Last month, just two days before Maha Haddioui was due to fly to Saudi Arabia for the Kingdom’s first-ever women’s professional golf tournament, the Moroccan golfer got word that it had been postponed due to the coronavirus.
"I was very excited about the tournament in Saudi," Haddioui, 31, told The National. "Saudi having their first women's tournament was something really important that was going to change a lot of things and that really makes a statement about women's sport in general in the Arab world."
Haddioui knows a thing or two about making a statement.
In 2012, she became the first Moroccan and first Arab to earn playing privileges on the Ladies European Tour. In 2016, the Agadir resident qualified for the Rio Games as golf made its return to the Olympics for the first time in 112 years.
As a trailblazer for the region, Haddioui was particularly thrilled to see Saudi Arabia invest in women’s golf in such a big way. The $1 million (Dh3.67m) prize pot on offer is one of the most lucrative on tour, and it follows on from Morocco’s €450,000 Lalla Meryem Cup that was established in 1993.
“The prize money in golf unfortunately is very unfair when it comes to the difference in prize money between men and women. We’re not like tennis, where it’s equal prize money, it’s very different in golf,” Haddioui said.
“It’s almost like five times or 10 times more for the men. So having Saudi start a new tournament for women with such big prize money, to me, makes a statement and it shows that they’re willing to grow the game and that the region is committed to women’s golf. Morocco is doing the same. They’ve been really committed to the women’s tournament, they offer one of the biggest prize pots on the Ladies European Tour."
While the men’s European Tour event in Saudi offers €3.5m, which is more than triple the sum awarded to the women, Haddioui is right: the Kingdom’s first foray into the women’s game is a good start.
It took Dubai Duty Free four years before they decided, in 2005, to offer the men and women equal prize money at their tennis tournaments in the Emirates. Dubai was one of the first non-Grand Slam events to do so, and many have since followed suit – another example of how the Arab region has positively contributed to women sport.
Staging international events can often pave the way for local talents to emerge. Morocco’s Younes El Aynaoui once told me that watching ATP players compete in his hometown when he was a kid immediately captured his imagination and made him want to pursue a professional tennis career. He eventually became the highest ranked Arab tennis player in history, peaking at No 14 in the world in 2003.
Haddioui had a similar experience when she was a young aspiring golfer. She would ask her father to drive her to Rabat to watch the pros at the Hassan II Trophy and Lalla Meryem Cup, not knowing that one day she would compete among them.
When you’re a pioneer and have no local heroes to follow, you find other ways to seek inspiration, and for Haddioui, it was those annual road trips to the capital.
“I think that was really the trigger for me,” she said. “Watching them play golf at a really high level and I was following the female players on the course, thinking this is exactly what I want to do.
“And that’s how it happened for me. So that’s also why having events and bringing professional athletes, of any sport, that’s what motivates the younger generation. If you don’t see something it’s hard to put your head to it, so to me, I didn’t think I want to be the first Moroccan to be on tour, it was just like, ‘Oh I want to be like her’.”
Haddioui pays tribute to her parents for accepting the idea of her playing golf for a living. When she started out age 12, there weren’t other girls to compete against, so she took on the boys on the courses of Morocco.
“I’m so grateful that my parents were open to the idea and were really supportive. I was 13, 14 years old and travelling – my first tournament was in Dubai, the second was in Syria, to go and play the Arab Championships and my parents were really excited because they love sport but I know a lot of parents who wouldn’t have accepted their daughter would go on her own.”
Haddioui senses a mentality shift now compared to when she was starting out nearly two decades ago, and can see many more Moroccans, both boys and girls, taking up golf seriously.
“Today it’s something parents don’t even think twice about. It’s normal, you’re going to represent your country, it doesn’t make a difference if you’re a boy or a girl. I think that’s the biggest difference that is happening,” she said.
Haddioui recalls her early years playing golf where she would travel solo to the Arab Championships because there were not enough girls to form a team. Now she sees a significant increase in numbers to the extent that there are qualifiers for the women looking to make it onto the national squad.
Her presence, along with the investment being made by the Hassan II Golf Trophy Association (ATH), and the Moroccan Golf Federation, have clearly had a strong impact.
Competing at the Olympics in 2016 provided an even bigger platform for Haddioui to reach a wider audience in Morocco and the Mena region.
“That’s the beauty of the Olympics,” she said. “Growing up, there were a lot of sports I never followed except during the Olympics, because there are obviously medals and a lot involved.
"I think it’s amazing that golf is at the Olympics and people are actually following golf, people who didn’t even know anything about golf back home are watching golf because there is a Moroccan girl playing.
“I think that’s amazing, it’s opening the sport to a lot of people that otherwise wouldn’t have even watched it or cared about it. I got a lot of messages from people who actually watched me when I was playing and they said, ‘Oh, we never thought could be so interesting to watch, can you recommend where we could try?’ And I got so many positive messages like that from people who are not familiar with the sport, so I think it’s great to grow the game.”
Haddioui provides great insight into the necessary elements that can forge a pathway to a successful professional sporting career for women in the Arab world. Our federations should make a habit of utilising such trailblazers, learning from their experiences, and promoting them as role models in order to help create more champions.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The Lowdown
Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss
Rating: 4/5
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
Asia Cup 2018 final
Who: India v Bangladesh
When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium
Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
the pledge
I pledge to uphold the duty of tolerance
I pledge to take a first stand against hate and injustice
I pledge to respect and accept people whose abilities, beliefs and culture are different from my own
I pledge to wish for others what I wish for myself
I pledge to live in harmony with my community
I pledge to always be open to dialogue and forgiveness
I pledge to do my part to create peace for all
I pledge to exercise benevolence and choose kindness in all my dealings with my community
I pledge to always stand up for these values: Zayed's values for tolerance and human fraternity
The biog
Age: 19
Profession: medical student at UAE university
Favourite book: The Ocean at The End of The Lane by Neil Gaiman
Role model: Parents, followed by Fazza (Shiekh Hamdan bin Mohammed)
Favourite poet: Edger Allen Poe
Brief scoreline:
Tottenham 1
Son 78'
Manchester City 0
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Fixtures:
Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm
Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm
Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm
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Series information
Pakistan v Dubai
First Test, Dubai International Stadium
Sun Oct 6 to Thu Oct 11
Second Test, Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tue Oct 16 to Sat Oct 20
Play starts at 10am each day
Teams
Pakistan
1 Mohammed Hafeez, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Asad Shafiq, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Babar Azam, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed, 8 Bilal Asif, 9 Yasir Shah, 10, Mohammed Abbas, 11 Wahab Riaz or Mir Hamza
Australia
1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Mitchell Marsh, 5 Travis Head, 6 Marnus Labuschagne, 7 Tim Paine, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Jon Holland
SRI LANKS ODI SQUAD
Perera (capt), Mendis, Gunathilaka, de Silva, Nissanka, Shanaka, Bandara, Hasaranga, Udana, Dananjaya, Dickwella, Chameera, Mendis, Fernando, Sandakan, Karunaratne, Fernando, Fernando.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The specs
The specs: 2019 Audi Q8
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 340hp @ 3,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3 (Silva 8' &15, Foden 33')
Birmginahm City 0
Man of the match Bernado Silva (Manchester City)
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population: 44.13 million
Armed conflict in Donbass
Russia-backed fighters control territory
How to help or find other cats to adopt
WEST ASIA RUGBY 2017/18 SEASON ROLL OF HONOUR
Western Clubs Champions League
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now
