Comments on: Hellloooo GOLD! http://mahmood.tv/2008/08/19/hellloooo-gold/ An Arab man's attempt at bridging the cultural gap and trying to make a difference. Failing a lot. Succeeding once in a while. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 10:06:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: heraish http://mahmood.tv/2008/08/19/hellloooo-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-123612 heraish Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:00:59 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=4905#comment-123612 "...Stephen Cherono, a Kenyan, won the 3,000 metres steeplechase having changed his name to Saif Saaeed Shaheen and switched nationality to compete for Qatar. Cherono was deeply unpopular with his fellow Kenyans, although his reported salary - $1,000 a month for the rest of his life, plus significant performance bonuses and endorsements - is more than most of his peers could dream of." "Many of these juniors are not even obliged to move to reside in their adoptive country. They are offered a fraction of the salary of Shaheen, but their package will include a coach, physiotherapy and foreign training camps." These are a couple quotes from timesonline of the uk which show that it does not cost millions to pull this off. And the return is that more people in the world get to know about your country at least. “…Stephen Cherono, a Kenyan, won the 3,000 metres steeplechase having changed his name to Saif Saaeed Shaheen and switched nationality to compete for Qatar.

Cherono was deeply unpopular with his fellow Kenyans, although his reported salary – $1,000 a month for the rest of his life, plus significant performance bonuses and endorsements – is more than most of his peers could dream of.”

“Many of these juniors are not even obliged to move to reside in their adoptive country. They are offered a fraction of the salary of Shaheen, but their package will include a coach, physiotherapy and foreign training camps.”

These are a couple quotes from timesonline of the uk which show that it does not cost millions to pull this off. And the return is that more people in the world get to know about your country at least.

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]]> By: Starkville http://mahmood.tv/2008/08/19/hellloooo-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-123609 Starkville Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:18:28 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=4905#comment-123609 Not to labour the point I made above (thanks for the response Mahmood), this is what I meant when I was waffling on about the idea that olympic success by someone can help engender a desire to succeed in youngsters. Link: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/news-and-features/mansfield-succumbs-to-beccymania-as-town-welcomes-home-its-golden-girl-909656.html Not to labour the point I made above (thanks for the response Mahmood), this is what I meant when I was waffling on about the idea that olympic success by someone can help engender a desire to succeed in youngsters.

Link:

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/news-and-features/mansfield-succumbs-to-beccymania-as-town-welcomes-home-its-golden-girl-909656.html

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]]> By: Sam http://mahmood.tv/2008/08/19/hellloooo-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-123595 Sam Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:37:57 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=4905#comment-123595 Oh Janum..... the heartache!!! Got a ceiling fan? Here's some rope :) Oh Janum….. the heartache!!!

Got a ceiling fan? Here’s some rope :)

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]]> By: heraish http://mahmood.tv/2008/08/19/hellloooo-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-123594 heraish Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:35:59 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=4905#comment-123594 If any group feels aggrieved at the unfair citizenship policies they should ask their representatives to come up with a uniform policy on citizenship that applies to all. And everyone should have a shot at getting it, whether it is bidoon, the indentured indian servant or a star athlete. The representitves of the said aggrieved groups both inside parliament and outside parliament advocate the revoking the citizenships of other long time residents that are not from their sect and/or national origin. If you want justice for your group fight for justice for all people. If any group feels aggrieved at the unfair citizenship policies they should ask their representatives to come up with a uniform policy on citizenship that applies to all. And everyone should have a shot at getting it, whether it is bidoon, the indentured indian servant or a star athlete. The representitves of the said aggrieved groups both inside parliament and outside parliament advocate the revoking the citizenships of other long time residents that are not from their sect and/or national origin. If you want justice for your group fight for justice for all people.

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]]> By: janum http://mahmood.tv/2008/08/19/hellloooo-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-123580 janum Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:01:18 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=4905#comment-123580 you carzy??!! have you ever heard that the bahraini government gave citizenship to a foreign shia? I guess your missing the point here? they would give passports to iranian sunnis russian christians and ethiopian jews BUT NOT TO SHIAS..they want to make shias a minority not increase their numbers or status with gold medals.. the government is probably celebrating right now that roqaya alghasra didnt get a medal..i am not exaggerating there are officials who are happay that a shia did not win! bahraini shias are an inconvenient reality to them... as much as mahmood wants to live in denial the bahraini government is sectarian to the root.. the last time shias were given passports is when the then new king with his fresh so called democratic reforms finally relieved the suffering of the "persian ghettos" who were living in cardboard houses and dumps for decades in bahrain with no citizenship or any kind of official status or benefits(a foreign indian worker had a better status than they did!).. and then the door was closed whether ur an arab shia or a pakistani shia a nobody or an olympic gold medallist...the fact you're shia means that you cannot get bahraini citizenship as long this goverment (and you know who) is in power... you carzy??!! have you ever heard that the bahraini government gave citizenship to a foreign shia? I guess your missing the point here? they would give passports to iranian sunnis russian christians and ethiopian jews BUT NOT TO SHIAS..they want to make shias a minority not increase their numbers or status with gold medals.. the government is probably celebrating right now that roqaya alghasra didnt get a medal..i am not exaggerating there are officials who are happay that a shia did not win! bahraini shias are an inconvenient reality to them…

as much as mahmood wants to live in denial the bahraini government is sectarian to the root.. the last time shias were given passports is when the then new king with his fresh so called democratic reforms finally relieved the suffering of the “persian ghettos” who were living in cardboard houses and dumps for decades in bahrain with no citizenship or any kind of official status or benefits(a foreign indian worker had a better status than they did!).. and then the door was closed whether ur an arab shia or a pakistani shia a nobody or an olympic gold medallist…the fact you’re shia means that you cannot get bahraini citizenship as long this goverment (and you know who) is in power…

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]]> By: heraish http://mahmood.tv/2008/08/19/hellloooo-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-123577 heraish Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:32:45 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=4905#comment-123577 "They werent in the papers months before the games, we saw no build up or training or how the team were preparing for the games." I do agree with this. There should be more PR. The athletes should give interviews and they should also be required to take Arabic/cultural classes etc. in return for the government support. They should also be made to commit to working with the youth of the country as well so that their skills will be transferred. “They werent in the papers months before the games, we saw no build up or training or how the team were preparing for the games.”

I do agree with this. There should be more PR. The athletes should give interviews and they should also be required to take Arabic/cultural classes etc. in return for the government support. They should also be made to commit to working with the youth of the country as well so that their skills will be transferred.

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]]> By: mahmood http://mahmood.tv/2008/08/19/hellloooo-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-123575 mahmood Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:16:09 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=4905#comment-123575 <blockquote>it may get the locals more excited about track and field</blockquote> That's quite a statement there. Thanks very much for thinking for us <i>locals</i> even to the minute level of deciphering our psyche and sectarian leanings. I mean, God forbid that we should even consider supporting an athlete "from the other group" now can we? You're some mean piece of work arencha?

it may get the locals more excited about track and field

That’s quite a statement there. Thanks very much for thinking for us locals even to the minute level of deciphering our psyche and sectarian leanings. I mean, God forbid that we should even consider supporting an athlete “from the other group” now can we?

You’re some mean piece of work arencha?

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]]> By: heraish http://mahmood.tv/2008/08/19/hellloooo-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-123572 heraish Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:27:43 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=4905#comment-123572 They should offer citizenship to Hussain Taher Al Saba, the long jumper. He was born in Dhahran, Saudi next door and is a solid athlete and a exuberant personality. He may even be Shia, not sure about that. If anyone knows let us know. I am not sectarian oriented, just curious on the one hand and on the other hand it may get the locals more excited about track and field. They should offer citizenship to Hussain Taher Al Saba, the long jumper. He was born in Dhahran, Saudi next door and is a solid athlete and a exuberant personality. He may even be Shia, not sure about that. If anyone knows let us know. I am not sectarian oriented, just curious on the one hand and on the other hand it may get the locals more excited about track and field.

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]]> By: Sam http://mahmood.tv/2008/08/19/hellloooo-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-123562 Sam Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:31:01 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=4905#comment-123562 Bung I agree with you. That's why nobody seemed too bothered because most people had never seen or even heard of our "Bahraini" atheletes. They werent in the papers months before the games, we saw no build up or training or how the team were preparing for the games. Most of them arent even resident in the country! Bung I agree with you. That’s why nobody seemed too bothered because most people had never seen or even heard of our “Bahraini” atheletes. They werent in the papers months before the games, we saw no build up or training or how the team were preparing for the games. Most of them arent even resident in the country!

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]]> By: Bung http://mahmood.tv/2008/08/19/hellloooo-gold/comment-page-1/#comment-123550 Bung Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:28:54 +0000 http://mahmood.tv/?p=4905#comment-123550 Ok, now what? The olympics are over. Rashid Ramzi won a gold for Bahrain. Will we now see him passing his expertise to the next generation? Will we see him inspiring the youth to get out and do more sport? Or will he disappear to the States or Europe to carry on training and living? Does anyone know, or care? Hey, he fulfilled his contract, he got a gold. If you want to see how the world views this 'buying of talent', you should have heard the BBC commentators in the 1500m final. They noted the Kenyans, Ethiopians, the Briton and the 'former Kenyan' running for Bahrain. They seemed to have problems calling him a Bahraini. I think that sets the tone for this sort of thing. To me, the competition should be between people who grew up in the country that they are competing for. That they are part of the community, even if they weren't born there. There should be at least SOME connection with the country rather than just a Dinar paycheck. Pardon my cynism. Good that the Kingdom got a gold though. Ok, now what? The olympics are over. Rashid Ramzi won a gold for Bahrain. Will we now see him passing his expertise to the next generation? Will we see him inspiring the youth to get out and do more sport? Or will he disappear to the States or Europe to carry on training and living?
Does anyone know, or care? Hey, he fulfilled his contract, he got a gold.
If you want to see how the world views this ‘buying of talent’, you should have heard the BBC commentators in the 1500m final. They noted the Kenyans, Ethiopians, the Briton and the ‘former Kenyan’ running for Bahrain. They seemed to have problems calling him a Bahraini. I think that sets the tone for this sort of thing.
To me, the competition should be between people who grew up in the country that they are competing for. That they are part of the community, even if they weren’t born there. There should be at least SOME connection with the country rather than just a Dinar paycheck. Pardon my cynism.
Good that the Kingdom got a gold though.

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