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WHAT IF IT’S not about the mass executions, the treatment of women as subordinate citizens, the chemical castration of gay people, the torture and the public floggings, the absence of free speech and the criminalisation of protests, the murder of Jamal Khashoggi by state operatives, or the foremost role in the humanitarian crisis in Yemen…but about the friends we make as we enter the post-hydrocarbon era?
Earlier this week in Saudi Arabia, a female PHD student at Leeds University who had returned home to the kingdom on holiday was sentenced to 34 years in prison for having a Twitter account on which she followed and retweeted dissidents and activists.
Salma al-Shehab, 34, a mother of two young children, is the latest victim of Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman’s campaign of repression, as part of which he has targeted Twitter users. Incidentally, Bin Salman indirectly controls a major stake in Twitter through his country’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
The Guardian reported on Tuesday that Salma al-Shehab had been held in solitary confinement at various times throughout her trial. At one point, she sought to privately tell the judge something about how she had been handled in custody. She did not wish to divulge the details in front of her father. This attempt to speak with the judge was not permitted.
Tomorrow, Saudi Arabia will once again play stage to one of the biggest sporting events of the year: this one a heavyweight world-title boxing match in which Ukrainian pound-for-pound sensation Oleksandr Usyk will seek to retain the belts he ripped from the grasp of British star Anthony Joshua last September.
A July press release by the event’s promoters, Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, describes the fight as being “held under the patronage of HRH Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions”, and notes that it is “a second for Joshua in Saudi Arabia” following his successful title rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019.
The release, which included confirmation of ticket details for Saturday’s bout, was 791 words long. Over half of these words are dedicated solely to the apparent social progression of Saudi Arabia.
And fear not, Matchroom’s release goes to great pains to satisfy any lingering curiosity about Vision 2030: it is a social-reform blueprint which “aims to improve the quality of life of residents and visitors to the Kingdom by developing a vibrant environment for participation and spectatorship in sports and entertainment whilst aiming to transform the Kingdom for a post-hydrocarbon era. The nation has become one of the fastest growing countries in world sport with increased participation levels, investment in elite athletes, a year-round schedule of sport and a rapidly growing commercial sector to support this infrastructure.”
Khalid bin Abdulaziz, one of the event’s co-organisers on the Saudis’ end, adds in Matchroom’s release that he is “proud to secure this event for our country as it continues its incredible transformation”, a sentiment which is echoed throughout ad nauseam.
In a recent interview with The Times, James M Dorsey, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore and the author of The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer, told Martyn Ziegler that the true motivation behind Saudi Arabia’s sudden multi-billion-dollar incursion into major sporting events is not to launder its global reputation, but to gain ‘soft power’ by becoming the go-to sports hub in the Gulf Region.
This distinction is not one I had previously considered but, in light of the brazenness with which the kingdom intends to imprison a woman for her use of Twitter, it stacks up, alright…
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Seems to be fairly grounded. Best of luck to him!
Wow. That closing piece of advice is powerful for a 16 year old. I like him already.
Not going to be popular but gaa is the main reason Ireland isn’t producing more professional sports people. Nothing against gaa but young kids are playing a sport they can’t make a living from when they may make a career from another sport with the same input.
@Harry Trafford: that is of no fault of the GAA to be fair. It’s up to the FAI to attract these young players to their product…every country faces the same issue, sports competing with other sports to attract young participants. Ireland is no different.
@Harry Trafford: not everything is about money. For some playing gaa and having a good job etc is enough for them. They play the sport and can obtain legendary local status. For others it’s about chasing huge wads of cash in a more commercial industry overseas with huge failure rates. Retire & play golf & grow a beer belly. Different folks, different strokes. As long as you’re happy. That’s the main thing.
@Ottomaaan: I agree the FAI need to pull the finger out. Ireland have some of the best sports people in the world right across the board. Just the article mentions a career in GAA but it’s an amature sport, all be it played with a professional attitude.
@Ronan McDermott: a career in sport isn’t all about money, not everyone makes massive wads of cash only the very small majority. I’m not referring to just becoming a footballer. You can make a decent wage in most sports at a professional level.
@Harry Trafford: I hear you. Not disagreeing with you as such. Lots of sports have salary caps etc. By being involved with gaa you could have a very good job arranged with a sponsor etc. So technically you’d still be making money with a company that’ll work around your schedule.
@Ronan McDermott: very small minded, being a top footballer against the billions that play or the the top hurler against the 100s that play
@tubbsyf: I’m not small minded at all. Different folks, different strokes is all I said.
“Stay committed to doing it. Don’t go over there and think you’ve made it. You’re only playing 18s football. You haven’t made it anywhere yet, so keep your head down and keep working away.” Sounds like Roy Keane got to him.
I think this is a story the GAA need to be cery cognisant of. The way the competitions are set up now you only have a few counties who are ever likely to win anything with back doors, super 8′s etc making it almost impossible for one of the “smaller” teams like wicklow to hold onto or encourage their best players to stick with the support. The constant push for revenue generated by the biggest counties making finals is seeing the players from the top counties putting in even more effort in the knowledge they might win something while concurrently you have teams from weaker counties who are saying upwards of 40 players are refusing to come into their County set ups.
@Dino Baggio: This is vividly highlighted in Munster where they seed the draw to have Cork and Kerry in the football final every year even though Cork are at best the third best team in Munster and the likes of Limerick footballers are struggling to get players to commit. The drain of players to pro sports is going to get worse unless the Gaa address this issue.
Only just came across this article. Conor was with Mill Celtic from the age of 11 before joining Newbridge Town at 13. He was in the KDUL Academy from 11 and played inter league at u 12 and u 13. Not sure where the only playing soccer since 14 is coming from
Bully Beef?