Elite police special forces teams from around the world have told how thriving in the heat of competition in the annual UAE Swat Challenge has given them an edge in the fight against crime.
A total of 120 teams from 50 countries are in Dubai to battle it out for $1 million in prizes through five challenges designed to test their mental and physical endurance to the limit, including rescue missions, assault courses and tactical scenarios.
Seasoned officers from Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia – who put their lives on the line on a daily basis to combat dangerous drug cartels and weapon traffickers – say the event provides an invaluable opportunity to sharpen their skills for the real-life challenges they face.
“We have acquired many skills and a wealth of information through our participation in the Swat Challenge,” Lt Joffre Ortega, from Ecuador’s tactical unit, told The National. “All of this will help us continue improving our performance in our missions back home.”
He spoke of how pitting his wits against the world's best police squads had helped him to keep order in situations fraught with risk.
“For example, inside prisons, crimes occur frequently. With the new techniques we’ve learnt by competing here, we can now enter these high-risk environments more effectively and control the situation with greater efficiency,” he said.
He added that Ecuador was facing rising crime rates, particularly in drug and arms trafficking, and hailed the Swat Challenge as an important exercise to ensure officers are fully prepared.
Sights set on success
Brazilian special agent Guedes Glauber said his team had enjoyed a marked improvement in their tactical exercises, physical endurance, and field flexibility after participating in the competition.
“Although the equipment and weapons we use in Brazil differ from those in the challenge, the skills we gained, especially in firearm accuracy and tactical movement, have had a direct impact on our missions,” he said.
He emphasised improvements made in shooting accuracy with handguns. “We noticed significant progress in our shooting precision. Our tactical movement has become more agile, and we’re now faster and more flexible when responding to threats in real-life situations.”
Capt David Fernandez from Argentina’s team said this was their third UAE Swat Challenge, adding that each year they have recorded noticeable progress.
“When it comes to shooting accuracy and physical endurance, there has been a clear improvement,” he said.
He said the obstacle courses in the challenge simulate real-life conditions, making them an essential component in training for tactical operations in diverse environments, from urban settings to dense forests.
He said that Argentina’s anti-narcotics operations had benefited significantly from the drills practised during the competition, making it easier for teams to track and dismantle criminal networks.
UAE Swat Challenge - in pictures
For Capt Daniel Montenegro and his Colombian Swat team, the impact of the competition has been profound.
“Our first year in the competition was an eye-opener. We came back this year more prepared, and our performance has greatly improved,” he said. “Our missions, whether in urban areas or deep in the jungle, require specialised preparation and complex planning. The experience gained here has enhanced our speed, operational efficiency, and overall expertise.”
He said Colombia has its own national commando team challenge, but the UAE event is more comprehensive, covering a wider range of technical and strategic aspects.
“This competition pushes us to constantly improve. We plan to return next year even stronger, as our team must be better prepared and better equipped each time,” he added.
The UAE Swat Challenge, launched in 2019, is organised by Dubai Police and held under the patronage of Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. The event, staged at Dubai Police training centre in Al Ruwayyah, began on Saturday and will conclude on Wednesday.
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
You may remember …
Robbie Keane (Atletico de Kolkata) The Irish striker is, along with his former Spurs teammate Dimitar Berbatov, the headline figure in this season’s ISL, having joined defending champions ATK. His grand entrance after arrival from Major League Soccer in the US will be delayed by three games, though, due to a knee injury.
Dimitar Berbatov (Kerala Blasters) Word has it that Rene Meulensteen, the Kerala manager, plans to deploy his Bulgarian star in central midfield. The idea of Berbatov as an all-action, box-to-box midfielder, might jar with Spurs and Manchester United supporters, who more likely recall an always-languid, often-lazy striker.
Wes Brown (Kerala Blasters) Revived his playing career last season to help out at Blackburn Rovers, where he was also a coach. Since then, the 23-cap England centre back, who is now 38, has been reunited with the former Manchester United assistant coach Meulensteen, after signing for Kerala.
Andre Bikey (Jamshedpur) The Cameroonian defender is onto the 17th club of a career has taken him to Spain, Portugal, Russia, the UK, Greece, and now India. He is still only 32, so there is plenty of time to add to that tally, too. Scored goals against Liverpool and Chelsea during his time with Reading in England.
Emiliano Alfaro (Pune City) The Uruguayan striker has played for Liverpool – the Montevideo one, rather than the better-known side in England – and Lazio in Italy. He was prolific for a season at Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf League in 2012/13. He returned for one season with Fujairah, whom he left to join Pune.
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UAE cricketers abroad
Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
THE SPECS
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Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
NBA Finals so far
(Toronto lead 3-1 in best-of-seven series_
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
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Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
