Saudi esports world cup winner a ‘class’ role model for young players: Gaming chief

Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan
Updated 15 November 2019
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Saudi esports world cup winner a ‘class’ role model for young players: Gaming chief

  • Prince Faisal said the fast pace of technological advances was changing not only how people lived but their view of sport.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s 2018 FIFA eWorld Cup winner Mosaad Al-Dossary was the kind of role model young players should be looking to emulate, according to the Kingdom’s esports gaming chief.

President of the Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronics and Intellectual Sports (SAFEIS), Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, told Arab News he was “proud” of Al-Dossary for his esports achievements and for showing “his class as a human being.”

Speaking on the sidelines of the Misk Global Forum, in Riyadh, the prince said the fast pace of technological advances was changing not only how people lived but their view of sport.

Equating esports to traditional sports, he stressed it was important that young people moderated their time playing video competitions. 

“Moderation in everything,” he quoted his father as telling him.

“Everything has its positives, within reason. I don’t expect our professional (esports) players to be playing for 18 hours a day. What we advocate is having good mental health, social health as well as good physical health.”

Prince Faisal said it was important that youth chose their heroes carefully, and Al-Dossary was an example of the perfect role model. 

“I’m proud of him for all of his many accomplishments in gaming, but I’m prouder of who he is as a person.”

He noted that during Al-Dossary’s winning participation in the Manchester FUT Champions Cup, in the UK, one of the tournament’s young competitors had fallen ill and was taken to hospital. Al-Dossary had ducked out of victory celebrations to go and visit his sick opponent, taking with him the green scarf awarded to world cup qualifiers which he left on the young man’s bedside table as a gift.

“I’m prouder of him for doing that, brightening up his opponent’s day, than I am of him winning the world cup,” the prince said. 

“He showed his class as a human being, not as an esports player. And that’s what we expect of all of our athletes and all of our young kids across all industries and sports.

“That’s the caliber of person that we have in Saudi, in our communities and that’s what I want to showcase to the world.”

Prince Faisal admitted that online harassment could be a problem, but said it was a global issue that could only be solved through education.

“There are errors, and esports and gaming is a new era, and it’s a new era of accessibility. Along with that comes a learning curve and an education curve,”he added.


Paul Casey and Anirban Lahiri re-sign for Crushers GC ahead of new LIV Golf season

Updated 08 January 2026
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Paul Casey and Anirban Lahiri re-sign for Crushers GC ahead of new LIV Golf season

  • Crushers to maintain same roster for a record fifth consecutive season under captain Bryson DeChambeau 
  • Team returns in 2026 Season as most successful team in LIV Golf history, with eight regular-season team titles and one team championship

NEW YORK: Crushers GC of the LIV Golf League has solidified its roster for the 2026 season with the confirmed return of team veterans Paul Casey and Anirban Lahiri, who once again will team up with captain Bryson DeChambeau and Charles Howell III following an accomplished 2025 showing that included three consecutive team victories in 2025 at LIV Golf Korea, Virginia, and Dallas.

“Keeping this core together for 2026 positions us to build on the momentum we carried out of 2025,” DeChambeau said. “This group knows what it takes to win; we lifted the trophy in 2023 and finished second last season, and that experience fuels our drive to compete at the top week in and week out. We’re a team of competitors, creators, and leaders who take pride in pushing the game forward, and having this group return gives us continuity, confidence, and a clear direction as we raise our standards heading into next season.”

Crushers GC enters the 2026 season with a clear identity rooted in inspiration, energy, and creativity, built to push boundaries and expand its global footprint. Led by DeChambeau, the Crushers combine elite competition with a creator-first mindset, using connection, innovation, and global reach to ignite fandom. The team prides itself on making golf more accessible, entertaining, and engaging, blending high-performance play with education, mentorship, and social-first storytelling that resonates with modern fans. 

DeChambeau returns as one of the sport’s most exciting and influential figures. His power game has remained elite; he impacted both individual and team performance in 2025, winning the individual title at LIV Golf Korea and finishing third in the season-long individual Championship race. He also led Crushers GC to three consecutive victories in 2025 in Korea, Virginia and Dallas.

Paul Casey returns as a steadying force within the Crushers lineup, and as one of the most consistent players on the LIV Golf circuit. A proven winner with more than two decades at the highest level of professional golf, Casey has won 21 times in 13 different countries on his way to becoming one of the sport’s most popular players. His precision, consistency, and competitive intelligence remain central to the team’s pursuit of excellence. Casey recorded four top-10 finishes in 2025, and finished runner-up at LIV Golf Dallas in a four-man play-off. 

Two-time Olympian Lahiri begins his fourth full season with Crushers GC after providing a reliable and consistent presence, anchoring the back of the lineup to keep things steady. A trailblazer whose career spans victories and contention across multiple tours, Lahiri is one of the most decorated Indian professional golfers, having earned 18 professional wins worldwide.

Howell continued to be a steady backbone for Crushers GC throughout the 2025 season, underscoring his value as one of the league’s most consistent and dependable competitors. The veteran posted six top-24 points finishes, including two top-five results in Crushers GC’s three team wins, proving he delivers when it matters most in big moments. Howell is the only other Crusher besides DeChambeau to win a LIV Golf individual title, having done so in Mayakoba in 2023. Whether anchoring the team’s deep lineup or contributing key points in high-pressure situations, Howell’s blend of consistency, experience, and measured excellence helped fuel Crushers’ run in 2025 and sets a tone for his role heading into 2026.

With their full 2025 roster returning, Crushers GC enters the 2026 season tied as most successful team in LIV Golf history, with eight regular-season team titles and one team championship.