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Cheerleaders ‘a distraction’
Cheerleaders ‘a distraction’
David Clough Last Updated: April 25. 2008 3:00AM UAE / April 24. 2008 11:00PM GMT
Cheerleaders have certainly done their part to add entertainment for spectators attending Indian Premier League games. Washington Post
HYDERABAD // Cheerleaders may have added a dash of glamour to the billion-dollar Indian Premier League, but Shahid Afridi sees them as a distraction.
The Pakistan all-rounder, who is signed up to the Deccan Chargers, rejects the idea they add to the entertainment value of the game.
“The girls in skimpy dresses should be removed from the ground as this is distracting the batsmen,” he said.
“Cricket itself is an entertainment. It does not require such cheerleaders to entertain.”
Afridi, a veteran of 258 one-day matches, made an inauspicious IPL debut on Tuesday. He scored just two runs in seven balls, while 17 runs were scored off his two overs as the Chargers lost to the Delhi Daredevils by nine wickets.
Afridi, who was bought by his team for $675,000 (Dh2.5m), also feels Pakistani players have been undervalued in the IPL.
“Bids on Pakistan players have not been as high when compared to the bids on other players,” he said.
“Players like Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Gul and Shoaib Malik, who performed exceptionally well in the Twenty20 World Cup last year, did not get their due.
“I feel some Pakistan players should have received much higher bids.”
* PA Sport
Wow, it was Jayasuriya!
naak phat gayi: Andrea Fernandes is currently in Harkishandas Hospital, with a fractured nose. pic/shadab khan
Wow, it was Jayasuriya!
Author: Varun Singh Date: 21 Apr 2008
Exclaims photographer whose nose was fractured by the Sri Lankan’s smashing boundary last night
Sanath Jayasuriya ensured that photographer Andrea Fernandes’s first sports assignment would be a memorable one.
The swashbuckling Sri Lankan sent one of his trademark slashes crashing into the fence at Wankhede stadium, during the Mumbai Indians vs Bangalore Royal Challengers IPL match last night, where it landed on the nose of the 24-year-old Andrea, who was standing just behind the advertising hoardings.
But Andrea, who is admitted at Harkishandas Hospital, Charni Road, with a fractured nose, is still counting her blessings. “Wow… it was Jayasuriya! I wasn’t aware who the batsman was but I am thankful it wasn’t a six. If a four can break my nose, imagine what a six would have done,” she said. Dr Ashok Shah said she would be operated upon today.
Fernandes has been a photographer for more than three years but yesterday’s IPL match was her first sports assignment.
“From this experience I have learnt that safety is needed no matter where you are,” she said. She added that this would not stop her from covering more matches in the future.
from Mid-Day Mumbai
Camels take to catwalk in desert fashion show
Camels take to catwalk in desert fashion show
By Marten Youssef, Staff Reporter GULF NEWS Published: April 03, 2008, 00:05
Abu Dhabi: More than 10,000 pure-bred camels “took to the catwalk” in Zayed City on Wednesday as a part of the 2008 Mazayin Dhafra Camel Festival.
At the event in the Western region, the desert became a fashion show for camel owners to showcase their animals.
With more than Dh35 million and 100 cars as prizes, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, the organisers of the event, are promising this will be the biggest and most comprehensive camel festival the Arab world has ever seen.
The nine-day festival will end on April 10 and is being held under the patronage of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Competitors who come from across the Gulf are restricted to a set of rules and guidelines in entering the competition.
competitions with different categories that depend on age, gender and type. There are two different types of pure-bred camels: the Asayel and the Majahim. The Asayel are the lighter skin-coloured camels and the Majahim are the darker camels, which are very common in the Gulf region.
Part of our lives
Rashed Gaber Al Manhali is the president of the judging panel and arguably one of the finest camel experts in the UAE. Raised as a Bedouin, Al Manhali developed a passion for camels at the age of 10 and owns more than 80 camels himself.
Sitting cross-legged under a Bedouin style tent to shade him from the blistering 39 degree heat of the desert, Al Manhali shared his criteria for judging camels.
“There are five judges for today’s session and we are looking for specific things in a camel. The beauty of the face, the length of the neck, the size of the chest, the hump, the purity of colour, the silkiness of the hair and the size of the muscles,” the 55-year old Abu Dhabi native said.
“Camels are the most magnificent animals. For centuries, our people have used them to make pilgrimages to Makkah and to travel long distances. So this event is not just about showing off our camels but to pay homage as playing a significant part in our life and in our ancestors’ lives,” he adds.
The first winner of the festival was announced early yesterday afternoon. Police officer Mohammad Ali Al Docery, from Qatar walked away on the first day having won first and sixth place for his two camels.
“I won two cars with both of my camels,” says the 40 year-old police officer who entered more than 10 of his camels in the competition.
The event is truly a festival that is about much more than camels.
The economic impact of the festival is being felt throughout the region. For Umm Nasser, who came all the way from Qatar to sell camel accessories and beautification items, this is a great moment.
“I am a Bedouin,” she proudly says lifting up her head to show her pride.
Celebration
“This is a celebration of my people…My husband is here to compete with his camels so I came along,” she said sitting under tent number 29 and inviting all passers-by to experience Bedouin hospitality.
Umm Nasser is hopeful she will make a lot of money over the next nine days. The festival is also expected to increase the price of camels.
Red Bull Air race in Abu Dhabi to kick off April 10
Red Bull Air race in Abu Dhabi to kick off April 10
posted on 01/04/2008
Ten days countdown to the long awaited festival, the Red Bull Air Race, with the first round of the World Series 2008 hosted by the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi for the fourth consecutive year. This first round comes under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority. Abu Dhabi Corniche will be the platform of this awaited event, drawing attention of all motor-sports lovers from around the world into the UAE capital. In addition to the air race, the organizing committee has also prepared a festival starting from April 7-9, 2008. The festival begins three days before the Qualifying and four days before the race day, gathering different attractions for all fans – Emirates News Agency, WAM
Abu Dhabi holds camel beauty pageant
Abu Dhabi holds camel beauty pageant
Staff Report GULF NEWS Published: April 01, 2008, 12:42
Abu Dhabi: Thousands of well-groomed camels will line-up for the UAE’s first-ever camel beauty pageant this week.
It is part of the country’s first Camel Festival, which kicks off Wednesday, with a total of Dh 35 million in prize money up for grabs as well as 100 cars.
The participating camels are required to be of pure-bred origin and free from any contagious diseases. They are then divided into age groups and owners can participate with more than one camel as long as they can prove ownership.
Shaikh Mohammad Bin Butti Al Hamed, Head of the High Committee for the Festival, Representative of the Ruler at the Western Region, praised the status camels held in traditional Arab life.
“Although the camel has always been a companion to the Arab during his travel in the old days, today camels still play a part in our lives, as thousands of people continue to attend camel races and watch what is perceived as part of our heritage.”
Red Bull Air Race – 10th & 11th April 2008 at Abu Dhabi Corniche
Do not miss the action, be there, watch live at Abu Dhabi Corniche
Photo Speaks – Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium Abu Dhabi
Somerset and Yorkshire Cricket teams are here in Abu Dhabi now, playing for the ARCH Trophy. Here are some action scenes from one section of the match played yesterday.
Photos by Ramesh Menon
Maitha to represent UAE at Beijing
Maitha to represent UAE at Beijing
By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter GULF NEWS Published: March 25, 2008, 00:34
Dubai: Shaikha Maitha Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum will be representing the country during this summer’s Olympic Games in Beijing.
Shaikha Maitha’s participation at the Olympics was announced by the UAE National Olympic Committee yesterday.
Shaikha Maitha has been cleared to participate in taekwondo in the 67kg category for women.
The UAE NOC received a letter dated March 18 from the International Olympic Committee endorsing Shaikha Maitha’s participation.
Joining the UAE national team captain will be Saeed Rashid Al Qubaisi in Judo in the 73kg category for men.
The UAE athlete was last week endorsed as the Best Female Arab Sportsperson for the second consecutive year following a poll conducted throughout the Arab region by popular website Maktoub.com.
Shaikha Maitha had polled the highest number of votes from among the 13 sportswomen from the 10 Arab countries.
Shaikha Maitha’s training schedule is supervised by renowned former world karate champion Sameer Jumaa in the company of the experienced trainer Moeena Jadeed. Earlier this year, Shaikha Maitha had been bestowed with the World Fair Play Award for 2006.
Memorable effort
Shaikha Maitha created history when she became the first UAE woman to win an international gold when she won gold in the +65 kg category at the 10th Pan Arab Games held in Algeria in 2004.
Probably her most memorable performance came during the 2006 Doha Asian Games when Shaikha Maitha won the silver medal in the +60 kg category.
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