Bahrain will replace Iraq as host of the 2013 Gulf Cup, the island kingdom's sports officials said yesterday, a decision the Iraqis say was politically motivated.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the general secretary of Bahrain's Olympic Committee, said the decision to move the tournament to Bahrain was made by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a group of six Gulf states.
Sheikh Ahmed did not give the reason for the decision for the change of venues.
The 2013 Gulf Cup was originally awarded to Basra, Iraq's second largest city, but Bahrain's media said Basra's stadium and hotel construction were given a poor review by the GCC football committee.
Iraqi sports officials were angered and disappointed by the decision.
"The decision to give the Gulf Cup to Bahrain instead of Basra was unfair and unjust," said Munis Abdullah, a senior member of the Iraqi Olympic Committee in Baghdad.
He said the Gulf officials, who toured Basra's Gulf Cup sites last week, had "some concerns about the pace of work", but Iraq assured them the venues will be completed in time for the tournament.
"There was some politics involved in this decision because of the stance of the Iraqi government toward the uprising in Bahrain," Abdullah said.
Mohammed Fawzi, the UAE Olympic and senior national team midfielder, said the venue change was made in good faith and not for any other reasons.
"Those who are in charge must have made their findings before deciding on the change," he said. "We still hear of the unrest in the country and to shift the venue may be the right thing to do."
Yemen hosted eight teams during the last Gulf Cup in 2010 amid tight security due to conflicts across the country.
Bahrain was the host of the inaugural Gulf tournament in 1970. Since then, the Gulf kingdom has raised its profile by becoming the first Arab country to host a Formula One Grand Prix in 2006, although this year's season-opening race was cancelled due to the unrest. The European Tour's Volvo Golf Champions has also been moved from Bahrain to South Africa because of the recent troubles.
Violence has subsided significantly in Iraq, although in September, the football's world governing body banned Iraq from playing any home qualifiers. Fifa said the decision was prompted by the "general security situation" in Iraq, and stadium failures in the Kurdish city of Irbil when Iraq hosted Jordan in a World Cup qualifier.
Waleed Hameed, the head of the Sports and Youth Council in Basra, said the decision to strip Iraq of Gulf Cup hosting rights is not based on the "reality on the ground".
"When the Gulf officials visited the sites, they praised our work," Hameed said. He added that 70 per cent of the venues are finished and the project will be completed by June 2013.
"They issued their report that has nothing to do with reality on the ground," Hameed said. "I think that politics played a great role in this."
* Agencies
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
Zayed Sustainability Prize
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
RESULT
Wolves 1 (Traore 67')
Tottenham 2 (Moura 8', Vertonghen 90 1')
Man of the Match: Adama Traore (Wolves)
On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream