DUBAI // Dude, it's over. Surfers have won the right to Hang Ten on Dubai's beaches.
After months of feeling like unwanted guests at someone else's beach party, surfers expect the fines to stop, now that the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) has backed the creation of a national surfing federation that will regulate and promote the sport.
That has made Scott Chambers, managing director of surfing school Surf Dubai and a leading member of the emirate's surfing community, a happy man.
"Last season was a difficult one, because surfing was effectively banned from Dubai beaches, as surfers were being issued with fines," said Mr Chambers.
"We worked closely with the municipality and the police to assure them that surfing could be positive for Dubai and that we were committed to protecting the beach environment."
The municipality now seems to thoroughly be on board, so to speak.
The sports council is "very keen" to host international competitions, Mr Chambers said.
"The municipality have now categorically stated that surfing is not banned in Dubai, and we are delighted that we now have official backing for the development of the sport. At one point, it looked as if the ban would force many surfers to leave Dubai."
He added that a proposed surfing federation would have "a regional remit" covering other emirates, as well as Oman, and that one of its main aims will be to ensure that "all coaching is safe and accredited".
One surfer, Danny Van Dooren, 23, who was born in Dubai of British and Dutch parents, agreed that a federation would help ensure the future of surfing in the UAE.
"A federation will bring certainty for surfers and provide official guidelines for the sport. It will help ensure the safety of surfers and swimmers. It will be an amazing opportunity to compete in competitions here in Dubai," he said at Umm Suqeim beach.
Saeed Harib, a DSC board member and chairman of the UAE Marine Sports Federation, also noted that surfing was popular with tourists.
"Surfing is well-established here, but the sport has lacked direction and representation.
"Watersport in Dubai is growing every year, both in terms of the number of people participating and the tourist revenue it generates," he said.
Dubai has had a surfing community for a decade, but its existence was threatened in February when signs went up at Umm Suqeim beach saying their sport was no longer allowed because it was a danger to swimmers.
Umm Suqeim is by far the favourite of surfers in Dubai because it is one of the few that is not affected by coastal development and has a good "break", which creates gentle, rolling waves that often reach a metre or more.
The surfers have even given it its own California-sounding nickname: Sunset Beach.
Those that continued to brave the waves were slapped with Dh200 (US$54) fines.
But yesterday, Alya al Harmoudi, head of the municipality's coastal zone and waterways management section, clarified that there was no ban on surfing in Dubai.
But, she added, "certain areas are demarcated for the sole use of swimmers to ensure their safety after some complaints were made against surfers".
She said the municipality was considering putting a flag system in place.
"We hope to create a specific area for surfers by the winter," she said.
Surfers had fought the fines by saying they contributed to beach safety, and had saved several swimmers from drowning.
They also said they had no problem with certain areas being designated for surfing with flags, a system that is used extensively elsewhere in the world.
And they came up with the idea of creating an artificial reef as a shelter for swimmers and to reduce beach erosion, they said.
Mr Chambers added that he was concerned the message that surfing was legal in Dubai might not immediately reach all the authorities.
Given the lack of recreational sports facilities and public open spaces in the city, the DSC has encouraged the use of beaches for outdoor activities.
Water sports, including sailing and dragon boating, have flourished in recent years, helping to promote Dubai as a destination for outdoor sports.
And the Beach Soccer World Cup, a FIFA event that is to be held in Dubai next month, will showcase Dubai's beach life to a global audience.
The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing has also welcomed the formation of a surfing federation.
Eyad ali Abdul Rahman, the department's executive director of media relations and business development, said surfing was among the activities being promoted to develop Dubai's growing reputation as a centre for outdoor and alternative sports.
"Dubai is a surfing destination in its own right and popular with European and western visitors," he said.
"We utilise every opportunity to promote Dubai as a family holiday destination.
"We have identified surfing as a major activity for visitors in our promotional brochures.
"We are working with DSC to promote niche sports tourism, and the Dubai Municipality is developing facilities for beach-related activities. We will support local surfing events and the development of facilities for this sport."
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
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Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Fixtures
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FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
The biog
Name: Mariam Ketait
Emirate: Dubai
Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language
Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown
Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Our legal consultant
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
MATCH INFO
Red Star Belgrade v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight (Thursday), UAE
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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