BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun informed FIFA President Gianni Infantino of his approval to grant him Lebanese citizenship on Tuesday, the head of the Lebanese Football Association told AFP.
“The President informed (Infantino) of the decree and the requirements of the file in order to complete its implementation,” Hashem Haidar, head of the Lebanese Football Association (LFA), said.
“The decree granting citizenship to Infantino came as he is a public figure who provides services to Lebanon.”
A government official, who requested anonymity, confirmed the offer.
Infantino, 55, is a Swiss-Italian national married to a Lebanese woman, Leena Al-Ashqar, who used to work for the LFA.
“I don’t have it yet, but soon. I feel very good and very proud, I feel very happy,” Infantino told Lebanese channel LBCI. “I am Lebanese since many many years already, so it’s good that we formalize this as well.”
According to the LFA’s website, Aoun asked Infantino to “complete the necessary legal documents and papers to finalize the Lebanese citizenship decree at a later time.”
Infantino said that Lebanon needed “a state of the art football stadium.”
“We are exploring the possibility of building a brand new stadium...(for) 20-30,000 spectators,” he added.
“A stadium today is not just a place where you play,” said Infantino. “A stadium today is a symbol of a country, and Lebanon needs a symbol for sport and football which shows that it wants to move into the future in a modern environment. For the youth of this country.”
Haidar said that Infantino had “pledged to cover all the costs of the new stadium in Lebanon.”
“We have to secure the land for the stadium and they will take care of the rest of the construction process, and they insisted that the stadium be in Beirut,” he added.
The Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut is the largest in Lebanon, with a capacity of approximately 50,000 spectators. It was opened in 1957 and renovated before hosting the Arab Games in 1997, but has suffered from neglect in recent years.
FIFA chief to receive Lebanese citizenship: association
https://arab.news/45ksh
FIFA chief to receive Lebanese citizenship: association
- “The President informed (Infantino) of the decree and the requirements of the file in order to complete its implementation,” Haidar said
- Infantino is a Swiss-Italian national married to a Lebanese woman, Leena Al-Ashqar
Desert Vipers hold nerve to edge Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in ILT20 thriller
- Key contributions from Shimron Hetmyer and Khuzaima Tanveer prove decisive as the Vipers weather tense finish to overhaul target of 171
- Knight Riders start well, reaching 87 in 10 overs, but momentum shifts in second half of their inning as the Vipers’ spinners struck back
SHARJAH: Desert Vipers made it two wins out of two in the DP World International League T20, as they held their nerve to secure a dramatic two-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Shimron Hetmyer’s counterattacking 48 off 25 balls, and a late-order cameo from Khuzaima Tanveer, who hit 31 off just 12 deliveries, proved decisive as the Vipers weathered a tense finish to overhaul a target of 171.
Sent in to bat, the Knight Riders made a confident start through Phil Salt and Alex Hales, with the latter anchoring the inning to top-score with 53 off 37 balls.
Despite reaching 87 in 10 overs, however, the momentum shifted in the second half of the inning as the Vipers’ spinners began to strike regularly. Qais Ahmad and Noor Ahmad led the middle-overs fightback, dismissing Hales and triggering a collapse as the Knight Riders lost five wickets.
Andre Russell’s unbeaten 36, and useful contributions from Alishan Sharafu and Unmukt Chand, at least helped Abu Dhabi reach a competitive total, but they were unable to fully capitalize on the side’s strong opening.
The Vipers began explosively in reply, smashing a tournament-record 19 runs from the first over. However, early wickets then left them wobbling on 44/3. Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence rebuilt the attack before the latter combined with Hetmyer for a crucial 68-run stand that swung the contest back in the their favor.
Late strikes from Ajay Kumar and Russell, the latter dismissing Hetmyer for his 500th T20 wicket, set up a tense finish, but Tanveer delivered under pressure. Needing eight runs off the final over, he sealed victory with a six and a boundary.
“It was, in many ways, a fortunate escape but an outstanding result for us,” said Curran, the Vipers’ stand-in captain.
“ADKR possess a very powerful batting lineup, and I believe our bowlers performed exceptionally well throughout the innings. The dismissals of Hetmyer and Dan introduced an unexpected twist but the team showed commendable composure in the crucial moments.”
Knight Riders’ stand-in skipper Sunil Narine felt his side had been lacking with the bat: “We were 15-20 runs short. We began well in the powerplay and that phase was crucial for us.
“The conditions eventually worked in their favor and the dew made it challenging for our spinners. But at the end of the day that’s part of the game.”
The result leaves the Vipers well placed at this early stage of the tournament, while the Knight Riders were left to reflect on missed opportunities after such a strong start.
