i s s u e 0 13
d e c 20 2017
Bunjak Talks exclusively to Fourteen
12 20 2017
the sports journal
F EAT U R ES
WARM-UP 04
of the month
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the interview
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Fourteen’s selection of the month.
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A walk down memory lane with the nation’s 1980 Olympic football captain Hamad Buhamad.
news
FIFA president to attend Arabian Gulf Cup in Kuwait.
some history
The Martyr Sheikh Fahad Al Ahmed Al Sabah talks to Timeout magazine about Kuwait one day winning the World Cup.
Front Cover: Jalil Marvin Above: RABIH MOGHRABI / AFP / Getty Images
i s s u e 013
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stuff of dreams
A look back at the last time Kuwait won the 20th Gulf Cup final in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on December 5, 2010. Kuwait won the final match 1-0 after scoring a goal in extra time. The players, the manager, the fans, the opponents.
the conductor
After two long years banned from international football, Kuwait is finally back. Boris Bunjak, the 63-year-old tactician, sat down with Fourteen and talked about Kuwait’s preparations leading up to the Arabian Gulf Cup.
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RECOVERY 29
highlight
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university athletics
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sports science
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the event
Member of Parliament Ahmed Al Fadhel on the project that is revolutionizing Kuwait’s sports industry. AUM women basketball crowned UAAK champions. Faisal Al Shawa explains the bidirectional relationship between the gut and the brain. Kuwait hosts the 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup on the 22nd of December 2017.
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OF THE MONTH
NUMBER OF THE MONTH
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The number of times Kuwait have won the Gulf Cup since it was founded in 1970, most recently in the 16th Gulf Cup in Yemen, in 2010.
TWEET OF THE MONTH
“ The ban has been lifted and Kuwait #willplay #thebluesareheretostay ” @kalroudan - Khaled Al Roudan - 6th December 2017
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“The best feeling in the world is watching the men in blue return to the stadiums and I am proud to say that Al-Azraq is coming” Jasem Ashkanani - “Bain Al Shotain” - Kuwait TV3 - 7th December 2017
TOP OF THE MONTH Our top of the month is none other than the Minister of State for Youth Affairs Mr. Khaled Al Roudhan for finally developing and executing a plan that lifted the international ban on Kuwait’s Football Association (KFA).
Bottom: Al Bawaba
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THE INTERVIEW
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Hamad Bu Hamad Ku wa i t ’s 1 9 8 0 O l ym p i c f o o t b a l l t e a m c a p ta i n
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n the 31st of March 1980, Kuwait qualified for the M o s cow O l y m p i c s af te r defeating Iraq in a narrow game of three goals to two. Once at the Olympic games, Kuwait continued their excellent performance, qualifying for the quarter finals, as Jassim Yaqoub’s impressive goal and Faisal Al Dakheel’s hat-trick proved too difficult for their competitors from both Nigeria and Columbia. While they eventually lost to the Soviet Union, the host country, during the quarter finals, the team members had already accomplished a great feat, taking Kuwaiti football to its greatest moment in history.
regional champions of their sport. It was a very memorable experience. The Olympic City itself was beautiful and had everything you can think of. We were surrounded by top athletes from all over the world.”
“Leading up to the Olympics our squad had several injuries. I was one of the players that played despite my injury. Regardless, we played surprisingly well and our performance exceeded everyone’s expectations throughout the tournament. Even the legendary Russian goalkeeper Lev Yashin praised our goal keeper Ahmad Al Tarbulsi’s performance. People couldn’t believe how well we played. We were accused of taking performance enhancement drugs. Ahmad Al Tarabulsi and I were asked to conduct doping tests but we cleared them all with no complications.”
“I had the pleasure to meet the world champion in gymnastics Nadia Comaneci. When we shook hands, little did I know that I was about to shake hands with a cactus! They were the roughest and driest hands I have ever seen! Through our conversation I found out that her hands reached this stage due to relentless practice using the rings.”
“Although we lost the game, our match against the Soviet Union was historical. They were the host nation and one of the best teams at the Olympics. We played a great game and fought till the last minute. I recall there was a meeting in the Soviet Union’s government that was interrupted because of Jassim Yaqoub’s goal and they canceled the meeting and watched the rest of the match.”
“During the opening day it was raining all over Moscow except for inside the stadium that held the opening ceremony. For some strange reason it would be raining outside the stadium but not a single drop of rain would fall inside the stadium! We were able to enjoy an exciting and dry opening ceremony.”
“It was sensational! The Kuwait delegation was much bigger back then than now, relative to teams that are
Hamad Bu Hamad
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NEWS
Fifa President to attend Gulf Cup in Kuwait
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ifa President Gianni Infantino has confirmed his attendance for the first two days of the 2017 Gulf Cup to be held in Kuwait later this month. Infantino, who was in the region following the re-entry of Kuwait as a member of the world governing body, has released a statement on the official Fifa website confirming his decision to attend matches on December 22 and 23. “The solidarity and friendship shown by all illustrates once again the power of football to unite people across borders. The 2017 Gulf Cup will be a great celebration of football in the whole region and to have all eight teams participating in Kuwait sends a very powerful message to the world,” Infantino said. “To mark this special occasion, it will be a great honour for me to attend
YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP / Getty Images
the opening games of the 2017 Gulf Cup in Kuwait on December 22 and 23. This tournament embraces the spirit of sportsmanship and is a great example of the values that Fifa and football strive to spread all around the world,” he added. The ban, imposed in 2015 reportedly due to government interference in the work of football association, was lifted from the Gulf nation following a surprise visit from Infantino earlier this week. The two-year exile from football had prevented Kuwaiti clubs from playing in the continental AFC Cup and the national team from participating in the qualifiers for the 2018 Fifa World Cup and the 2019 AFC Asian Cup to be held in the UAE. “I am very happy and encouraged by the recent developments in the Gulf region. First of all, it is a great
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pleasure to welcome Kuwaiti football back into the international football community. During my visit to Kuwait earlier this week, I witnessed with my own eyes the delight of all Kuwaiti players and fans to be back – finally. It has been a long and tough period of suffering for them over the past two years,” Infantino noted. “The initiative to move the 2017 Gulf Cup from Qatar to Kuwait to celebrate this event is a strong and symbolic sign. In this respect, I would like to congratulate and thank the Qatari football authorities for their honourable gesture, which was not unexpected as it is in line with Qatar ’s commitment as the host country of the 2022 FIFA World Cup that this World Cup is indeed for the entire region,” he added.
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SOME HISTORY
Sheikh Fahad Al Ahmed December, 1982 “We are going to win the World Cup… even if it takes a thousand years, we are going to win it.” The martyr Sheikh Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah speaking to Trevor Sterger from “Time Out” magazine in 1982.
Jack Garofalo / Patrick Jarnoux
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DREAMS
STU KARIM SAHIB | AFP | Getty Images
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UFF OF DREAMS
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YUSSEF NASSER Kuwait’s Hamad Al Enizi dribbles past Mohammed Al-Shalhoub of Saudi Arabia during their 20th Gulf Cup final football match in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on December 5, 2010. Kuwait won the final match 1-0 after scoring a goal in extra time. KARIM SAHIB | AFP | Getty Images
HAMAD AL ENIZI Kuwait’s Hamad Naif vies with Mohammed al-Shalhoub of Saudi Arabia during their 20th Gulf Cup final football match in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on December 5, 2010. KARIM SAHIB | AFP | Getty Images
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NAWAF AL KHALDI ABDULLAH BURAIKI Kuwaiti players celebrate after beating Iraq in their 20th Gulf Cup semi-final football match in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on December 2, 2010. Kuwait won on penalty shots after a 2-2 draw. KARIM SAHIB | AFP | Getty Images
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THE OPPONENTS Iraqi players react after losing to Kuwait in their 20th Gulf Cup semi-final football match in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on December 2, 2010. Kuwait won on penalty shots after a 2-2 draw. KARIM SAHIB | AFP | Getty Images
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THE MANAGER Kuwaiti players celebrate winning the Arabian Gulf Cup and throw their manager Mr. Goran in the air after defeating Saudi Arabia in the final 1-0. KARIM SAHIB | AFP | Getty Images
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THE FANS Fireworks light up the stadium after Kuwait won the 20th Gulf Cup final football match against Saudi Arabia in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on December 5, 2010. Kuwait won the final match 1-0 after scoring a goal in extra time. KARIM SAHIB | AFP | Getty Images
THE MEN IN BLUE Kuwaiti players celebrate after winning the 20th Gulf Cup final football match against Saudi Arabia in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on December 5, 2010. KARIM SAHIB | AFP | Getty Images
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THE MOMENT
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gulf cup final Kuwaiti players carry their trophy as they celebrate after winning the 20th Gulf Cup final football match against Saudi Arabia in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on December 5, 2010. KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images
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THE CONDUCTOR
THE CO NDUCTOR The first head coach since the ban. Boris Bunjak manages Kuwait at home in the 23rd Gulf Cup. An inter view with Boris Bunjak
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fter two long and painful years of being banned from international football, Kuwait is finally back! It has been fourteen years since the last time Kuwait hosted the Gulf Cup, and Kuwait will once again host and participate in the tournament this December. Coach Boris Bunjak of Al Jahra club has been appointed by the Kuwait Football Association to lead the boys in blue during the Gulf Cup. The 63-year-old tactician sat down with Fourteen and talked about Kuwait’s preparations leading up to the tournament. How did you receive the news you’d be coaching the national team? Were you surprised? It was not a surprise for me, I think it was the natural next step for me as a coach. Like all coaches, I have always dreamed about coaching at the international level. I have worked for more than 25 years as a football coach and it’s time for me to take on the new responsibility of coaching a national team. As for coaching Kuwait’s national team, it is an honor to be given this opportunity, and I believe it came as a result of working hard, in both Jahra and Al Arabi, and proving myself. A lot has developed in the past few weeks and you immediately hit the ground running. Talk to us about how it’s been for you. Everything has been moving very quickly. I haven’t had enough time to prepare the team, nor enough training sessions with our players. We only have time to touch on some of the tactical aspects of the game. It has been helpful that some of the players have worked with me in Jahra and Al Arabi, and are able to communicate to the rest of the players my philosophy, style of play, and my what I expect of them on the field.
Jalil Marvin
Will you follow the same style of play that you have used coaching other clubs in Kuwait, or will you go with another system for the national team? Although coaching a national team is a different challenge, and it is a higher level, I cannot change my style. I am a coach that loves to play
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fast, attacking, and aggressive football and I know the fans will appreciate that philosophy. Although Jahra has a large fan base, the national team has a different and bigger fan base. Every fan of football, whether they support Qadsiya, Al Arabi, or Jahra, will be supporting Kuwait and all
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“A s f o r c o a c h i n g K u w a i t ’ s n a t i o n a l t e a m , i t i s a n h o n o r t o b e g i v e n t h i s o p p o r t u n i t y, a n d I b e l i e v e i t c a m e a s a r e s u l t o f w o r k i n g h a r d . . . a n d p r o v i n g m y s e l f.” their hopes are hanging on you and the players. While coaching Jahra, it was normal to receive support from Jahra fans and for fans of other clubs to be against me. Today, it’s a different story because I feel that everyone in the country is behind us, everyone is supporting me and the
Jalil Marvin
players. Kuwait is a special country because all fans of football, regardless of which club they support, love and watch the national team. Even people that don’t follow or watch football regularly, when it comes to the national team, they watch, follow, and support the team like the most passionate of football fans. This brings amazing energy to my
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players and they are motivated by the support and backing that they receive from the fans. Kuwait was drawn in a tough group for the Gulf Cup, with their first match against Saudi Arabia, a tough game in itself - some may even call it an early final. What are your plans and expectations for the group?
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“I count on all players on my team and I’m sure that each individual will play an important role in the tournament... because these players are the cream of the crop and the best in the c o u n t r y. ”
Jalil Marvin
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Our group is a very difficult group. It ’s as if our group is first division and the second group is second division. There isn’t a huge difference between the two groups, but there is still a difference. In our group, we have Saudi Arabia, which is, at the moment, the best Asian team. The Emirates are also, in my opinion, one of the best in Asia. As for Oman, nobody likes to play against Oman because they are a strong and fit team with some very talented players. There is nothing we can do. We will end our preparations with our friendly match against Bahrain and then I will have a clearer image of how we can play, while the players will have a clearer image of my tactics and style of play. I hope, and I am sure, that we will be ready to play against a strong team like Saudi Arabia. During the two-year ban on international football, many of the local players have been demotivated and have had a rough time. Have you seen them respond to being back and able to represent Kuwait again? Absolutely, all of the players are m o t i vate d a n d h ave b e e n ve r y focused - they have been working very hard. I am very satisfied with their performance and attitude during practices. The players have shown me and the coaching staff very positive signs that they are ready to achieve something big in this cup. However, after two years of not playing international football, we can only speculate and imagine how the team will play compared to other teams. Our friendly match against Bahrain will offer a lot of answers to many questions that we have. Who are some of the players that yo u w i l l co u nt o n to l e a d t h e national team to victory in the Gulf Cup?
Jalil Marvin
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“Kuwait is a special country because all fans of football, regardless of which club they support, love and watch the n a t i o n a l t e a m .” I count on all players on my team and I’m sure that each individual will play an important role in the tournament. I am especially counting on the senior and experienced players to bring their best to the Gulf Cup, players such Bader Al Mutawa, Fahad Al Ansari, Hussein Hakim, and Hameed Al Qallaf. If I were to list them for you, I would list all 25 players, because these players are the cream of the crop and the best in the country. There has been a lot of speculation about the issue with Musaed Neda and whether he will join the national team. Can you please explain to us the story behind the recent rumors? When I was chosen to coach the team, I was given a shortlist of the players from the federation and I didn’t find Neda’s name on the list. I asked what was happening with Neda and was told that he is injured, he hasn’t played for a month, and that he’s in Germany receiving treatment. I asked the federation to contact him and get an update on his injury status directly from him. It was very important for
Jalil Marvin
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me to show him the respect that he deserves as he has represented Kuwait for many years. Later, after the federation contacted Neda, I was told that he wants to join the team, but he hasn’t practiced for the past month. I told them to ask him to fly back and allow our team doctor to assess his injury. That’s all that happened with me. Since then, I started to read about rumors about Neda and the federation. However, I am not involved in any of that gossip, I have great respect for Neda and he is one of the best defenders in Kuwait. I showed him my respect and desire to add him to the team. However, the federation are worried about his injury and readiness to play.
Jalil Marvin
“When our players walk onto the field and the stadium is full of their fans chanting and supporting them, not only will they run, but they will fly!
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What do you believe makes Kuwait’s national team special and will be an advantage for them over other teams? We have an outstanding team spirit in the changing room and that will work to our advantage against other teams. During practices, I have noticed players are very supportive of each other and are extremely motivated. Moreover, I think playing at home will be another advantage for our team and we hope that during our matches the stadium will be full. When our players walk onto the field and the stadium is full of their fans chanting and supporting them, not only will they run, but they will fly! I hope that our fans will support the team whether we are winning or losing, and will be like the wind beneath our wings.
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THE MOMENT
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pelÊ Brazilian legend Pele salutes the fans as he attends the friendly match between Brazilian national soccer team and Kuwait’s league champions Al-Kuwait held to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Kuwaiti Club, in Kuwait City late 07 October 2006. The five-time world champions won 4-0. YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP / Getty Images
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HIGHLIGHT
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M O V I N G F O R W A R D The project revolutionizing Kuwaiti sports An inter view with Ahmed Al Fadhel
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hmed Al Fadhel’s vision for the future of Kuwaiti sports. Through his proposal, he envisions a vibrant, professional, and even monetary generating sports sector that will replace the current status of sports we have become accustomed to. Unlike any sports program in the region, Al Fadhel’s proposal not only considers a vast array of sports, but the athletes that participate in them, be it professionals or elementary students. Whether you support his political candidacy or not, his proposal is worthy of consideration. The project provides us with a glimpse into a better future for sports across the country, one that we simply cannot afford to ignore. Al Fadhel walks Fourteen through his vision for a new future of sports in Kuwait explaining the structure of this new program and its benefits.
Left: Al Kuwaityah
introduction
There are 3 elements that make up this project: school sports, governorates’ sports, and professional sports. Each type of sport is then also split into three groups: 1) Football, (2) Indoor Sports including Basketball, Vo l l e y b a l l , a n d H a n d b a l l , ( 3 ) Individual Sports including Martial Arts, Racket Sports, Track & Field, and Swimming.
The formula that we intend to follow throughout the project focuses on increasing awareness of sports in Kuwait, with an increase in revenue to follow. It is a self-sufficient cycle that will continue to develop sports across the country. If we are able to increase the audience that watches sports, the price in advertising for these events and broadcasts will also increase.
T h e f i rst t wo g ro u ps h ave t h e potential to be privatized, while all sports under the third category would continue to be funded by the state. All forms of individual sports would either be funded by Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Science (KFAS) or any other private company in Kuwait. For example, the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) may fund Kuwait’s number one sprinter and sponsor them for one race.
This will lead to a growth in revenue, generated from television rights, which will consequently advance the overall level of sports in Kuwait. Clubs will work harder to improve and uphold their individual quality as a considerably larger amount of attention is placed on them, feeding back into the cycle that both supports and maintains a much-improved overall quality of Kuwaiti sports.
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Therefore, in order to increase the viewership of the sport, we must establish both a TV station and publication that covers the entire sport in all its stages (school level, governorate level, and professional level).
“The project
1st school sports
with a glimpse
There are 6 governorates in Kuwait and in each governorate, there will be a league for every sport in all schools. Schools within the same governorate will compete with one another and the winning school of each sport will qualify to play in a nationwide league. This league would include all 6 champions from all 6 governorates. The nationwide league would also be broadcasted on the TV channel created for this project. While each school in Kuwait has its own sports facility, they will host matches per the schedule of games. Winners will receive awards and prizes, including both individual and team awards.
provides us into a future for sports across the c o u n t r y.”
2nd governorates sports
The governorate league will be open to anyone from the age of 16-45 years old. There are 52 districts in Kuwait and each district will have a team representing them in all sports. Thus, every sport will have 52 teams competing. As each district also has both a school and cooperative society, these will also play a vital role in the league’s performance. The school in each district will be responsible for providing the venue for the matches and the cooperative society will cover all team costs. The Public Authority for Sports (PAS) would be responsible for providing each team with the necessary staff (coaches, assistant coaches, goalkeeper coach, etc.). Similar to the school league, districts within each governorate will compete with one another and the winning district of each sport will qualify to play in a nationwide league. As a part of the loyalty program, the Ministry of Education will encourage schools in each district to attend the matches and support their teams - thus creating a fantastic sporting environment for the league!
The league will be broadcasted on the same TV channel as well, with a total of 1300 players (25 players on each of the 52 teams) gaining great exposure and experience, while at the same time, creating a goldmine for professional club scouts.
3rd professional sports
All sports club in Kuwait will privatize their teams, no longer being run by a general sporting club. For example, Kazma Club would privat-
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ize their football team and be called Kazma Football Club, becoming a separate entity to Kazma Club. Each stadium in Kuwait would follow the Italian football method and share their grounds with a total of 4 privatized teams. Using this system, Kazma Football Club would then share Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium with 3 other football clubs. There are currently 14 stadiums in Kuwait. When each stadium is shared by 4 teams, that will amount to 56 foot-
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In addition, each training facility will have the ability to sell or rent the land around it for commercial use (malls, restaurants, convenient stores, etc.). The commercial area outside of the facility will be tied to The National Fund for Small and Medium Enterprise Development. Thus, the owner of the training facility and the football club will immediately have businesses ready to rent or buy a part of the commercial area.
achieve and maintain the success of this project
To achieve all that the program has to offer, it must first be converted into a law that encompasses all its complexities, as well as be added to the Civil Service Commission (CSC). Moreover, two unions will need to be created: a “Professional Players Union” and a “Professional Sports Clubs Union”. As for maintaining the success of the project, once a private investor purchases any of the sports teams, they are given a detailed manual that regulates the activity of the club. These regulations will include minimum wage for players and staff, number and level of foreign players’ permitted, and minimum quality of uniforms for teams.
ball teams. With 56 teams, you can create 4 divisions made up of 14 teams each. Each privatized football team will build its own training facility in a different location than their home stadium. For every training facility, the government would issue 20,000-30,000m2 of land for football clubs and 10,000-20,000 m2 of land for indoor sports clubs (2nd group). Inside each facility, clubs
StadiumDB
would build 3 fields/courts for each age group, changing rooms, a health center, administration offices, and residential halls. Teams will only use the original stadium outside of their training facility during match days. Ticket sales and advertisements from the stadiums will be shared amongst the host team and the government (as they still own the stadium), with the team receiving two thirds of the revenue and the government receiving one third.
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Not only does this program establish sports leagues for all governorates and schools that are not just competitive but watched by tens of thousands of people, this new approach to Kuwaiti sports will result in dynamic professional sports leagues – leagues made up of 56 sports clubs per sport that are privately owned and independent of the government. Each club will have individual owners and elects its own administration. There will finally be no need or place government intervention; therefore, there will be no conflict with any international sports federation laws. Never again will Kuwaiti athletes be represented under an Olympic flag and we will finally have a professional system that governs sports worthy of the 21st century.
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SPORTS SCIENCE
Faisal Al Shawa
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THE GUT: ‘YOUR SECOND BRAIN’ Written by Faisal Al Shawa | Founder of Believe Nutrition
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want you to take a second and think of the last time you felt ner vous, scared or anxious. Were you mindful of the telltale symptoms of such emotions? Feeling ‘butterflies’ in your stomach much? That’s right, just as the brain can send signals to the gut, the gut can send signals to the brain as well. It’s a bidirectional relationship. The brain and gut are connected via the Enteric Nervous System – a part of the central nervous system responsible for the functioning of the gastrointestinal system. Indeed, the gut has profound effects on the brain that some neuroscientists refer to this system as the ‘second brain’. Through sound dietary practices, not only will you feel awesome, but your perception of the world can change – thinking more clearly and painting life in a positive light. It’s true. Your mood, mental state, emotions and
behavior can be influenced by your gut health and the type of microbiota (bacteria) present. Here’s an interesting statistic. In 2015, A Cell Journal study found that roughly 90% of our body’s serotonin is found in the gut. 90%! A poor gut may cause a lack of serotonin production and lead to certain diseases such as leaky gut and irritable bowel syndrome. With this, arise mental health issues including autism, anxiety and depression. Studies have shown that subjects who suffered from gastrointestinal issues were better off when receiving psychological treatment as opposed to medical treatment. The opposite applies as well. Poor gut health has been implicated in psychological and neurological disorders. Your brain will show great signs of gratitude by eating the right foods
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and taking supplements which protect and heal the gut. Not only do some ‘good’ bacteria in the gut provide healing and protective effects to the brain, but the digestion and processing ability of foods can have positive implications to the brain. The more able your gut is to digest food and absorb vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, the better your brain will function. A healthy gut is a happy brain. It is evident that our gut and mental health go hand in hand. Improving our dietary practices and lifestyle in general, deems the most effective way to improve our gut health. It is no surprise the great value placed on our gut health to improve our well-being and so it is our responsibility to take care of our own body and health in order to feel and be great.
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UAAK
AUM Women Basketball Crowned UAAK Champions
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hThe American University of the Middle East (AUM) women’s basketball team won the UAAK basketball league following a 26 – 39 victory over the American University of Kuwait (AUK) in the final game held at AUM campus. AUM team dominated the game with outstanding offensive strategies and managed to secure their advantage by the end of the third quarter. AUM players took the competition to a different level with solid defense tactics. an impressive season, winning streak. AUM team prepared well for the final game, team captain Khadija Khalaf asserted. The team followed
Courtesy of AUM
intensive training focusing both on offense and defense strategies which helped them expose AUK weak points and use them to their favor, she added. “Our team was in high spirit, we were on a winning streak and there was no way we lose the final game”, Khalaf said. Khalaf lead the women’s team throughout this season and expressed her confidence in their performance at every stage. She thanked AUM management and coaching team for their constant support and dedicated the win to them. fierce competition, takes the win. “AUM women’s team proved to be
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the best performing team and strongest rival among university teams in Kuwait,” said AUM Sports Center Manager Nazir Al Diri. AUM’s victory came after intensive trainings and inspiring teamwork, Al Diri added. The support AUM offers to the coaching team and players motivates students to excel both academically and on the playground, and show commitment and hard work in pursuing world class level performance, he stressed. Al Diri thanked AUM management and the coaching team for their commitment to the game and for this victory. He dedicated the win to everyone at AUM and to the players who worked hard to contribute to the university’s success.
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T H EU AE AV KE N T
23 rd Arabian Gulf Cup Beginning on 22 December 2017 and concluding on the 5 January 2018
Kuwait will host the 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup from the 22nd of December 2017 to the 5th of January. This will be the first competition that Kuwait will participate in since the sports ban was imposed in 2015. The tournament was last hosted in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia three years ago where the hosts lost to Qatar two goal to one. The tournament will kick off with an exciting local derby between Saudi Arabia and tournament hosts Kuwait. The Arabian Gulf Cup is made up of 8 teams divided into two groups with the top two countries of each group
Nicolas Chavance
qualifying to the semi-finals. Kuwait is joined by Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates in Group A while Group B is made up of Qatar, Iraq, Yemen, and Bahrain.
22 and 23. This tournament embraces the spirit of sportsmanship and is a great example of the values that FIFA and football strive to spread all around the world,� he added.
The president of FIFA Mr. Gianni Infantino will be attending the first two days tournament as the nation rejoices and celebrates the return of the Kuwaiti national team to the international stage after 2 years. Mr. Gianni Infantino said “To mark this special occasion, it will be a great honour for me to attend the opening games of the 2017 Gulf Cup in Kuwait on December
The 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup as always will be a thrilling competition and an opportunity for some of the gulf nations in quarrel to interact in a friendly and positive occasion. Titleholders Qatar will have to work hard to defend their championship against Asian giants Saudi Arabia and Kuwait who are anxious to please their home fans.
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