Added on 09/03/2011
James M. Dorsey
Al Ahly , Al Ahly SC , Al Masry , Alexandria , Ben Ali , Cairo , Cairo’s Military Academy Stadium , Colonel , Egypt , Egyptian Football Association , Egyptian military , Football , Hosni Mubarak , Kenya , Libya , Moammar Gadaffi , Mohamed Hussein Tantawi , Morocco , National Democratic Party , North Africa , Port Said’s Al Masry SC , Premier League , Rwanda , Soccer , Supreme Council of the Armed Forces , Tunis , Tunisia , Zine Abedine Ben Ali
JAMES M. DORSEY: Tunisian and Egyptian reluctance to restart football reflects the changing role of soccer and the sense of empowerment felt by fans.
Added on 07/03/2011
James M. Dorsey
Algiers , Amman , Ankara , Bahrain , Barack Obama , Brazil , Cairo , East Africa , Egypt , Egyptian military , Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood , Erdogan government , Europe , European Union , Gaza , Green Movement , Hosni Mubarak , International Monetary Fund , Iran , Islamist party , Israel , Jeddah , Kuwait , Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , Manama , Mecca , Middle East , Muslim Brotherhood , North Africa , North Atlantic Treaty Organization , Oil , Omar al-Bashir , President , Prime Minister , Recep Tayyip Erdogan , Sana’a , Saudi Arabia , Soccer , South Sudan , Sudan , Syria , Tripoli , Tunis , Tunisia , Turkey , Turkish government , United States , Washington , Washington Institute , Washington Institute for Near East Policy
JAMES M. DORSEY: For the first time in its history, Turkey is emerging as a true bridge between East and West. Unrest elsewhere however puts Turkish aspirations to the test.
Added on 24/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
Al Ahli Benghazi , Ali Abdullah Saleh , Colonel , East Africa , Egypt , Football , Hosni Mubarak , Libya , Middle East , Moammar Gadaffi , North Africa , President , Saadi’s association , Soccer , The National , Tunisia , United States , Zine Abedine Ben Ali
JAMES M. DORSEY: Gadaffi’s controversial soccer-playing son, Saadi, offers a study in the use of soccer by authoritarian Arab regimes to distract attention from real issues.
Added on 17/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
2006 World Cup , 2010 World Cup , Algeria , Ali Abdullah Saleh , BBC , Benghazi , Colonel , Confederation of African Football , Egypt , Facebook , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Football , Germany , Iran , Jordan , Libya , Middle East , Muammar Gaddafi , North Africa , President , Soccer , Tunisia , United States , Yemen
JAMES DORSEY: Gaddafi intends the opening of the Benghazi stadium to be a show of popular support, but activists fear it could become the setting for clashes.
Added on 11/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
African Cup of Nations , Ajax , Al Ahly , Al Mohtalet , Al Zamalek , Algeria , BBC , Cairo , Confederation of African Football , Egypt , Egyptian Football Association , Egyptian government , FIFA , Hosni Mubarak , President , Soccer , Tahrir Square , The National , Tunisia , United Kingdom , Zine Abedine Ben Ali
JAMES DORSEY: Al Ahly SC has publicly rejected plans by the Egyptian Football Association, to restart suspended league matches behind closed doors.
Added on 11/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
Egypt , Football , Green Movement , Hosni Mubarak , Iran , Iranian parliament , Islamic Republic of Iran , Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , President , Ruhollah Khomeini , Soccer , Tehran , Tunisia , Zine Abedine Ben Ali
JAMES DORSEY: Iran’s Football Federation has postponed league matches in Tehran to prevent celebrations of the 32nd anniversary of the Islamic revolution turning into anti-government protests.
Added on 08/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
2022 World Cup , Asian Football Confederation , Australia , BBC , Belgium , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Football , Japan , Mohamed bin Hammam , Netherlands , Portugal , President , Qatar , Qatar 2022 , Russia , Soccer , South Korea , Spain , The Telegraph , United Kingdom , United States
JAMES DORSEY: If Blatter’s admission is correct, those votes would account for seven of the 12 votes that won Qatar its right to host the world’s biggest sporting event.
Added on 04/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
Africa , Al Mohtalet , Al Zamalek , Cairo , Egypt , Egyptian police , Facebook , Football , Gaza , Ghana , Hosni Mubarak , Israel , Italy , President , Social services , The National , United Kingdom , YouTube
JAMES DORSEY: The organizational skills of the ultras, fanatical Cairo soccer fans, are emerging as opponents and supporters of President Mubarak.
Added on 02/02/2011
James M. Dorsey
Abdelaziz Bouteflika , African Cup of Nations , Algeria , Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights , Algiers , Benghazi , Egypt , Facebook , Football , Hosni Mubarak , Khartoum , Libya , Middle East , Morocco , North Africa , Omar al-Bashir , President , Soccer , Sudan , Tobruk , Tripoli , Tunisia , United States , Zine Abedine Ben Ali
JAMES DORSEY: Oil-rich Libya and gas-rich Algeria have indefinitely extended their suspension of all soccer matches with anti-government demonstrations looming.
Added on 31/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Africa , Cairo , Department of State , Egypt , Egyptian Football Association , Football , Hosni Mubarak , President , Soccer , U.S embassy , U.S. government , United States
JAMES DORSEY: The USSF’s reluctance to cancel the match contrasts starkly with the Egyptian Football Association’s decision on Thursday to cancel all premier league matches…
Added on 29/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
2022 World Cup , Asia , Bahrain , Doha , Fifa World Cup , Georgetown University , Human Rights Watch , Kuwait , Oil , Oman , Qatar , Rights , Saudi Arabia , UAE , United Arab Emirates
JAMES DORSEY: The workers are a necessarily evil, but over time they are almost certain to change the nature of society – a notion that sends chills down Qatari spines.
Added on 28/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Al Qaeda , Asia , Bahrain , Dubai , East Africa , Egypt , Football , Jeddah , Middle East , Morocco , New York , North Africa , oil-rich emirate , Oman , President , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Seattle , Soccer , The Huffington Post , Tunisia , United States , Washington , Zine el Abidine Ben Ali
JAMES M. DORSEY: Mounting criticism of Middle Eastern nations’ failure to nurture soccer talent has created a business opportunity for European clubs.
Added on 27/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Al Ahly , Al Ahram , Al Zamalek , Algeria , Amr Abdallah Dalsh , Arab government , Assad , BBC , Cairo , Egypt , Egypt Protests , Egyptian police , Football , Gamal , Hosni Mubarak , Italy , Jordan , metal , Middle East , Muslim Brotherhood , National Democratic Party , President , Soccer , The National , Tunisia , Zine el Abidine Ben Ali
JAMES M. DORSEY: The involvement of organized soccer fans in Egypt’s anti-government protests constitutes every Arab government’s worst nightmare.
Added on 26/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Abu Dhabi , Demographics , Dubai , Energy , Federal National Council , FIFA , Football , Kuwait , Qatar , The Guardian , The National , UAE’s Federal National Council , United Arab Emirates
JAMES M. DORSEY: Just 13% of the UAE’s population has citizenship. In Qatar it’s 26% and Kuwait 34%. And those percentages are dropping.
Added on 25/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
2022 World Cup , Alex Horne , Asian Football Confederation , Australia , England Football Association , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Football , Germany , Japan , Michel Platini , Middle East , Mohamed bin Hammam , oil-rich emirate , Premier League , President , Qatar , Sepp Blatter , Soccer , South Korea , the Associated Press , UEFA , United States
JAMES M. DORSEY: Mohamed bin Hammam lashed out on Monday, charging that Blatter had served too long as head of soccer’s world governing body.
Added on 24/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Asia , Doha , Fifa World Cup , Football , Japan , Middle East , President , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Soccer , Tunisia , UAE , United Arab Emirates
JAMES M. DORSEY: In a soccer-crazy world of authoritarian regimes, football offers one of society’s few release valves.
Added on 23/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Ali Khamenei , Football , Iran , Islamic Republic of Iran , Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , Media organizations , President , Qatar , Soccer , South Korea , Sport , Tehran , United Arab Emirates
JAMES M. DORSEY: Khamenei and other hard-line government officials and clerics argue that the presence of women at men’s sporting events violates Islamic law.
Added on 22/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
Abdullah , Facebook , Fifa World Cup , Football , France , Jeddah , Paris , President , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Soccer , South Africa , Sport , Syria
JAMES M. DORSEY: A three-time Asian champion and finalist in six of the last seven Asian Cup tournaments, Saudi Arabia failed to advance in Qatar, losing all three matches it played.
Added on 20/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
2014 World Cup , 2022 World Cup , Abu Dhabi , Chile , Costa Rica , Dubai , Europe , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Football , Ghana , Golf , Macedonia , Middle East , New Zealand , Peru , President , Qatar , Russia , Soccer , Tunisia , Turkey , UEFA , United Arab Emirates , Wales , Zine el Abidine Ben Ali
JAMES M. DORSEY: Middle Eastern nations are competing to stack up successful bids to host major soccer events in an effort to position themselves as regional hubs for sport.
Added on 19/01/2011
James M. Dorsey
2022 World Cup , Bahrain , Citibank , Doha , Energy , FIFA , Fifa World Cup , Middle East , Oil and gas , Public Relations , Qatar , Qatar 2022 , Real Estate , South Africa , Television network
JAMES M. DORSEY: Qatar will become the face of an Arab world that projects itself as rich, bold and futuristic – a dramatic contrast with current perceptions of conflict and conservatism.
