Leading jiu-jitsu figures are confident the success achieved at the Asian Games will boost the martial art’s hopes of inclusion at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
More than 200 fighters from 28 countries competed in the eight jiu-jitsu events – six for men, two for women – at the Jakarta Convention Centre from August 24 to 26. The UAE topped the medals table with two golds, five silvers and two bronze.
It was the first time jiu-jitsu has been included in the Asian Games, and while it’s place at the 2022 Games in Hangzhou, China is yet to be confirmed, it is thought to be a formality.
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Read more:
Emirati Women's Day: Mahra Al Hanaei and Ashwaq Al Koori set example at Asian Games
Asian Games: Khalfan Belhoul 'a hero' for fighting though the pain to guarantee UAE a medal
'A dream come true': UAE's Faisal Al Ketbi wins jiu-jitsu gold at 2018 Asian Games
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In the five years since the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Union was formed, the sport has made great strides in terms of inclusion at major events. As well as participation at the Asian Games, jiu-jitsu was present at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan last year, the last two editions of the Asian Beach Games in Thailand (2014) and Vietnam (2016), and the World Games in Poland in 2017. It has also been included in next year’s inaugural World Beach Games in San Diego.
With 29 of the 36 Asian national federations involved at the Asian Games, the jiu-jitsu community is fast-expanding, which only bodes well for the sport’s future, according to Panagiotis Theodoropoulos, president of the Jiu-Jitsu International Federation.
“It’s happening five years after the formation of the Jiu-Jitsu Asian Union (JJAU),” Theodoropoulos said in Jakarta.
“We had 70 per cent of the Asian countries representing the sport at the Asian Games. It’s not only about the medals but we have established a jiu-jitsu family in Asia.”
Despite the progress made in recent years, Theodoropoulos said there is still “a lot of work to do” for jiu-jitsu to achieve its Olympic aspirations.
“It’s not only representing the sport at the Asian Games but there is a lot of other work, but it’s realistically possible,” he said. “However, we want jiu-jitsu to be included in the Olympics without losing our friendships and our values of our sport.
“Our sport is the biggest in martial arts in terms of numbers and competitions, which we have almost every week around the world throughout the year.
“We have very good representation from the five continents. We have programs in our sports for violence, doping and betting.
“We have participated in the World Games, Asian Games and Asian Indoor and several championships around the world every year. They are successful too.
“We are launching a new project in September, to have both a school and a university championship. Our sport is still growing despite the success we have had and that’s very encouraging.”
Fahad Ali Al Shamsi, general secretary of both JJAU and the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, is confident the sport will remain in the Asian Games.
“We started from the top - more so than many other sports at the Games,” he said. “We had more countries and more entries, and more importantly we witnessed high level fights and close results.
“This is very encouraging in terms of the sport returning to the Asian Games four years from now. We have accomplished one of our objectives and the next will begin as soon we touch base.
“We will be looking at 2022 and beyond and try to increase the number of golds from eight in Jakarta.”
Lee Hee-sung, president of the Korea Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation, has seen a sudden jiu-jitsu boom in Korea.
Sung Ki-ra bagged one of the two gold medals on offer for women, while Hwang Myeng-se took a men’s bronze for Korea.
“The growth in the last three years has been phenomenal,” Hee-suung said. “I believe this trend will continue. I can’t imagine the impact it will create in Korea in another four years.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Company%20Profile
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The five pillars of Islam
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
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ARGYLLE
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BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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Vikram%20Vedha
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Ferrari
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MATCH INFO
What: Brazil v South Korea
When: Tonight, 5.30pm
Where: Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae
THE DEALS
Hamilton $60m x 2 = $120m
Vettel $45m x 2 = $90m
Ricciardo $35m x 2 = $70m
Verstappen $55m x 3 = $165m
Leclerc $20m x 2 = $40m
TOTAL $485m
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
PSG's line up
GK: Alphonse Areola (youth academy)
Defence - RB: Dani Alves (free transfer); CB: Marquinhos (€31.4 million); CB: Thiago Silva (€42m); LB: Layvin Kurzawa (€23m)
Midfield - Angel di Maria (€47m); Adrien Rabiot (youth academy); Marco Verratti (€12m)
Forwards - Neymar (€222m); Edinson Cavani (€63m); Kylian Mbappe (initial: loan; to buy: €180m)
Total cost: €440.4m (€620.4m if Mbappe makes permanent move)
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Coming 2 America
Directed by: Craig Brewer
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones
3/5 stars
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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
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.