-Nassr from Manchester United draws huge excitement online
  • Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal: ‘Happy with the presence of one of the best players in the world to start his new career in Saudi Arabia’
Updated 03 January 2023
Arab News

DUBAI: Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, which the club described as ‘history in the making’, is arguably one of the biggest football news coming from the Kingdom.

Ronaldo’s two-year deal with the Riyadh giants set off a flurry of reactions on social media, particularly among his legion of loyal fans – he has more than 500 million followers on Instagram and 106.5 million followers on Twitter – who applauded his decision to sign up for the Saudi Arabian league.

“History in the making. A very special welcome to Roshn Saudi League for Cristiano Ronaldo! One of football’s greats will be playing at Al-Nassr,” the Saudi Pro League, the Kingdom’s top-flight football league, posted on Twitter in welcoming Ronaldo.

 

 

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, president of the Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee, tweeted: “Happy with the presence of one of the best players in the world to start his new career in Saudi Arabia. Welcome @Cristiano to the kingdom. And we will hopefully support the rest of our clubs for deals with international stars soon.”

 

 

Other prominent personalities also chimed in their welcome to Ronaldo, including Chen Weiqing, China’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, who tweet in Arabic saying “As a fan of Al-Nassr team, I warmly welcome Cristiano Ronaldo to the team.”

 

 

Saudi media personality Abdullah Ben Zanan, posted on Twitter: “The greatest sport deal in the Arab world, the Middle East and Asia. What is happening now is an added value to Saudi sports as a whole. Those with a narrow horizon look at a comprehensive view in order to understand the great event. Congratulations to us as Saudis for having the best striker historically in our league.”

 

 

Salman Aldosary, another Saudi media personality with a huge following, said on Twitter that “You don’t have to be a fan of Al-Nassr team in order to be excited about Cristiano Ronaldo attending to the kingdom, as he is one of the best players in history. I understand very much the repercussions of sports competition, and the welcoming of some and the rejection of others, but between these and those we, as Saudis, have to look at the big picture and we will find that the gains are endless.”

 

 

Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano, meanwhile, provided some interesting back story on the Portuguese star’s historic move: “Sporting Kansas City were really trying to sign Cristiano Ronaldo. SKC held a meeting before Morgan interview then one more with concrete talks about the prospects of CR7 playing in Kansas City commercially.”

 

 

“Salary package was huge but Ronaldo decided for Al-Nassr move,” the renowned journalist posted on Twitter.

Romano also gave hints about superstar’s potential paycheck for the Saudi team: “Cristiano Ronaldo’s guaranteed football salary at Al-Nassr will be close to $90m per year. Commercial/sponsorship deals (already approved by Cristiano’s camp) will be included in the agreement to bring total salary close to $200m.”

But what may sum up the fans’ excitement on Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia was a tweet from Saudi sport journalist Muath Al-Jandal, who posted on Twitter “URGENT: Fans flock stores to print Cristiano Ronaldo shirts before Al Nasr Club’s official announcement.”

 

Topics: Ronaldo joins Al Nassr Cristiano Ronaldo Al-Nassr

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Saudi’s 2023 Taif Season set to be biggest yet with 54 race meetings

Saudi’s 2023 Taif Season set to be biggest yet with 54 race meetings
Updated 29 sec ago
Arab News

Saudi’s 2023 Taif Season set to be biggest yet with 54 race meetings

Saudi’s 2023 Taif Season set to be biggest yet with 54 race meetings
  • As well as the increased fixture list, the new Taif season will feature greater prize money, with a 25 percent increase announced for each Thursday meeting
  • Taif is situated at a higher altitude and is closer to the coast than Riyadh, making it cooler and ideal for hosting racing throughout the summer months
Updated 29 sec ago
Arab News

Racing in Saudi Arabia resumes on Thursday, June 1 with a significantly expanded program at King Khalid Racecourse in Taif.

The 2023 campaign gets underway two weeks earlier than in 2022, meaning the total number of meetings has increased to 54, with the season culminating on Saturday, Oct. 7.

There will be a record number of races in 2023, with 187 contests for local and imported horses (up from 147), 193 for locally bred horses only (up from 188) and 108 for purebred Arabian horses (up from 49). A total of 486 races will take place during the season, up from 384 in 2022.

Highlights on the calendar include the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Cup on Saturday, Sept. 2, which is run on the same day as the Listed King Faisal Cup, while the Taif Derby takes place on Friday, Sept. 22.

As well as the increased fixture list, the new Taif season will feature greater prize money, with a 25 percent increase announced for each Thursday meeting.

Prince Abdullah bin Khalid Al-Saud, chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia’s technical committee, said: “The growth of racing in Taif for the 2023 season further demonstrates our aim to develop the sport of horse racing in Saudi Arabia and underscores our commitment to securing a bright future for purebred Arabian racing.

“The expanded fixture list as well as the significant increase in prize money offers trainers more opportunity for all categories of horses.

“Our 193 races tailored specifically to locally bred horses support our all-important domestic breeding industry, and purebred Arabian horses now have more than double the opportunity when compared to last season.

“Coupled with our juvenile racing schedule, we see Taif as a significant season in its own right, but it also serves as an excellent launch pad to the Riyadh racing season and gives visitors the chance to view the equine superstars of tomorrow.”

The venue in Taif has undergone extensive renovation work in the last season to ensure that it offers the best experience to our guests on race day.

Taif is situated at a higher altitude and is closer to the coast than Riyadh, making it cooler and ideal for hosting racing throughout the summer months.

Topics: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) Taif Horse Racing

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Jabeur bounces back at French Open, Ruud and Russian teenager advance

Jabeur bounces back at French Open, Ruud and Russian teenager advance
Updated 41 min 33 sec ago
AP

Jabeur bounces back at French Open, Ruud and Russian teenager advance

Jabeur bounces back at French Open, Ruud and Russian teenager advance
  • A year after her first-round exit, the No. 7 seed Jabeur beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-1 to help erase some bad memories
  • "I’m very happy to win my first match on Philippe Chatrier — because I’ve never won here,” Jabeur said on court about the clay-court tournament's main stadium
Updated 41 min 33 sec ago
AP

PARIS: Ons Jabeur got a do-over on Court Philippe Chatrier at the French Open and won this time.
A year after her first-round exit, the No. 7 seed Jabeur beat Lucia Bronzetti 6-4, 6-1 to help erase some bad memories and answer questions about a recent calf injury.
The Tunisian, a crowd favorite in Paris, smiled and expressed relief in not repeating last year’s mistake, when she lost to Magda Linette of Poland.
“I’m very happy to win my first match on Philippe Chatrier — because I’ve never won here,” Jabeur said on court about the clay-court tournament’s main stadium.
Now she can focus on trying to win her first major. She was runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open last year.
The 28-year-old Jabeur has also battled injuries this season. She had knee surgery after the Australian Open, and was then sidelined with a calf injury. She had stopped playing against top-ranked Iga Swiatek at the clay-court tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, in late April and then pulled out of the Madrid Open.
“It was a very difficult period for me after Stuttgart,” said Jabeur, adding that she’s beginning to find her rhythm.
Jabeur struck 27 winner’s to Bronzetti’s seven, though with 24 unforced errors she’ll have room to improve.
Also Tuesday, 16-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva had a memorable Grand Slam debut by dominating Alison Riske-Amritraj 6-2, 6-1. Andreeva’s older sister — 18-year-old Erika — was facing Emma Navarro later in the day.
Later, Swiatek gets her French Open title defense started against Cristina Bucsa, who is ranked 70th.
On the men’s side, No. 4 seed Casper Ruud beat qualifier Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, to remind the higher-profile tournament favorites that he was runner-up to Rafael Nadal last year at Roland Garros.

Topics: Ons Jabeur Roland Garros Paris tennis

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Al-Faisaly reverse decision to withdraw from football tournament in Palestine

Al-Faisaly reverse decision to withdraw from football tournament in Palestine
Updated 30 May 2023
Arab News

Al-Faisaly reverse decision to withdraw from football tournament in Palestine

Al-Faisaly reverse decision to withdraw from football tournament in Palestine
  • Tension on the pitch led to crowd trouble at the Al-Quds and Al-Karameh tournament match against rivals Al-Wehdat on Monday
  • Club’s board had released a statement on Tuesday saying the team were heading back to Amman
Updated 30 May 2023
Arab News

AMMAN: Jordanian football club Al-Faisaly have reversed their decision to withdraw from the Al-Quds and Al-Karameh tournament in Palestine after trouble had marred their derby match against fierce rivals Al-Wehdat.

Monday’s opening match of the friendly competition — which was organized by the Palestinian Football Federation — was in the final moments of a 1-1 draw when an aggressive challenge by an Al-Faisaly player on Mohammed Kahlan from Al-Wehdat led to a scuffle between members of the two teams.

Tension on the pitch spread to fans in the stands and this resulted in Al-Faisaly’s board of directors taking the decision to leave the competition and return to Amman.

Jordan’s Al-Ghad newspaper reported Al-Faisaly’s official statement as saying: “Following the unfortunate events that were witnessed at the Al-Faisaly match in the Al-Quds and Al-Karameh tournament, which was held in the sisterly state of Palestine yesterday, the board of directors of Al-Faisaly Club held today, Tuesday, a meeting at the club’s headquarters headed by the Chairman of the Board, Eng. Nidal Al-Hadid.

“The board says that the unfortunate events that occurred… resulted in tension inside the stadium, during which the club’s delegation was attacked.

“In order to preserve national unity, which is our top priority, and for the relations that bind us with the Palestinian brothers, we overlook the offense, and we reiterate that it will not undermine our national unity.

“Based on the unfortunate events that took place as a result of the poor organization during the Al-Quds and Al-Karameh match, and in order to ensure the safety of the club’s delegation, the board of directors has decided to confirm the return of the team to the capital, Amman, as soon as possible.”

Head of the Palestinian Football Federation Jibril Rajoub apologized to Al-Faisaly following the club’s statement and it appears that the Jordanian side are now prepared to abandon their plans to return home.

Topics: football soccer Palestine Jordan Jordanian club Al-Faisaly

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Swiatek says Ukraine war has caused ‘chaos’ in sport

Swiatek says Ukraine war has caused ‘chaos’ in sport
Updated 30 May 2023
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Swiatek says Ukraine war has caused ‘chaos’ in sport

Swiatek says Ukraine war has caused ‘chaos’ in sport
  • The Pole also hit out at the ruling bodies of tennis, the ATP and WTA, saying they had failed to provide leadership on the issue of Ukrainian players facing Russians on the court
  • "Those who are in the worst position are the Ukrainian players and it would be good if we paid more attention to what they feel and what they endure," Swiatek said
Updated 30 May 2023
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PARTSI: Reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek says the Ukraine war has caused “chaos” in the world of sport.
In an interview with French daily Le Monde on Tuesday, the Pole also hit out at the ruling bodies of tennis, the ATP and WTA, saying they had failed to provide leadership on the issue of Ukrainian players facing Russians on the court.
“There are indeed tensions among the players, sometimes the atmosphere in the locker room is quite heavy,” the 21-year-old said.
“At the beginning of the conflict, there was a lack of leadership on the part of the tennis authorities, we were not brought together to explain how we were supposed to manage this complex situation and how to behave.
“Those who are in the worst position are the Ukrainian players and it would be good if we paid more attention to what they feel and what they endure.”
Her fears were illustrated on Sunday when Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk was booed at the French Open for refusing to shake hands with Belarusian opponent Aryna Sabalenka.
Kostyuk said the Paris crowd should “feel embarrassed” by their actions.
Swiatek, whose country neighbors Ukraine, was asked if she would support the participation of athletes from Russia and their ally Belarus at the Paris Olympics next year.
“It is not for us as athletes to make such a decision,” she said. “There is currently a kind of chaos in sport and the most important thing is not to make it worse, to share values that are the right ones and to be clear that we cannot tolerate the ongoing war.”
Russia and Belarus were banned from international competition following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022,
In March this year, the International Olympic Committee recommended that Russian and Belarusian athletes return to international competition, without commenting on their possible presence at the Paris Games.

Topics: Russia-Ukraine Conflict Iga Swiatek tennis

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WBC highlights diversity in boxing as it celebrates 60th anniversary

WBC highlights diversity in boxing as it celebrates 60th anniversary
Updated 37 min 50 sec ago
Cormac O’Donnell

WBC highlights diversity in boxing as it celebrates 60th anniversary

WBC highlights diversity in boxing as it celebrates 60th anniversary
  • Organization created the ‘Diriyah Champion’ belt to highlight Saudi efforts in promoting sport
  • WBC Middle East Continental Federation hosting a platform for local fighters
Updated 37 min 50 sec ago
Cormac O’Donnell

The boxing world is celebrating as the World Boxing Council (WBC) proudly enjoys its Diamond Anniversary; 60 years of promoting the “sweet science” of boxing, shaping the sport’s landscape and awarding its champions with its famous green and gold belts.

Since its inception in 1963, the WBC has been an instrumental force in boxing, fostering sporting excellence, advocating for fighters’ rights and inspiring millions of fans worldwide.

Six decades ago, Mexican visionaries Jose Sulaiman and Luis Spota founded the WBC with a noble goal in mind: To create a platform where the best boxers could compete and thrive while upholding integrity, fairness and safety.

At the heart of the WBC’s success is its commitment to producing unforgettable boxing moments and champions.

Throughout its storied history, the organization has witnessed the rise of legends such as Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez and Mike Tyson — to name a few.

The international outlook of the World Boxing Council has always been one of its finer qualities. In addition to its traditional championship belts, the World Boxing Council has also implemented the use of commemorative international belts to promote cultural diversity and foster global unity within the sport.

These unique belts, often featuring vibrant colors and symbols representing different countries and regions, serve as powerful symbols of international cooperation and sportsmanship.

Recently, the WBC created the “Diriyah Champion” belt, adorned with Arabic designs and letters, to highlight Saudi Arabia’s efforts in promoting the sport in the Middle East.

Based on the wishes of the late Don Jose Sulaiman, whose father was Lebanese, the organization has created a WBC Middle East Continental Federation to elevate boxing and provide a platform for local fighters in the region. Headed by previous champion Amir Khan, the WBC Middle East has helped promote events in Dubai, Diriyah and Istanbul over the last 15 months.

Beyond the confines of boxing, the WBC has embraced its social responsibility, leveraging its platform to champion numerous charitable causes. From supporting children’s hospitals to raising awareness about important mental health issues with WBC Cares, the organization has used its influence to make a positive difference in the world. Through its charitable initiatives, such as recently donating $20,000 to victims of the earthquake in Turkey, the WBC has exemplified that the spirit of boxing extends far beyond the confines of the ring.

As the WBC embarks on its next chapter, it remains committed to evolving with the times while preserving the essence of the sport. The organization's leadership, headed by Mauricio Sulaiman, son of the late Jose Sulaiman, continues to prioritize innovation, inclusivity and integrity.

The WBC has embraced technology, engaging fans through digital platforms and expanding its global reach. It has also taken steps to address gender inequality, supporting the growth of women’s boxing and providing equal opportunities for female fighters to shine.

Indeed, recent female boxing contests such as Chantelle Cameron vs. Katie Taylor have become as anticipated as those of their male counterparts — with the help and recognition of the WBC.

By embracing and showcasing these diverse cultural and social elements, the WBC sends a powerful message of inclusivity, respect and celebration of heritage, further strengthening the bond among nations through the universal language of boxing.

The motto of the WBC, “My blood is green, my heart is gold,” looks set to inspire future generations of growth and excellence, as in sport — as in life.

Topics: World Boxing Council (WBC)

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