Follow the latest news on the 2024 Paris Olympics
The head of world cycling's governing body said he welcomed investment from Saudi Arabia but on the condition it does not coincide with a parallel breakaway league.
Speaking to Bloomberg, UCI president David Lappartient said any new financial investment in cycling was positive and that he had met with Saudi officials in Paris during the ongoing Olympic Games.
But he added that any potential investors needed to work with the UCI, not in competition with it.
“When you have stakeholders that want to invest in our sport, I take this positively that there’s an interest in cycling,” Lappartient said.
"You are welcome to cycling, we need to work together, and you also need to respect what the red lines are for the UCI, and what are the key principles: that we will never support a clone league.”
The UCI WorldTour is the main elite road cycling tour, and has a clutch of teams supported by wealthy backers, including billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Grenadiers and UAE Team Emirates, whose ace Tadej Pogacar won this year’s Tour de France. But many others struggle financially.
Reuters reported in February that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) had been looking to fund a rival cycling league that would boost income to teams and their riders. Other investors, including CVC, had also put forward a rival offer to fund the efforts spearheaded by some professional teams.
The SURJ, the sports investment arm of PIF, declined to comment on that Reuters report.
EY, which was hired to run an auction to find an investor for the league, is now working with a potential backer, Bloomberg reported in July.
“I don’t think there will be a Saudi breakaway league,” Lappartient added.
The Gulf kingdom has been pouring billions into a range of lucrative sports including football, golf and boxing and last month announced a multi-year partnership with the WTA tennis tour.
Saudi Arabia is also set to host the 2034 football World Cup after it emerged as the sole bidder for the global finals and in June hosted its first event for mixed martial arts lead promotion, the UFC.
The kingdom already hosts an annual cycling race, the AlUla Tour, in cooperation with the Saudi Cycling Federation and the International Cycling Union.
“We have to see together with the Saudis how they can join us, how we can work together without disrupting everything but something that will benefit all stakeholders,” said Lappartient, who is also the head of the French National Olympic Committee.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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.
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From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
RESULTS
2.15pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Shawall, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer)
2.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Anna Bella Aa, Fabrice Veron, Abdelkhir Adam
3.15pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
3.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Taajer, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
4.15pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri
4.45pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Maqaadeer, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MAIN CARD
Bantamweight 56.4kg
Abrorbek Madiminbekov v Mehdi El Jamari
Super heavyweight 94 kg
Adnan Mohammad v Mohammed Ajaraam
Lightweight 60kg
Zakaria Eljamari v Faridoon Alik Zai
Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Mahmood Amin v Taha Marrouni
Light welterweight 64.5kg
Siyovush Gulmamadov v Nouredine Samir
Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Ilyass Habibali v Haroun Baka
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Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
