Sports

Vaughan pokes Jaffer with 2002 memory and discusses social media perils

Published

3 years ago

March 17, 2023

Staff Reporter

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Kuumar Kavita Shyam

EXCLUSIVE

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has been in the thick of controversies for all the wrong reasons. He moved from one to another in a week’s time before getting on a flight to Dubai where he addressed young children of GEMS Modern Academy – this time for the right reason.

Joining the panel of a Mentors Academy, a joint initiative of the school with JMR Sporting, Vaughan told the children that beyond the playing skills, “it is important to enjoy the game and make sure that they share a relationship within the team or the dressing room.”

Vaughan’s words were pause worthy considering the man himself is in the middle of a racism controversy back home where a few Asian players have used an alleged comment of his from a team talk on the field many years ago as an example in court for highlighting their plight.

And barely a day before his address at the sprawling campus in Nad Al Sheba, he got into another tweet tit-for-tat bash with former Indian opening batsman Wasim Jaffer when Bangladesh stunned England to win a bilateral T20 series 3-0 on home turf. Jaffer rekindled their past banter on social media with a jibe “Hello Michael Vaughan, long time no see,” using a picture of himself with a Bangladesh shirt from the past when he was coach of the Under19 team.

Vaughan responded with a tweet (below) even as he has been battling a legal battle, which is getting closer to a judgement where words of one party is being verified with others.

They did .. But they are still world champions .. England seem to be very good at peaking for the World cups now .. it’s a good trait to have .. India should try and follow suit 👍 https://t.co/7rYlIFINfW
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 15, 2023

He could not resist having another potshot at Jaffer: “He is one of the victims of my bowling in Tests, my first wicket. He couldn’t play my off-spin.” Vaughan scored 100 in that first Test against India at Lord’s in the 2002 series.

Asked in Dubai if he has an advice on the use of social media for the students, Vaughan said: “As great as social media is, it can be bad too. But, I would like to look at the positive side. I would tell the kids to make use of it, get information which can be handy for half an hour or so, but don’t make it your be all and end all of it. Sadly, the art of live conversation is dying out, which shouldn’t be the extent on social media. I am yet to see a person who is the same profile as they are on social media.

“I have written about 40,000 tweets, including a few I regret. It is a great resource to have powerful conversations, but cricket is getting too fast and serious nowadays. People are hammering others for one mistake in their lives. It is also a great place to have fun. Wasim and I have had some fun going, and it is important to have a bit of camaraderie and fun going.”

I have written about 40,000 tweets, including a few I regret. It is a great resource to have powerful conversations, but cricket is getting too fast and serious nowadays

As good as the memory of picking Jaffer’s wicket from two decades back serves right for Vaughan, he is being put in a box as the world waits to see a court come to a decision if Vaughan said anything objectionable.

Meanwhile, Jaffer’s teammate from that 2002 Lord’s Test Virender Sehwag is in Vaughan’s corner at the Mentors Academy along with former Sri Lankan fast bowler Chaminda Vaas and Pakistan women’s team vice-captain and all-rounder Nida Dar.

JMR Sporting, which has put the whole plan together to coach pupils on the other aspects of playing the sport, has some great cricketing facilities in Sharjah. “Five days of the week, the students will continue to train at GEMS Modern Academy and over the weekend, they will make use of our specialized equipment and coaching techniques in Sharjah,” said Jaffar Moidu, the founder.

“There are four pillars of our holistic approach towards cricket coaching, including mental health and awareness for other aspects. Then once a month or so periodically, we will have camps where one of the mentors will guide the children on things beyond the physical skills.”

Related Topics:Asian controversey cricket Dubai Featured legal Michael Vaughan Racism social media trending tweet Twitter viral Virender Sehwag Wasim Jaffer

Staff Reporter

Entertainment

Emirates Dubai 7s 2026: Tickets on sale as festival returns with bigger family zone

Published

2 hours ago

August 31, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Emirates Dubai 7s is returning to The Sevens Stadium from November 27 to 29, with tickets now on sale for the three-day sports and entertainment festival.

The 2026 edition will bring together international rugby, amateur sports, live music and family entertainment, with organisers promising a bigger programme than previous years.

The festival attracted more than 88,000 visitors in 2025 and will again take place during the final weekend of the Dubai Fitness Challenge.

Ticket prices

Ticket prices for General Admission and Hospitality have stayed the same for a third consecutive year.

Three-day General Admission tickets cost Dh595 per person, while the three-day Family Pass is Dh1,136 for two adults and two children.

Other ticket options

Group pass: Dh446 per person for four or more adults
Saturday or Sunday: Dh455
Friday: Dh75
Under 15s: Free
People of Determination + carer: Dh375

Tickets can be purchased through the Emirates Dubai 7s website and app.

Bigger family attractions

Family entertainment will get a major boost this year as the UAE celebrates the Year of the Family.

The festival will feature its biggest-ever Kids’ Zone, including the UAE’s largest inflatable kids’ zone, along with a Ferris wheel and zipline. More attractions are expected to be announced ahead of the event.

Six sports and top rugby action

Alongside elite rugby, visitors can watch or take part in competitions across six sports — rugby, netball, cricket, WODON3 fitness, Rebound padel and Gaelic Football.

Gaelic Football will join the festival for the first time in 2026.

The Sevens Stadium will also host the opening round of the HSBC SVNS Series 2027, bringing the world’s leading rugby sevens players to Dubai.

The WODON3 Elite final will take place on Pitch 1 between HSBC SVNS matches, with competitors potentially performing in front of crowds of up to 20,000.

Music all weekend

Live entertainment will run throughout the festival, with local and international artists performing across three days.

Last year’s line-up included Tinie Tempah, Sean Paul and Fisher, while the 2026 headline acts will be announced later.

For a premium experience, The Sunroom returns with all-inclusive food and drinks, shaded seating, prime sporting views and dedicated access. Packages start from Dh1,925 per person.

With sport, music and family attractions packed into one weekend, Emirates Dubai 7s is gearing up for another big Dubai event.

Sports

Abu Dhabi to host first EuroLeague Basketball SuperCup: How to get tickets from Dh572

Published

7 days ago

August 24, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Abu Dhabi is set to make basketball history this September as it hosts the first-ever EuroLeague Basketball SuperCup, bringing four of Europe’s top clubs together for a two-day showdown at Etihad Arena.

Taking place on September 18 and 19, 2026, the inaugural tournament will feature Real Madrid, Olympiacos Piraeus, Fenerbahce Tarfin Istanbul and Dubai Basketball in a Final Four-style competition.

The event is being delivered through a partnership between the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Euroleague Basketball, adding another major international sporting event to the capital’s growing calendar.

Two days, four teams and one new trophy

The action gets underway on Friday, September 18, with two semi-finals.

6pm: Olympiacos Piraeus vs Fenerbahce Tarfin Istanbul
9pm: Dubai Basketball vs Real Madrid

The winners will advance to Saturday night’s championship game, while the losing teams will meet earlier in the day for the third-place match.

On Saturday, September 19:

6pm: Third-place game
9pm: Inaugural EuroLeague Basketball SuperCup Final

The winner will make history as the first team to lift the new trophy.

Abu Dhabi adds another major basketball event

The tournament builds on Abu Dhabi’s growing reputation as a destination for elite basketball. The capital has hosted a number of major basketball showcases in recent years, helping bring some of the sport’s biggest clubs and stars to UAE audiences.

The new SuperCup will also give fans the chance to see Dubai Basketball compete against some of the biggest names in European club basketball, including Real Madrid.

DCT Abu Dhabi said the event forms part of the emirate’s wider strategy to expand its international sporting calendar while attracting visitors and creating opportunities for local businesses and communities.

Euroleague Basketball President Dejan Bodiroga described the competition as a new chapter for European club basketball, while CEO Chus Bueno said Abu Dhabi would provide fans with an opportunity to experience the sport at its highest level.

Tickets

Full-package tickets are already available through Etihad Arena, while single-day tickets are scheduled to go on sale on August 31.

EuroLeague SuperCup Prices

Ticket category	Price
Baseline Upper Bowl 2	Dh572
Baseline Upper Bowl 1	Dh668
Central Lower Bowl 2	Dh1,338
Central Lower Bowl 1	Dh1,434
Hollywood 2 Hospitality	Dh9,188
First-row Bench	Dh7,751
First-row Courtside	Dh10,911

Event details

Where: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: September 18–19, 2026
Teams: Real Madrid, Olympiacos Piraeus, Fenerbahce Tarfin Istanbul, Dubai Basketball
For tickets, go to www.etihadarena.ae

News

Dubai robotics team earns global recognition at elite US competitions

Published

1 month ago

July 27, 2026

Michael Gomes

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A Dubai-based student robotics team has put the UAE on the global STEM map after securing a major award at one of the world’s leading robotics competitions and earning an invitation to an elite international event in the US.

Team UFORCE, representing Unique World Robotics (UWR), finished third in the prestigious Inspire Award category at the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Michiana Premier Event, held in Indiana from June 18 to 21.

The Inspire Award is FTC’s highest judged honour, recognising excellence in robot design, engineering, programming, innovation, teamwork and community impact. Team UFORCE competed against 96 top robotics teams from around the world.

Invited to exclusive global event

Following its strong performance, Team UFORCE also competed at the Multinational Tech Invitational (MTI) in Maryland, an invitation-only competition featuring just 44 of the world’s best FTC teams selected from more than 11,000 active teams globally.

Showcasing UAE STEM talent

The 16-member team includes students from schools across Dubai and Sharjah, highlighting the UAE’s growing talent in robotics and engineering.

“This achievement reflects the dedication, innovation and perseverance of our students and mentors,” said Bansan Thomas George, founder of Unique World Robotics.

Head coach Mohammed Mukhtar said competing on global platforms demonstrates the ability of young innovators from the UAE to excel internationally.

Team captain Aarnav Bhargava described the competitions as a valuable opportunity to develop technical skills, teamwork and confidence while competing against some of the world’s best robotics teams.

About FIRST Tech Challenge

FIRST Tech Challenge is one of the world’s largest youth robotics programmes and is supported by organisations including Google, Amazon and NASA.

The programme also offers students access to scholarships, mentorship opportunities and pathways to leading universities and STEM institutions.

The achievement also reflects the growing impact of firstrobotics.ae, a UAE volunteer-led robotics community that supports students interested in robotics, artificial intelligence and STEM education.