Middle East Focus: Of Watermelon Sports and Persian Gulf Potentates

Arabia Deserta

Of Watermelon Sports and Persian Gulf Potentates

With the NFL season almost upon us and , encouraged by the Seahawks' pre-season wins over San Diego and Denver, my thoughts turned homeward, to the shores of the (Persian) Gulf.
Being rather curious (I am the type of person that tries locked side doors at museums and other places to see what lurks behind them- when I was younger I used to open my hosts fridge doors), I decided to check the various Football (Soccer) federations of the Gulf GCC countries. I used the FIFA and Asian Federation sites:

“ Saudi Arabian Football Federation:
President: HRH Prince Sultan Bin Fahd BIN ABDULAZIZ Al-Saud
Vice President: HRH Prince Nawaf Bin Fisal BIN FAHAD BIN ABDULAZIZ Al-Saud

Bahrain Football Association:
President: H.E.Sh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa
Vice President: Shaikh Ali Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa

Kuwait Football federation:
President Sheikh Ahmad Al Sabah

Qatar Foorball federation:
President Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.....”

I think I will go and check the site for the Iranian Football Federation. I bet they follow the same pattern. They probably have some minor cleric (a hojatulislam, or lower) heading their federation, if the usual Persian Gulf pattern holds.And I bet he is as skilled a football (soccer) player as any of the others; both probably less than I used to be some years ago. I doubt that his last name is Ahmadinejad, though.
Thus the state of sports in watermelon countries (this is a Gulf lingo only natives will understand: the rest of you can look it up, and good luck).
Cheers and Ramadan Kareem
mhg
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