Archive for the ‘Sport’ Category

FIFA General Secretary Jérôme Valcke announced on Sunday that the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 will be held in Dubai. It was also announced that the 2008 event will be held in Marseilles. The French tournament will be the first time the competition will be held outside its birthplace of Brazil.

Mattar Al Tayer, Vice-President of the Dubai Sports Council said, ‘We are privileged to be selected as host city of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009. It’s a dream come true for the UAE. It will be a great honour for us to stage an official FIFA competition for the second time, having already hosted what is now the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2003. Dubai is known for hosting international events with distinction and we will ensure that the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2009 will be an unforgettable occasion for all.’

The International Rugby Board has announced that Dubai will host the Sevens Rugby World Cup in 2009. The Gulf state was chosen from a list of candidates that included Australia, Russia and the United States. The 2009 competition will be the fifth in the competition’s history and will be the first to include a women’s event. The main sponsors are Emirates Airline.

Liverpool Football Club looks set to be taken over by the investment arm of the Dubai Government. Dubai International Capital (DIC) will shortly begin a process of due diligence at Anfield before signing any deal.

DIC is the international investment arm of Dubai Holding. It is controlled by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the world’s fifth richest man. DIC also owns the Tussards Group, Travelodge, the London Eye and has a significant interest in DaimlerChrysler.

If the deal goes ahead the capital injected would be used to clear the clubs £80 million debt, fund a new 60,000-seater stadium at Stanley Park and compete with the likes of Chelsea on the transfer market.