CAIRO: The head of Egypt's soccer federation on Wednesday defended the decision to select Chechnya as the base of the country's World Cup squad in Russia but did not directly address accusations that Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah was used for political purposes there.
Hany Abo Rida told reporters in Cairo that Chechen capital Grozny was selected on technical grounds, but acknowledged the federation had considered at one point to move its base, but decided not to for fear that the move might hurt Egypt's close relations with Russia.
"We could not as a football federation be held responsible for tensions or problems between Egypt and Russia," he said.
The federation's choice of Chechnya raised many eyebrows because it meant huge distances to travel to matches and because of the poor human rights record of its leader, former rebel Ramzan Kadyrov.
Abo Rida also dismissed perceptions that Salah was used in Chechnya by Kadyrov as a political tool as "outside talk," an apparent reference to criticism in the British media about Salah's meeting with the Chechen leader.
Kadyrov granted Salah honorary citizenship during a dinner banquet for the Egyptian squad Friday. Salah is said to have been particularly annoyed by the event and said this week he was considering retiring from Egypt's national team.
"The Chechen leader met Salah as a fan and not as a head of state," Abo Rida said. "That the Chechen leader received Salah and honored him is like he honored the entire Egyptian population."
Salah, the Premier League's player of the season and top scorer with 44 goals, returned to Egypt on Tuesday after the Pharaohs were eliminated from the World Cup with three consecutive losses in the group stage. It was Egypt's appearance at soccer's premier tournament since 1990. Salah came into the tournament in Russia after being injured in the Champions League final last month.
Salah has yet to publicly say anything about the team's stay in Grozny, but he looked visibly upset during the team's training in Volgograd on Sunday and didn't celebrate his goal against Saudi Arabia in the final group match Monday. In a post-match interview, he somberly apologized to the fans who traveled to Russia to support the team.
Salah, 26, was an unused substitute in Egypt's 1-0 loss to Uruguay, but scored from a penalty he won in a 3-1 defeat from Russia and scored Egypt's first World Cup goal from open play against Saudi Arabia in a 2-1 loss.
Egypt defends choice of Chechnya as World Cup base
Egypt defends choice of Chechnya as World Cup base
- Choice of Chechnya raised many eyebrows
- Federation president dismisses suggestion Mohamed Salah was used in Chechnya by former rebel Ramzan Kadyrov as a political tool
Young future stars of Saudi golf enjoy a moment alongside the big names at LIV Golf Riyadh
- Participants in ROSHN Rising Stars program to develop golfing talent in the Kingdom play friendly competition at Riyadh Golf Club before round 3 of the season opener tees off
- ‘Golf is such a fundamental sport for development … The values of golf can be correlated to the values of society: confidence, resilience and integrity,’ says LIV Golf’s Jake Jones
RIYADH: While much of the spotlight during LIV Golf’s 2026 season opener in Riyadh this week has of course been on the return of some of the sport’s biggest names for the new campaign, a new generation of Saudi golfers is also quietly taking its own first steps into the game.
Participants in the ROSHN Rising Stars program, an initiative designed to introduce and develop young golfing talent across the Kingdom, gathered at Riyadh Golf Club on Friday afternoon for a friendly competition a few hours before the third round of the main event teed off under the lights.
“The real focus is getting golf into the lives of young people in the Kingdom,” Jake Jones, LIV Golf’s senior vice president of impact and sustainability told Arab News as the young golfers took to the course under cloudy skies.
“We wanted to do something a little bit different, something sustained, with a long-term outcome, and that’s how this program was created.”
The program runs for 20 weeks, during which the participants receive weekly coaching and instruction sessions at Riyadh Golf Club from Golf Saudi professionals.
“This takes them from never having held a golf club before to reaching a point where they’ve now played in a competition,” Jones said.
The fact that the LIV Golf season opens in Riyadh provides another key benefit for the participants, as they get to experience the professional game up close, and this access to world-class players and events forms a key part of their journey.
“We give them exposure to our LIV Golf events, here and internationally,” Jones added.
Beyond this, and teaching people how to play the game, the program offers participants insights into the wider aspects of the world of golf, including career opportunities.
“They’ve had behind-the-scenes tours, pitch-and-putt sessions, long-drive competitions and visits to places like the media center,” Jones said. “It’s about showing them what it’s like not just to play golf, but work in the sport as well.”
Friday’s event in Riyadh marked the conclusion of the 20-week program for its participants.
“Today is really the celebration point,” Jones said. “We’re at the graduation phase of this journey, where they’ll compete in a three-hole challenge. We then crown a winner and celebrate with them back at the ROSHN Fan Village.”
As golf continues to grow in popularity in the region, Jones believes initiatives such as Rising Stars will have a lasting effect on the development of next generation of players.
“Golf is such a fundamental sport for development; it’s not just about physical activity and having fun,” he said. “The values of golf can be correlated to the values of society: confidence, resilience and integrity.
“Imagine playing golf and you miss the ball or you end up in the sand; you have to get back up and try again. You block the noise around you and focus on the ball to make the right shot.”
Jones highlighted in particular the importance of integrity as one of golf’s defining characteristics, and how that can help shape personal development.
“The rules of golf are reliant on you following them,” he said. “That sense of honesty and self-discipline is something young players can carry beyond the course” into the roles they play in their communities, societies and countries.
“The role that golf can have with young people in Saudi Arabia is actually another layer of baking in those core societal skills, to ensure that they are fit and robust for the future,” Jones added.
This is particularly important given the youthful nature of the Saudi population, more than half of which is under the age of 30, he said, and they now have the chance to benefit from golf in one way or another.
“Golf is now another avenue that they can explore. Whether it’s playing, working in the sport or simply finding a community, we want to give them another reason to get excited.
“We believe that golf can do all of that and, hopefully, it can spark a lasting passion among the Saudi youth.”
