An Egyptian squash player caused a stir last week when he celebrated a victory by ripping off his shirt and tossing it to the home crowd assembled around the glass court at the foot of the Pyramids of Giza.
Mostafa Asal started celebrating while the referees were still deliberating a call regarding the last point, and before he even got the chance to shake opponent Paul Coll’s hand.
“What is Asal doing ripping his shirt off as if he’s Cristiano Ronaldo?” mused one of the commentators on the website SquashTV.
The official no-let decision came moments later and the crowd erupted for a second time as 19-year-old Asal placed his hands on his ears in tribute to Al Ahly footballer Momen Zakaria, who is battling nervous system disease ALS and has received similar gestures of support from the likes of Mohamed Salah and others who have mimicked Zakaria’s signature celebration.
If you’re wondering why someone ripping his shirt off after completing a huge upset in front of his home fans at a prestigious tournament staged in front of the majestic pyramids is such a big deal, I don’t blame you.
Such celebrations are a common sight in many sports, but not in squash.
The world junior champion was met with lots of criticism following that match against Coll, with his “antics” deemed controversial by many.
“I don't like it at all. Way over the top. Disrespectful. Be excited – of course. But pulling the shirt off and tossing it into the crowd? Nope,” posted one Twitter user. Scores of people echoed these sentiments.
Saudi Arabian squash professional Nada Abo Alnaja came to Asal’s defence, tweeting: “He’s 19 years old, and it was a spontaneous way for him to express happiness. When he’s more mature he would probably change his behaviour for sure.”
The video of Asal’s wild celebration has more than 32,000 views on Twitter and created a debate that raged on for several days. More people talked about it than about the Egyptian Squash Open itself, a spectacular tournament held at a historic location.
Amanda Sobhy, the highest ranked American in PSA history, posted a poll on her Instagram asking whether people thought a character like Asal was good for squash and 70 per cent voted against the Egyptian teenager’s behaviour.
Sobhy posed a similar question on Twitter and the response was more varied.
“If you compare to other sports and how players react, we seem like robots!” tweeted Sobhy, the world No 7.
"There needs to be more emotion and authenticity in squash. Theatrics and celebrations like this will gain attention which is what the sport needs! We don't need the cheating though!" added the Harvard graduate, referring to lack of sportsmanship Asal allegedly displayed during the match.
“We need more characters who express themselves and show emotion and passion. Squash needs to end the stigma of being a cookie cutter sport in my opinion. Every sport has its players who are over the top whether good or bad. Any publicity for the sport is good publicity in my opinion. Look at the views on this video compared to all the others.”
Sobhy is not wrong and it seems several top players agree with her, since they can see first-hand how niche of a discipline squash is perceived to be, and how little attention it gets in comparison to other sports. Long-time world No 1 Mohamed Elshorbagy responded to Sobhy on social media with a GIF of a shirtless Novak Djokovic celebrating a victory at the Australian Open.
The legendary Nicol David – one of the greatest squash players in history – sent a text message of support to Asal that read: “Hey Mostafa! That was an amazing win! So happy for you. Just keep playing with your heart the way you do and that’s all that matters. Go for it and keep up the great energy out there!”
It’s great to see that the pros are welcoming this kind of passion and emotion but many followers of the sport are resisting it. Why is it that so many of these traditional sports are terrified by anything remotely different or new?
You can disagree on whether you like someone’s celebration or not, but branding someone “bad for the sport” because he steered away from the typical handshake (or racquet tap in these Covid times) is not doing squash any favours – in fact, it’s holding it back.
The reaction to Asal from many squash fans reminded me of the response Nick Kyrgios has been getting over the past several years in tennis. The uber-talented Australian rubs some people up the wrong way essentially because he is different to what they are accustomed to. But Kyrgios has single-handedly brought countless new fans to the sport and he’s done it by simply being himself. That’s what Asal did. He was just being himself.
“It was so emotional for me to win that match,” Asal told SquashTV after his win over Coll earned him a place in his first-PSA World Tour Platinum semi-final.
“Some people will say it was good, Mostafa, express your feelings and get it from the heart. But I know some people will disagree with this.
“Maybe I’m sorry for them, but I couldn’t express my feeling when I beat someone like Paul Coll, a great name in the game.
“If anyone is inside this situation and inside this crowd and inside this venue and is playing with maybe the best player in the world and he won this match, it’s a very difficult situation.
“I had the fear inside that I’m worried about my people, I didn’t want to lose in a bad way in front of them or I didn’t play my game. All the people came to cheer me and they were going to go back home sad.
“I know that squash is quiet but we need our sport to get more life into it and I hope that sport is going up and up and up. People will say it’s good for the sport, and people will say it’s not good for our sport as a classy sport, and for squash. But when I saw people before, like Djokovic when he won a Grand Slam in 2013, he ripped off his T-shirt; everybody will celebrate in their own way.”
Squash, and other sports, should embrace the uniqueness and individuality of its protagonists. Instead of policing a player’s emotions – which is what resonates with viewers the most – maybe we should ask ourselves why we feel so threatened or shaken by anyone who challenges the so-called “norms”.
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MATCH INFO
France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')
Italy 1
Bonucci (36')
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Company%20profile
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
'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.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
We Weren’t Supposed to Survive But We Did
We weren’t supposed to survive but we did.
We weren’t supposed to remember but we did.
We weren’t supposed to write but we did.
We weren’t supposed to fight but we did.
We weren’t supposed to organise but we did.
We weren’t supposed to rap but we did.
We weren’t supposed to find allies but we did.
We weren’t supposed to grow communities but we did.
We weren’t supposed to return but WE ARE.
Amira Sakalla
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
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More from Neighbourhood Watch
Usain Bolt's World Championships record
2007 Osaka
200m Silver
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2009 Berlin
100m Gold
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2011 Daegu
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
Captain Marvel
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn
4/5 stars
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Real Sociedad v Leganes (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Real Valladolid (4pm)
Valencia v Granada (7pm)
Eibar v Real Madrid (9.30pm)
Barcelona v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Sunday
Real Mallorca v Villarreal (3pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Levante (5pm)
Atletico Madrid v Espanyol (7pm)
Getafe v Osasuna (9.30pm)
Real Betis v Sevilla (midnight)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,050,000
On sale: now
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
