FNC investigates troubled UAE football clubs



UMM AL QUWAIN // FNC members are visiting three football clubs in the Northern Emirates that recently withdrew from the UAE’s lower leagues.

Al Arabi Club in Umm Al Quwain, Al Jazeerah Al Hamra and Al Rams Cultural Sports Clubs in Ras Al Khaimah, and Masfoot Club in Ajman decided to pull out of playing in the second-tier football league after running into problems, which included finances.

“We are visiting the clubs to know their situation. From site visits we can get more information than from a newspaper or over a phone call,” said Marwan bin Ghalita, an FNC member from Dubai.

The members visited Al Arabi Sports and Cultural Club on Sunday and met officials and the club council to discuss its problems.

“After our visit to Al Arabi Club in UAQ, we found out that part of the problem is a financial issue,” said Mr bin Ghalita. “They don’t have enough budget to run all the teams or games they have over here.

“The other activities are still running but there is not enough funds to support all activities.”

Mr bin Ghalita said the FNC would report to the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare. “The meeting was very fruitful,” he said.

“We got more information about what the problem is.

“This is the only club in UAQ serving the community, so we must find a solution for this to serve the whole community.”

The members were due to visit Al Jazeerah Al Hamra and Al Rams Cultural Sports Clubs on Monday, and Masfoot Club on Tuesday.

“The main point behind the checking of [UAQ’s club] was about the first team,” said Nasser Al Tallai, director of Al Arabi Club.

“The meeting discussed all problems and struggles that the club faces, including its withdrawal from the participation in the football association competition of the first team.”

Mr Al Tallai said all sports clubs suffered from a lack of financial support from the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare.

“The FNC is visiting all these clubs and then they are going to study the problems and try to find a solution.”

newsdesk@thenational.ae

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Scorecard

Scotland 220

K Coetzer 95, J Siddique 3-49, R Mustafa 3-35

UAE 224-3 in 43,5 overs

C Suri 67, B Hameed 63 not out

'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'

Rating: 3/5

Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro

Writers: Walter Mosley

Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners