4-time MLB All-Star Ronald Acuna Jr. joining Baseball United ownership group

4-time MLB All-Star Ronald Acuna Jr. joining Baseball United ownership group
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Ronald Acuña Jr.with Baseball United CEO Kash Shaikh. (Supplied)
4-time MLB All-Star Ronald Acuna Jr. joining Baseball United ownership group
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Ronald Acuña Jr. has become the youngest investor in the Baseball United Ownership Group. (Supplied)
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Updated 02 April 2024
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4-time MLB All-Star Ronald Acuna Jr. joining Baseball United ownership group

4-time MLB All-Star Ronald Acuna Jr. joining Baseball United ownership group
  • MLB most-valuable player and Atlanta Braves All-Star becomes youngest investor in new Middle East league

DUBAI: Baseball United, the first professional league focused on the Middle East and Indian subcontinent, has announced that four-time MLB All-Star and Most Valuable Player, Ronald Acuna Jr., has joined its investment and ownership group.

Acuna, ranked as the top player in baseball by MLB Network, becomes the youngest and highest-profile active athlete to join the new league.

Acuna, an All-MLB First Team selection, took home all of baseball’s top awards last season, including the National League MVP (unanimous), the Hank Aaron Award, and The Sporting News Player of the Year. The Atlanta Braves superstar, who is just 26 years old, hit 41 home runs and stole 73 bases last year to become the first player in MLB history with a 40-70 season. He also hit .337 while leading the league in 10 key statistical categories, including hits (217), runs (149), total bases (383) and on-base percentage (.416).

“It’s such an honor to welcome Ronald into the Baseball United family,” said Kash Shaikh, chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Baseball United. “Ronald is not only a generational athlete and the game’s best player, but he’s a cultural icon who inspires fans all over the world.

“He truly believes that baseball can be global, and he plays the game with the type of passion, charisma, and style that can help millions of new fans fall in love with the game. Last year, while our team was making history bringing professional baseball to the Middle East for the first time, Ronald was making history of his own on the game’s biggest stage. Now, we get to go make history together.”

Acuna joins 19 other MLB legends within Baseball United’s ownership group, including Hall of Famers Barry Larkin, Mariano Rivera and Adrian Beltre, as well as icons Albert Pujols, Robinson Cano and Bartolo Colon. The league began play in Dubai last November with an inaugural All-Star Showcase event, the first professional baseball games in the history of the region. The event was broadcast in 127 countries, reaching 200 million households.

Acuna is the fourth Venezuelan-born MLB star to invest in Baseball United, joining Felix Hernandez, Elvis Andrus and Robinson Chirinos.

“I am truly grateful to join the Baseball United family as an investor, co-owner, and an active ambassador to help grow the game we all love,” said Acuna. “It’s been exciting to watch what Kash, John (Miedreich), and the BU team has built over the past two years. They’ve done things that no one has ever done before.

“And now, I’m honored to be a part of it. Growing up in Venezuela, I always dreamed of making a big impact on the game of baseball. I’m very blessed to compete every day with my teammates to do that for Major League Baseball and the Atlanta Braves, and I can’t wait to help carry the game to new fans in the Middle East and South Asia with Baseball United.”

In addition to his ownership stake in Baseball United, Acuna will also play an ambassador role helping to promote the league, its teams, and players across his social media and at special events in the Middle East after the MLB season.

The league is scheduled to announce its 2024 plans and expansion franchises this summer. Baseball United’s first full season is slated for the winter of 2025.


FIFA defers decision on request to suspend Israel

FIFA defers decision on request to suspend Israel
Updated 7 sec ago
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FIFA defers decision on request to suspend Israel

FIFA defers decision on request to suspend Israel
The FIFA council adopted the recommendations and conclusions reached in the legal analysis
It decided that its disciplinary committee would be mandated to investigate the alleged offense of discrimination raised by the PFA

ZURICH: World football’s governing body FIFA made no verdict either way Thursday on a Palestinian request to suspend Israel, instead launching committee investigations to inform an eventual decision.
At FIFA’s congress in Bangkok in May, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) called for its Israeli counterpart to be suspended and for Israeli teams to be banned from FIFA events.
FIFA was initially set to hold an extraordinary session of its ruling council before July 20 to review the independent legal analysis and decide how to proceed.
However, the deadline was pushed back to give legal experts more time to complete a report.
At the organization’s headquarters in Zurich on Thursday, the FIFA council adopted the recommendations and conclusions reached in the legal analysis.
It decided that its disciplinary committee would be mandated to investigate the alleged offense of discrimination raised by the PFA.
Meanwhile the FIFA governance, audit and compliance committee “will be entrusted with the mission to investigate — and subsequently advise the FIFA Council on — the participation in Israeli competitions of Israeli football teams allegedly based in the territory of Palestine.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement: “The FIFA Council has implemented due diligence on this very sensitive matter and, based on a thorough assessment, we have followed the advice of the independent experts.
“The ongoing violence in the region confirms that, above all considerations... we need peace.
“As we remain extremely shocked by what is happening, and our thoughts are with those who are suffering, we urge all parties to restore peace to the region with immediate effect.”

Mbappe left out of France squad for Nations League games

Mbappe left out of France squad for Nations League games
Updated 03 October 2024
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Mbappe left out of France squad for Nations League games

Mbappe left out of France squad for Nations League games
  • The Real Madrid star returned from a short spell on the sidelines, with a thigh injury, to appear as a substitute in the surprise 1-0 defeat at Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday

PARIS: France captain Kylian Mbappe has been left out of his team’s UEFA Nations League matches this month after coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday named his squad.
The Real Madrid star returned from a short spell on the sidelines, with a thigh injury, to appear as a substitute in the surprise 1-0 defeat at Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday.
However, the 25-year-old will play no part in France’s games against Israel and Belgium, a decision clearly made in order to allow Mbappe to rest and work on his fitness.
France play Israel on Thursday, October 10 in an away fixture moved to Budapest due to the security situation in the Middle East.
Les Bleus, Nations League winners in 2021, will then take on Belgium in Brussels on Monday, October 14.
France have three points after their first two outings in Group A2, which is topped by Italy with six points.
Thursday’s squad announcement was the first by Deschamps since vice-captain Antoine Griezmann retired from international football at the beginning of this week.
Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku, who won the last of his 10 caps in June last year, returns to the squad.

France squad
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham United/ENG), Mike Maignan (AC Milan/ITA), Brice Samba (Lens)
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Nice), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa/ENG), Wesley Fofana (Chelsea/ENG), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan/ITA), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool/ENG), Jules Kounde (Barcelona/ESP), William Saliba (Arsenal/ENG), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER)
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/ESP), Youssouf Fofana (AC Milan/ITA), Matteo Guendouzi (Lazio/ITA), Manu Kone (Roma/ITA), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid/ESP), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Randal Kolo Muani (all Paris Saint-Germain), Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea/ENG), Michael Olize (Bayern Munich/GER), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan/ITA)


Cricketers are now for all seasons

 Cricketers are now for all seasons
Updated 03 October 2024
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Cricketers are now for all seasons

 Cricketers are now for all seasons
  • Leading professionals, male and female, can play top class cricket all year round, irrespective of weather conditions

It is the start of October in the UK. The English and Welsh cricket season staggered to its conclusion, buffeted by rain and winds with occasional outbursts of sun. Autumn is here and I am put in mind of one of England’s most famous romantic poets, John Keats. His final poem, “To Autumn,” began: “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness; Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun.”

September 2024 has not evoked a repeat of Keats’ experience. Although there are mists, the sun-induced mellowness has been largely lacking. Instead, rain has meant the determination of important cricketing issues was subject to uncertainty. England and Australia played a five-match One Day International series. England lost the first two matches but then won the next two, turning the final match at Bristol into a series decider.

Rain was forecast for the afternoon and arrived around 4 p.m., after 20.4 overs had been bowled. At 20 overs in a 50-over match, an adjusted target score formula is activated. Australia was sufficiently far ahead in its run chase that, when the match was eventually abandoned, they were declared both match and series winner. The conditions for watching were not pleasant; apart from the constant threat of rain, a strong and gusty breeze made day seem colder.

Nevertheless, the crowd was stoical. The ground has a stated ODI capacity of 15,000 and it was sold out. There are those who regard the scheduling of an England v Australia series at this time of year as bordering on farce. Others, including cricket authorities, argue that the demand exists — all matches were sell-outs and great entertainment was provided by some of the world’s leading players. On top of that, the series provided an opportunity to stage matches at venues which do not regularly host internationals against top opposition.

Whilst the series was being played, the final matches of the county cricket season were unfolding against a backdrop of capricious weather. Matters of promotion and relegation had to be decided, with most teams hoping the weather would not be the ultimate arbiter. Despite several matches losing at least a day’s play, fair conclusions, based on relative performances, emerged. In a twist of fate, Lancashire were relegated from Division 1 and changed places with their historic rivals, Yorkshire, who finished second in Division 2.

An outside observer of English and Welsh cricket with an overall knowledge of the global game might regard the scheduling of such important matches at this time of year as unwise, given the probability of rain and cold weather influencing the outcomes. As has been discussed in previous columns, the reason is The Hundred.

In order to appeal to its target audience of parents and young children it is scheduled for the school holidays in August. All other first class cricket tournaments are scheduled around it. This regime is unlikely to change in the short term. The privatization of The Hundred is now underway, with the longer effects of this process subject to much crystal ball-gazing.

Confirmation came this week of the sale of the private company which owns Hampshire cricket to GMR Global Pte Ltd. It will acquire a majority stake in Hampshire Sports & Leisure Group. No immediate change of personnel will occur other than at main board level, where two new directors will be appointed by GGPL. The transaction, termed as a “definitive agreement,” has been heavily trailed and is expected to be concluded in September 2026. As well as holding a 50 percent stake in Delhi Capitals, GMR also owns shares in the Dubai Capitals and the Pretoria Capitals, as well as investing in US Major League Cricket team the Seattle Orcas.

Cricket’s globalization process is set to expand. Negotiations will proceed throughout the British autumn for the sale of The Hundred. Although the season has ended in Europe and North America it has opened in Asia, central and southern Africa and Australasia. As if to remind us that rain’s detrimental effect on cricket is not limited to Europe and North America, it washed out play on two and a half days of the second Test match between India and Bangladesh in Nagpur.

Rain has also fallen heavily in the UAE, where the women’s T20I World Cup is being played in day-time temperatures in the mid-30s. Originally, the tournament was scheduled to take place in Bangladesh but was moved because of civil strife. This will be the first women’s T20 World Cup to be held at a neutral venue. If it feels like a women’s T20I World cup was played not too long ago, you would be right; the knock-on effect of the global pandemic forced the 2023 edition in South Africa to be held a year later than originally planned.

Ten teams will participate, divided into two groups of five, playing in a round-robin format. The top two from each group will qualify for the semifinals. Australia is the firm favorite to retain the trophy, having won the last four editions and six of the eight to have been played, England and the West Indies being the other winners in 2009 and 2016, respectively.

Since the first edition, women’s cricket has progressed a long way to the point where this will be the first women’s global tournament since the ICC announced equal prize money for both men’s and women's tournaments. The winners will receive USD 2.34 million, an increase of 134 percent over 2023’s prize money.

This reflects the dramatic increase in appeal of women’s cricket to spectators, broadcasters, sponsors and marketeers. Women have proved that they can play cricket to a high standard and attract funding. The leading professional cricketers, both men and women, can play cricket all year round, irrespective of weather conditions. Autumn, for them, has a different meaning compared with Keats. It is a time to fly away to warmer climes, leaving others to discuss the game’s future landscape.


Dubai Basketball to host Serbia’s Mega MIS in battle of unbeaten rivals

Dubai Basketball to host Serbia’s Mega MIS in battle of unbeaten rivals
Updated 03 October 2024
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Dubai Basketball to host Serbia’s Mega MIS in battle of unbeaten rivals

Dubai Basketball to host Serbia’s Mega MIS in battle of unbeaten rivals
  • Both teams go into Round 3 of Europe’s ABA League searching for a third straight victory

DUBAI: Dubai Basketball welcomes Serbia’s Mega MIS to the Coca-Cola Arena on Saturday night for a highly anticipated ABA League game that means one side will lose their perfect start to the season.

Dubai Basketball has stormed on to the scene with an undefeated start to their inaugural ABA League season after a thrilling 86-84 victory over Serbia’s defending champions, Crvena Zvezda, on the opening night, followed by their first road triumph, a 92-84 win over Slovenia’s Cedevita Olimpija.

Dubai might be facing their toughest contest yet, as Mega MIS — last year’s semi-finalists — are also unbeaten and looking to top the league’s standings.

However, Dubai Basketball’s captain, Klemen Prepelic, who was named the ABA League’s Fantasy Player of the Week for a stellar Round 2 performance, has been focused on his team’s preparations, and has called on Dubai fans to show up in force, creating an atmosphere like the one that nearly took the roof off the Coca-Cola Arena in their opener against Crvena Zvezda.

He said: “Our fans here in Dubai, they’re as much a part of the team as any one of us on the roster. When our fans show up in force, they really are the ‘sixth man,’ this place (Coca-Cola Arena) gets loud. We all experienced (last week) what our fans can do in big moments, the incredible atmosphere; they can make Coca-Cola Arena the toughest place for opponents to play, and we want to experience that again, all season long.”

Fans can expect a stellar contest, with both sides impressing so far and a sudden rivalry emerging. For Dubai Basketball, Prepelic is the team’s top points scorer with 39 as well as 14 assists and 8 rebounds while American Nate Mason will also be a threat with a 100 per cent record from his five free throws that have contributed to his 38-point tally.

Mega MIS, known throughout the world for producing NBA superstars, like NBA champion and three-time league MVP, Nikola Jokic, will not be short of confidence as they also aim for a 3-0 record. Filip Jovic (33), Kosta Kondic (32) and Mihailo Petrovic (30) have all passed the 30-point barrier in the opening two games so far.


‘Latino Night’ brings top boxing talent to Riyadh Season

‘Latino Night’ brings top boxing talent to Riyadh Season
Updated 03 October 2024
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‘Latino Night’ brings top boxing talent to Riyadh Season

‘Latino Night’ brings top boxing talent to Riyadh Season
  • Boxing fans in for a treat as fight card will be free on Nov. 16
  • Unification battle has Gilberto Ramirez vs. Chris Billam-Smith

LOS ANGELES: On Nov. 16, the Kingdom will host “Latino Night” featuring some of the world’s top fighters as a part of Riyadh Season, and will be free for viewers across the globe, it was confirmed at a press conference here on Wednesday night.

The event, organized by Golden Boy Promotions, will take place at The Venue, one of the new zones of Riyadh Season. The main event will be co-promoted by BOXXER.

During the press conference, it was confirmed that “Latino Night” will be the first Riyadh Season event offered free to boxing fans worldwide. DAZN will stream the event, with additional broadcasters in the region to be announced soon.

The event is expected to be one of the largest celebrations of Latino talent in boxing.

It will feature a unification battle between World Boxing Association cruiserweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez of Mexico and World Boxing Organization champion Chris Billam-Smith of the UK, who enters the fight after three consecutive title defenses.

In the co-main event, former unified champion and US Olympian Jose Ramirez will face dangerous undefeated contender and WBO No. 1-ranked challenger Arnold Barboza Jr. in a 12-round lightweight title eliminator.

The card includes a highly anticipated lightweight bout between Mexico’s William “El Camaron” Zepeda and former International Boxing Federation world champion Tevin “2X” Farmer in a 10-round clash.

Oscar De La Hoya, chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, said he and Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, “share the same vision of bringing the best fights to the fans.

“From the world title unification fight to matchups between former champions and rising contenders, as well as a star-studded undercard, this event will showcase everything that’s great about the sport of boxing.”

Golden Boy Promotions’ Chief Business Officer Felipe Bouton said: “We are thrilled to work with Riyadh Season to promote ‘Latino Night’ and expand Golden Boy’s global footprint.”

The night will open with a 12-round WBA super-lightweight title eliminator between WBA No. 1 contender Kenneth “Bossman” Sims Jr. from Chicago and Oscar “La Migrana” Duarte.