It was five years ago this month that the UAE Falcons of the Emirates American Football League won their first and only Super Bowl International Division Championship in Orlando, Florida.
"That was one of my best memories of playing football in Dubai and the experience gave me the confidence and ambition to pursue my dream of playing major college football in the United States,” Adam Babb recalled.
Babb was a regular face at the Emirates American Football League, having completed six seasons as a member of the Dubai Stallions as well as representing the UAE Falcons in various international matches.
He is now a member of the Arizona State University (ASU) football team that is set to play against the University of Wisconsin in the Las Vegas Bowl on December 30.
For Babb, who is majoring in Business and Tourism, the game is a bit of a homecoming.
“To have access to several sports and then an introduction to football in Dubai has been a blessing to me, honestly,” he said.
"My father sent me home to Las Vegas for high school because he understood this would be the best opportunity for me to go on to Division 1 college football.
“I thought I had the potential to play at this level when I joined high school. The league I played back in Dubai as a kid gave me the confidence and experience, and the opportunity to travel to the US, China, Singapore, Ukraine and a lot of other places.”
The jump is no small accomplishment for Babb, 18, as only a small group of players with an international background are included on Division 1 college football rosters each year.
The league I played back in Dubai as a kid gave me the confidence and experience to travel to the US, China, Singapore, Ukraine and a lot of other places
Adam Babb
There are more than one million high school players in the USA and of those 10,000 - less than one per cent - go on to play division 1 college football. Less than 200 of those 10,000 are from countries outside the US.
“My teammate Peizhang Jackson He became the first Chinese national in NCAA Division 1 college football history to score a touchdown in a game last year,” Babb said.
“ASU is very open and receptive to international origin players and this helped me in my recruitment. I was able to make it to the Division 1 level through hard work and belief in myself which is the spirit I grew up with in Dubai.
“The opportunity to play for coach Herm Edwards at Arizona State University is a dream come true and I am taking full advantage of it.
“Our coaches all originate from the NFL and my special team coach Shawn Slocumb won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers. So I am really getting the best of coaching and development at ASU.
“I love my teammates. They are all very supportive and the campus is amazing. The environment on game day is electric and running on to the field to thousands of cheering fans is such a rush, you can't hope but perform your best for them.”
Babb’s father James, who has been employed in Dubai for the past 16 years and is now a Golden Visa resident, said growing up in a sporting environment in Dubai paid rich dividends.
“For him, the sports environment was exceptional in the UAE,” he said. “He had the opportunity to compete in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, baseball and American football, and travelled internationally to compete in all of those sports successfully.
“It really gave him the confidence he could make the jump to the big stage in the US.”
Babb has lofty ambitions to take his game forward and perhaps, believes he can one day make it to the NFL and play professionally.
“I am focused on the next four years, performing my best for Arizona State. I do not believe I am close to reaching my potential yet,” he added.
“If my performance is proven good enough upon graduation, I would love the opportunity to compete at the NFL level.
“The Las Vegas Raiders are my favourite pro team and I just graduated from high school in Allegiant Stadium six months ago and now I am returning back for the bowl game.
“It could be a sign of things to come. I'll keep working hard and believing good things will continue to happen, as they have so far.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
THREE
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Asia Cup 2018 final
Who: India v Bangladesh
When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium
Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD
Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
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
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
