Football fever

quiz whiz 

1. When did the first FIFA World Cup take place?
A. 1863
B. 1904
C. 1930
D. 1958

2. Which country won the inaugural edition of the FIFA World Cup?
A. Uruguay
B. Argentina
C. United States
D. Yugoslavia

3. Which country has won the football World Cup the most times?
A. England
B. Italy
C. Germany
D. Brazil

4. Who is the all-time top goal scorer at the World Cup?
A. Lionel Messi (Argentina)
B. Miroslav Klose (Germany)
C. Ronaldo (Brazil)
D. Pelé (Brazil)

5. Which country has scored the most World Cup goals?
A. Argentina
B. Germany
C. Brazil
D. Italy

6. How many times has the Pakistan national football team qualified for the FIFA World Cup?
A. 0
B. Are we going to pretend it’s anything but 0?
C. Let’s face it, it’s 0
D. 0! It’s 0!

7. The official ball for the 2018 World Cup, the Telstar 18, has been made in which country?
A. China
B. Russia
C. South Korea
D. Pakistan

8. The mascot for the 2018 tournament is named Zabivaka, which means “the one who scores” in Russian. Which animal is Zabivaka?
A. Bear
B. Fox
C. Dog
D. Wolf

9. What is the tagline for the 2018 tournament?
A. Where the stars align
B. Where the best shine
C. Where the talent competes
D. Where the world unites

10. The official song for the 2018 FIFA World Cup is ‘Live It Up’ by Puerto Rican singer Nicky Jam. Which famous artist appears on the song?
A. will.i.am
B. Will Smith
C. Will Young
D. William Hung

11. Which country has qualified for the first time for the World Cup this year?
A. Saudi Arabia
B. Egypt
C. Iceland
D. Panama

12. And which country has failed to qualify for the first time since 1958?
A. Italy
B. Netherlands
C. Cameroon
D. United States

*****

Answers
 
1. C
Football appears to have existed in some variation or the other since ancient times, with the Chinese game Cuju – the earliest known form of football – dating back to the 3rd or 2nd century B.C.
The first rules of the modern game were drawn up at Cambridge University in the 1840s, and standardized in 1863 with the formation of England’s Football Association, the oldest football association in the world.
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was formed in 1904, and has its headquarters in Zürich, Switzerland.
Soccer was first included in the Olympic Games in 1908.
The first World Cup was held in 1904 and has taken place every four years since then, with the exception of 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War.

2. A 
Host nation Uruguay beat Argentina 4 goals to 2 in the 1930 FIFA World Cup final, becoming the first country to win the tournament. The United States finished in third place while Yugoslavia came in fourth.
Thirteen teams participated in the 1930 tournament which took place from 13 to 30 July in Uruguayan capital, Montevideo. The majority of the matches took place at the Estadio Centenario, which was built for the tournament.

3. D
Brazil has won the most titles, five (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002).
The current champion, Germany, has won four trophies (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014).
Italy has also won four (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006).
England has won the tournament once (1966).

4. B
Germany’s Miroslav Klose (who participated in the World Cup tournaments from 2002 to 2014) is the all-time top scorer, with 16 goals. He broke Brazil’s Ronaldo’s record of 15 goals (1998 to 2006).

5. B 
Germany has scored the most goals (224) and has also conceded the most goals (121).
The German team has also played the most World Cup matches (106), and appeared in the most finals (8), semi-finals (13), and quarter-finals (16).

6. [insert sad emoji here]

7. D 
The Telstar 18 balls have been produced by Forward Sports in Sialkot, Pakistan. The ball has six textured panels that are seamlessly glued together, and also has an embedded near-field communication chip.
Telstar 18 was designed by the company Adidas, with the ball’s name paying homage to Adidas’s first World Cup match ball, the Telstar (a combination of “television” and “star”), which was itself named after the Telstar communications satellite that it resembled.

8. D
Zabivaka is an anthropomorphic wolf with brown and white wool wearing a white t-shirt with blue short sleeves and red shorts, a nod to the national colours of the Russian team.

9. A 
“Where the stars align” is the official tagline of the 2018 World Cup, which is taking place in Russia this year from 14th June to 15th July.

10. B 
The official song for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, ‘Live It Up’, is by Puerto Rican singer Nicky Jam and features American rapper Will Smith and Kosovar singer Era Istrefi.
It isn’t very good.

11. C and D
Iceland (the smallest country in terms of population to reach the World Cup) and Panama have both qualified for the first time.

12. A 
Four-time champions Italy has not qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1958. Netherlands is missing the cup for the first time since 2002, and United States for the first time since 1986. And Cameroon, the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations winner, didn’t make it to the tournament either.

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News International - 22nd June, 2018

Real Madrid Foundation Campus Experience - uniting youngsters by their passion for sports

cover story

Pakistan may not have a significant presence in the world of football but there is certainly no shortage of soccer fans in our country. Ardent football enthusiasts cheer for their favourite international and league teams, while youngsters passionate about the game participate in matches that are held at their schools and colleges, yearning for more opportunities to pursue the sport.

Certified trainers and coaches from the Real Madrid Foundation - which is a subsidiary of world renowned Spanish football club Real Madrid - are planning to travel to Pakistan to launch their Campus Experience. This initiative has become an international and multicultural meeting point that more than 3,000 children from 80 countries have experienced together in 2015.

In an interview with Us Magazine, the Director of the Real Madrid Foundation Campus Experience, Joaquín Sagués, talks about this initiative and what the programme hopes to achieve.

Us: Could you please tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
Joaquín Sagués: I have over 30 years [experience] leading teams in the areas of corporate events, logistics, and services sector. Since January 2010, I have been the world CEO of Real Madrid Foundation Campus Experience. [I am in charge of] the direction of the team, [defining the] strategy of growth and economic control.

Us: Please tell us about the Real Madrid Foundation and its goals.
JS: Real Madrid Foundation is the means by which Real Madrid presents itself effectively in society and develops its goals of human and cultural nature. The Foundation nurtures, in Spain and abroad, intrinsic sport values and promotes them as an educational tool, contributing to the overall development of the personality of those who practice in sports, while also serving as a factor of social integration, benefiting those who suffer any kind of exclusion, as well as disseminating all cultural aspects related to sports. Campus Experience is one of the projects developed by Real Madrid Foundation within its programme of activities.

Us: What are the aims and objective of the Real Madrid Foundation Campus Experience football camps?
JS: Campus Experience combines sports training with a value-based education seamlessly, so that values are not only worked in the field but in other activities where children are involved to reinforce the educational aspects, creating a unique model worldwide. Besides the sport training, we encourage participants to foster friendships by interacting with children from other countries and to become familiar with other cultures.
Participants are united by their passion for Real Madrid and sports. Concepts such as leadership, self-control, teamwork, effort, and respect are the basis of all activities and games organised at the campus. Top-notch professionals involved at Campus Experience including monitors, professional coaches and passionate teachers work during school holidays to provide attendees the best possible experience.
But Campus Experience is not only football and fun. One of our main goals is to help children realise how important diet and hygiene are for an athlete. We are committed to teaching children a proper nutritional regime adapted for youngsters who practice soccer frequently. Real Madrid Foundation Campus Experience has professionals in the field of nutrition that develop a comprehensive, balanced and personalised menu to deal with the physical qualities of participants so that they acquire the essential nutrients to practice sports. The other habits we encourage among our young participants at Campus Experience is for them to take care of their personal hygiene as we believe it is essential for the education of players. Our objective is to instil habits that impact their health and relationships in a positive way.

Us: When and why was the project initiated, and what has it achieved so far?
JS: We started the organisation seven years ago. Now, it is the strongest sports and educational project in the world. Since 2009, we have trained more than 30,000 children all around the world, and we have developed Campus Experiences in more than 74 cities.
For us, it is really important to work with a strong partnership in every country we are. We have been working with QSports for three years now, developing Campus Experience in Qatar.
QSports is a company from Qatar, but with strong basis in Pakistan. They proposed that we come to this wonderful country, and after evaluating the possibilities we agree with them that it is a really good option.

Us: What activities are part of Campus Experience? What can youngsters expect from the camp?
JS: We want our participants to live for a week as Real Madrid players do on a daily basis. Usually, people just see Real Madrid players during the games, but they don’t know what they do on a Tuesday morning or a Thursday afternoon. Our programme is designed to submerge our participants into Real Madrid players’ way of life, teaching them how to eat properly, how to stretch their muscles, or how to rest enough in order to have energy for the next day’s activities.
Campus Experience combines two parts: football training and fun activities based in Real Madrid values.
The training and the football technical aspects of Campus Experience are taught by coaches who come from soccer schools from the Real Madrid Foundation led by Rafael García Cortés, a former player of the first team of Real Madrid and the current Sports Director of Campus Experience. The coaches are in charge of channelling a value-based education through sports practice, with exercises in the playing field. These sets of professionals, mostly coaches from Real Madrid Foundation Football Schools, are qualified professionals with a national coach card (from INEF graduates to physical education instructors). Our coaches are trained to know how to work with the values from Real Madrid and how to convey them to children so that they can have fun while learning and working their sports techniques.

The other very important part of Campus Experience is given by our team of monitors (most of whom are teachers and psychologists) whose preparation allows them to apply the expanded education system characteristic of Campus Experience. Their purpose is to apply dynamic and educational content to the timeframes not scheduled for sports on campus. This content should be interesting to all participants through a playful approach in a number of social and solidarity values, relating them to attitudes and skills associated to sports.

Us: Why are the applicants being chosen on a first come first serve basis instead of athletic abilities and merit?
JS: Our goal with this project is to educate and teach our participants the essence, the base of football. We don’t do scouting – we want to teach the essence of the sport to every boy and girl equally.

Us: Can you tell us which trainers and coaches visit the countries where Campus Experience has been launched? Do Real Madrid players join them?
JS: Real Madrid Foundation coaches - professional coaches working in Real Madrid city all year long - form our coach team. They are graduated in sport science, with at least level 1 coach title, and with a lot of experience training children.

Us: How has your experience as the director of the Real Madrid Foundation Campus Experience been so far?
JS: It is really gratifying to work on this project, educating and teaching boys and girls from all over the world. It also allows me to learn a lot about the cultures and languages, and discover new countries, which is priceless.

Us: As far as football is concerned, Pakistan doesn’t have a significant presence on the world stage. Why, in your opinion, has the country struggled in this sport?
JS: They have asked me a similar question when I’ve been to the United States, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Panama, where the main sport used to be baseball but football is the number one nowadays.
In Pakistan, as in many Asian countries, the main sport was cricket, and now football is getting [more popular]. It is just a matter of time [before] Pakistan evolves and improves its football level.

Us: What can be done to improve football in Pakistan?
JS: The main key is to teach and educate boys and girls since they are young. This is a long term project and it is important to start from the base.

Us: Are there any other projects that the Real Madrid Foundation is working on? Can we expect anything from you guys in Pakistan anytime soon?
JS: Among Real Madrid Foundation programmes, you can find Campus Experience and Social Schools for boys and girls at risk of social exclusion. Our job is Campus Experience, and we hope to do a lot of them in Pakistan in the future.

*****

The Real Madrid values

Joaquín Sagués tells Us about the "Real Madrid values":

All children want to be like their idols, but to be an elite footballer not only implies hard sports training, but one must also take into account a series of values that characterize and define the white club. Through a comprehensive program of educational activities, the Campus Experience of the Real Madrid foundation promotes human development through integral values associated with the merengue team. The participants will train with the five main values of Real Madrid: leadership, effort, self-control, teamwork, and respect.

1.    Leadership: Through examples such as that of Cristiano Ronaldo, participants will learn that in order to exercise leadership one does not need to be the captain of the team, but needs to know how to detect the moments where that role should be adopted, encouraging colleagues and taking strategic decisions, thinking about what is best for the team.

2.    Effort: Taking Sergio Ramos as an example – who plays every game as if it was his last and establishes that same attitude to the rest of the team – they will learn the value of effort.

3.    Self-control: Through the ability of self-control from players like Bale, the standard when it comes to the domain of emotions in pressure situations, monitors will explain to attendees that it is important not to lose self-confidence despite criticism or a bad result on the field. In addition, they will learn how to celebrate goals and accept those marked by the opposing team, where humility must always prevail.

4.    Teamwork: Toni Kross is a reference of teamwork at Real Madrid, controlling the game from the centre of the field not only at the tactical and technical level, but looking for communication and understanding with his peers to achieve common objectives, even in moments of weakness.

5.    Respect: Finally, through the game of James, participants will work towards respect for others. Sportsmanship is one of the signs of identity, and he proves it with peers, opponents, and referees. He also approaches criticisms with education and respect, learning from them, always showing humility and respect for the efforts of others.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 25th November, 2016 *

All in one rhythm

sports: ground reality

2014 FIFA World Cup (12 June – 13 July 2014)

Whether you like football or not, you will probably find it hard to avoid the fact that the biggest tournament of one of the most popular team sports in the world is currently underway in Brazil. People all over the globe are transfixed in front of their television sets, eager to watch soccer’s biggest stars in action. And while Pakistan may not be participating in the game, we do have our own special connection to the World Cup. Here’s a quick look at some of the elements of the tournament:

Brasil

The attention of the world turns to South America, as the República Federativa do Brasil (the Federal Republic of Brazil) hosts the 20th edition of the FIFA World Cup, making this the second time the country is hosting the competition (the first being in 1950). 32 teams are taking part in a total of 64 matches that are being held at 12 venues (7 new, 5 renovated) in 12 cities (each the capital of its state) over the course of a month. The Portuguese-speaking Brazil, the world’s fifth largest country, is very enthusiastic about football and is one of its finest competitors, having won the World Cup a record five times.

Fuleco

A blue and yellow armadillo in a white shirt and green shorts is serving as the mascot of this tournament. His name, Fuleco, which was chosen after a three month public voting campaign, is a portmanteau of the words Futebol (Football) and Ecologia (Ecology), reflecting the tournament’s commitment to communicating the importance of the environment and ecology. Fuleco belongs to the vulnerable Brazilian three-banded armadillo species, which is one of only two armadillo species that can roll into a ball; they are known as “tatu-bola” in Brazil, which has also become Fuleco’s affectionate nickname. Fuleco turned 14 on the 1st of January this year, and his official song ‘Tatu Bom de Bola’ has been sung by Brazilian singer Arlindo Cruz. He is friendly, cheerful, and obviously very passionate about football.

Brazuca

The tournament’s official match ball bears a multicoloured design and was developed by Adidas. Its name, also decided by a public vote, is Brazuca, which is a term used by Brazilians to describe “national pride in the Brazilian way of life”. Originally, the ball was supposed to be manufactured in China, but when the demand became more than the original manufacturer could meet, a second supplier was brought in to coproduce the ball. That manufacturer was from our very own Sialkot, a city that has always been well-known for its sports goods. Over the next few weeks, the Adidas Brazuca will be the centrepiece of the activity on field, and we can take pride in knowing that Pakistanis helped make the whole thing possible.

Ole Ola

‘We Are One (Ole Ola)’, the official song of the World Cup, was recorded by Cuban-American rapper Pitbull with guest vocals from Puerto Rican American singer Jennifer Lopez and Brazilian star Claudia Leitte. And the reviews have been less than flattering. The confusingly irrelevant choice of the first two artists instead of Brazilian singers has been criticised; the song’s melody and music have been seen as too generic and pop instead of an homage to Brazil’s rich musical heritage; the lyrics have been described as a bundle of clichés; and the fact that the song doesn’t really have much to do with football or the host nation hasn’t gone down well with spectators. But on the bright side, the effort really has brought the world together, if only to criticise it!

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 27th June, 2014 *

Inspiring a Generation - 2012 Summer Olympic Games

sports

Once every four years, the best athletes from all over the world get together at a chosen location to showcase their remarkable physical abilities, and remind the rest of us how we seriously need to consider joining a gym. For the latest session of these convergences, an estimated 10,500 sportspersons have come together in London this year, participating in 302 events in 26 sports. Prepare for round-the-clock coverage as the Games of the XXX Olympiad commence, and London attempts to “inspire a generation”, as per the Games official motto.

Logo

Many logos – Olympic or otherwise – receive criticism, but few cause a furore quite like the one triggered by the 2012 London Olympics emblem. The jagged 2012 design that reportedly cost £400,000 – yes, that’s four hundred thousand pounds! – was unveiled in 2007 to an avalanche of criticism. A representation of the number 2012 with the Olympic Rings drawn within the zero, the logo comes in shades of orange, green, pink, and blue, and “aimed at reaching young people”. Instead, it ended up receiving attention for all the wrong reasons; it was derided for resembling a distorted Swastika, appearing to spell out “Zion”, and for being just plain hideous. Others still feel that the design is modern and edgy, and that the £400,000 – yes, four hundred thousand pounds…really! – was money well spent.

Mascots

One of the more unusual ideas for a mascot, London 2012 has chosen to embrace two drops of steel as its official mascots. Wenlock – named after the town of Much Wenlock, which held the forerunner to the current Olympic Games – and Mandeville – named after Stoke Mandeville, a village which held the forerunner to the Paralympics – are created from droplets of British steel used to build the Olympic stadium. The one-eyed creatures that have cameras for eyes supposedly “reflect the personalities and appearances of the people they meet”, and Wenlock wears five friendship bracelets on his wrist, one for each colour of the Olympic rings. As for their unusual appearance, what can display the Olympic spirit better than a pair of mutant Teletubbies? They’re a hit with children, and both locals and visitors seem to have warmed up to them after giving them a less than enthusiastic initial reception.

Music

Fans of British music have plenty of reasons to get excited. The region that has given the world some of the best musicians of all time now gets to showcase its musical talent by tying up music with the Games in various ways. The most prominent tune that will emerge in the coming weeks comes from alternative rock band Muse, who have composed the official song of the Olympics. Sure, the Olympics aren’t the first – or second or third or fifteenth – thing you would think of when you hear Muse, but wait till you listen to their new song ‘Survival’… and then hear snippets of it about a gazillion times again in the next two weeks. A rock anthem armed with a rousing intro and suitably cheesy lyrics, ‘Survival’ will be broadcast at the events and sessions as well as during Olympic reporting and other coverage. Also keep an ear out for alt rock band Elbow’s ‘First Steps’, which was written for the BBC coverage of the Olympics. But that’s not all! Expect some live music to accompany the Games. Sir Paul McCartney is slated to perform at ‘The Isles of Wonder’ opening ceremony as well as the ‘A Symphony of British Music’ closing ceremony, which will also feature performances by Take That and The Who. Additionally, the likes of New Order and Blur are expected to appear at a closing ceremony concert at Hyde Park.

So watch the sports, enjoy the festivities, and keep hoping that this will be the year we end our medal drought! May the force be with us!

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 27th July, 2012

"I am living my dream!" - Burcu Çetinkaya

cover story

Burcu Çetinkaya
Date of Birth: 19 March 1981
Nationality: Turkish
Discipline: Rally
Website: www.burcucetinkaya.com

A successful female sportsperson in what is generally considered a man’s sport, Turkish racecar rally driver Burcu Çetinkaya has managed to establish her place in motorsports and has also won accolades along the way. The multi-talented sports personality, who also hosts television shows in Turkey, is touring Pakistan from the 25th of February to the 5th of March, with the aim of encouraging and supporting the local motorsports industry. We got a chance to ask Burcu about her experiences as a rally driver and what she aims to achieve through her visit to Pakistan. Here’s what she had to say:

Us: Please tell us a bit about yourself.
Burcu Çetinkaya: I am from Istanbul, Turkey. My father is from Nallıhan, Ankara, Turkey, and my mother is half-Albanian from her mother’s side. I speak English, French, Turkish, medium level Italian and German. I graduated from Robert College (the American high school in Istanbul). Afterwards, I went to Babson College in Boston for Business undergraduate studies; after two years I transferred to Koç University in Istanbul, and I graduated with an Economics undergraduate degree.

Us: How did you become interested in motorsports? What prompted you to take up rallying?
Burcu: My father had been working in the automotive industry for many years. He took me to see my first rally when I was 12 years old. There I fell in love with rallying. The plan stayed in my mind for 12 years, and I managed to start only after I was 24 years old. 2005 was the year I saw my dreams take off - I did something crazy: I sold my road car, took a bank loan, and started rallying.

Us: What training regime do you go through as a driver? And how do you keep fit?
Burcu: I run eight km per hour, five days a week. I do kickboxing in the afternoons, four times a week. I also do regular daily concentration and balance trainings given by the Red Bull training centre in Austria. Before and during the season, I go testing and training in France with more experienced drivers, such as Sebastien Ogier and Kris Meeke, who have helped me a lot in the past seasons. Before the rally, we have a regular test to do the set up of the car. I look at the onboard cameras after the rallies.
Besides sports I also pay attention to my diet. I don’t eat fried food. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink alcohol. I eat healthy and regularly. I drink a lot of water.

Us: How difficult is it to be a successful female athlete in what is usually thought of as a men’s sport?
Burcu: Very difficult. Sometimes when we have to wake up before sunrise for three to four consecutive days and drive a rally car from morning till night under rain and on muddy roads, I find myself asking my co-driver Cicek, what we are doing here? Our hands become dry from dust, driving, or changing tyres, and our nails fill with gravel. Then I know the answer. I don’t hesitate. Because I have a dream and I chose to fight for my dream. It is difficult to convince men that we are there for rally driving, and not for showing off, or not because we are women. Any mistakes we make result in reactions about our being female. But on the other hand, any success we get also gets double attention because we are one of the very few women [in this sport] out there. It is difficult to be away from home, from family, almost ten days a month, always travelling. It is difficult to work out every morning to catch up and make up for the missing muscles we need to compete against men. But the pleasure of success, the fact that I am living my dream, makes everything possible and everything bearable.

Us: What are you most looking forward to during your tour of Pakistan?
Burcu: Meeting people from Pakistan, and getting to know the culture of Pakistan. I want to visit the Tooba Mosque; I have never been to a mosque outside of my country so I am very curious about that. Also, eating local food. But really, most important of all for me is meeting the people of Pakistan. I also read that Karachi is famous for water sports. I love wakeboarding :). I would love to try this in Pakistan as well.

Us: How important is it for you to encourage the local motorsports industry in Pakistan?
Burcu: It is very important to me. We have very different cultures but also many similar parts. Both our countries are surrounded by Islamic culture and I think I will find a lot of similarities between Turkey and Pakistan. Both our nations have had hard times - we are now nations that know how to fight and overcome challenges. I think this also reflects the soul of rallying. Motorsports requires people with a warrior-like and consistent character. I think such people can easily be found in Pakistan. But another reality is that for motorsports the conditions are much easier in countries such as Europe or the United States.
If I can be of any help or inspiration to any potential drivers in Pakistan, I will be very happy. So this is why it is very important to me to be able to communicate that motorsports is not unreachable.

Us: Would you encourage Pakistani female athletes to consider taking up this sport as a career? How can they achieve success in racecar rally driving?
Burcu: I would very much encourage them, but they have to know the difficulties. This is a man’s world. And to hang on to it, takes a lot of courage, belief, and fighting. If they can stay strong, concentrate on the sport, focus and not get distracted by the spotlight, then they can consider this sport as a career. It all depends on how much they want to do this.

Us: How central are safety measures and regulations for any motorsports rally?
Burcu: The most important thing in rally is safety. If the car is not taken good care of, if the belts are not tight enough, there is a life risk - that of my life and of my co-driver’s. So one must race with a good team - for us it is Peugeot Sport Turkey, with the aid of our sponsors like Red Bull, Ansell, Total, and Yokohama.
There is an example from the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) in the Iepers rally: we had an accident when we were at full speed, where we hit an electric pole at over 150 km per hour, and walked out of the car unhurt. To take care of the car, to have a strong roll cage, to put on your helmet, hand gear and belt all the time is very important to make rallying safe.

Us: What has been the most memorable and unforgettable moment in your motorsports career so far?
Burcu: In 2010 when we finished the Turkish round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) with Peugeot Sport Turkey in 12th place overall, and as the 2nd S2000 car after the WRCs. We also finished as the best Turkish team ahead of all the guys. The finish line in Istanbul where all the young guys, our supporters, were screaming and waiting for us at the service park... the moment of success is always the best!

Us: What is your favourite car?
Burcu: My favourite car is Peugeot RCZ, but of course my rally car 207 S2000 is the car that makes me the happiest, although it is impossible to drive it in traffic!

Us: If you weren’t a racecar rally driver, what profession would you have chosen?
Burcu: I would love to be a journalist. A war correspondent, especially.

Us: Do you have any hobbies? What do you do in your spare time?
Burcu: I present and prepare two weekly television programmes. One is a live show about sports, aired on Monday nights on Bloomberg HT. The other one has been going on for four years now on TV 24 in Turkey, and it is about cars (classic, modified, new). So between TV shootings, the strong training programme of sports, rallies and events, I really don’t have much spare time. But when I do, I love to learn languages, I love to learn saloon dances, I love to read books and watch movies. I love nature, and I love to go snowboarding or wakeboarding, depending on the season.

Us: What do you hope to achieve in the future? What are your goals?
Burcu: I hope to get on the podium with Peugeot Sport Turkey and my co-driver Cicek in one international event on the general classification; ERC (European Rally Championship) or IRC or WRC. This is my biggest goal to start with. Then, if destiny allows me, I would love to get as much success as possible. My motto is "always better".

Us: Any message for the readers?
Burcu: Believe in your dreams, believe in yourself, and work hard. If it is in your destiny, things will come your way. If not, then you will go the necessary way. In any case, at least you will know you have tried.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 4th March, 2011

The confident and courageous Çetinkaya

interview

This turbo-charged Turkish race car driver talks about her life from hairpins to handbrakes.

Few of us have actually experienced the rush of motorsports and know what it really feels like to race at mindbogglingly high speeds under trying conditions. Burcu Çetinkaya, however, can tell you all about it. The Turkish racecar rally driver has made her mark in the male-dominated sport, and is currently touring Pakistan with the aim of inspiring motorsports enthusiasts in the country.


Rallying

The star sportswoman became interested in racing while attending a rally at the age of 12 and eventually took up the sport when she was 24. “The first rally I participated in was a round of the Turkish Rally Championship, the Hittite Rally in Ankara (the capital of Turkey) in 2005,” she recalls. Since then, Çetinkaya has gone from strength to strength and has amassed quite a long list of impressive performances. “I have been the Turkish Ladies Champion for five years in a row, from 2005 to 2010,” says Çetinkaya. Her team has also placed highly in various rally championships, outshining a number of both male and female participants.

The rally driver had to face several difficulties when she initially entered the motorsports arena. “To find sponsors was the biggest difficulty. To learn how to be patient was another one. After I started to be successful and find sponsors, then the problem was to convince people about my goals. In the beginning, they wanted me to stay where I was, go for the ladies championship and not try the ‘impossible’. Then I had to fight to achieve my goals.” She feels that “the help of the Turkish rally champion Volkan Isik in trainings helped [her] a lot,” when she was starting out.

As can be expected, her training regime is quite extensive. “All year long, I have a physical training programme where I run eight kilometres, at least five days a week. I work a lot on my arm muscles, again a minimum of five days a week. Before the start of the season, we have testing with the car for two to three days; we take the data from my driving and try to see the places for improvement. Also, before each rally, we have a shakedown test of fifty to hundred kilometres to warm up. And after the rallies, I watch the onboard cameras in detail to be able to see where I make mistakes.” She thinks a person needs to be calm and patient if they want to take up motorsports. “They must like challenges, and have a warrior-like character. They need to be very well disciplined and persistent. And most important of all, they need to be really brave.”


Pakistan tour

Çetinkaya cites a number of reasons for wanting to tour Pakistan: “the colourful culture, the clothes, the beautiful mosques and most importantly the people of Pakistan! As you may know, Turkey and Pakistan have very good relations. We also have a high percentage of Muslims in the country, so we have some cultural similarities. And Benazir Bhutto was one of my heroes when I was a kid, so that also made me very curious about the country. When the 2010 flood hit Pakistan, in Turkey we really tried a lot to help. That was also the first time I planned to go to Pakistan, but it was not possible because I was away at the races. I am very happy that I will stay [in Pakistan] for ten days [from February 25 to March 5]. I want to meet as many people as I can and learn as much about Pakistan as I can when I am here.”

As for what she aims to achieve through her visit, she says she’s here to motivate people. “Nothing is impossible’ is a phrase I really appreciate. If there are people with dreams in sports or art or anything else, and if their families are unsupportive or have financial barriers, like I was at the beginning, there is a message I can give them. The biggest barrier standing in the way of our dreams is within us. If we can be creative and fight hard with discipline, we can fight for our dreams. I dream to meet people interested in this and motivate them if I can.”

The touring rally driver hopes to discover the scope of rallying in Pakistan during her visit. “I hope after ten days [of touring], I can be more clear about [how the sport can be made more successful in Pakistan], but the media can help a lot.” She thinks having a local motorsports hero would help. “If there is a worldwide successful sportsperson from your country in the sport, people will be more motivated to follow, and sponsors will be more encouraged to help.”


Women in motorsports

Burcu cites Michele Mouton as her favourite racecar driver. “She is the only woman in the world of motorsports that won a few world rally championship events and finished second in the championship at the top level in the 1980s, and showed that impossible is nothing.”

While Burcu hasn’t met any female Pakistani racecar drivers yet, she is looking forward to meeting some during her tour. She thinks encouragement and a change in mentality could help make it easier for women to take up motorsports. “In this sport, women and men are not put in different categories. Only in some countries, ladies prizes are also included in the championships to encourage women. But in the general classification there is no separation. There are two types of women in this sport: the first is there for attention, the other for success. I think the ones there for attention also give some colour to the sport, but the ones there for success are the ones that should really be encouraged. Women’s cups can be organised to choose the talented ones. I think the biggest help would be to encourage women. When there is a lady driver who is doing well, every mistake [she makes] is highlighted to show that she is not capable, so I think if this mentality can be fought against, things can get better.”


Activities and interests

In her spare time, Çetinkaya likes to read books and watch movies. “The books by Osho and Paulo Coelho, and Mesnevi by Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī are books I have read over and over many times. My favourite movie is Güneşi Gördüm (I Saw the Sun), a Turkish movie directed by the Turkish singer, actor, and director Mahsun Kirmizigul.  I also liked Amores Perros a lot. Also, I really love Indian movies; Ek Ajnabee, directed by Apoorva Lakhia and starring my favourite Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan, is a movie I really like. My favourite singers are Sezen Aksu, İbrahim Tatlıses, and Mahsun Kırmızıgül from Turkey; Garou, and Dany Brillant from France; and Frank Sinatra." As for TV shows, Çetinkaya says, “I love Top Gear and it is my favourite show so far.” She even hosts two television shows in Turkey and enjoys snowboarding and wakeboarding.

The future looks bright for this ambitious sportswoman and we can only hope that her tour of Pakistan will help motivate people, especially young women, to pursue their own dreams.

- By Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune - 27th February, 2011

Magic On Two Wheels – Kenny Belaey

cover story

Kenny Belaey
Nickname: The Magician
Date of Birth: 26-01-1983
Nationality: Belgian
Profession: Pro Rider
Disciplines: Trialbiking (20"& 26")
Website: www.belaey-trials.be

International sports activities in Pakistan have come to a crawl due to the reluctance of foreign athletes to visit the country. So it was hardly surprising that trialbiking world champion Kenny Belaey's recent tour of Pakistan served as a treat for the audience. The 27-year-old Belgian, who has mastered the art of merging daring bicycle moves and stunts with creativity, performed at various venues in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad in a bid to promote the sport in the country as well as raise funds for flood victims. Us was lucky enough to get an exclusive interview with Kenny and ask him about trialbiking and his trip to Pakistan. Here's what he had to say…

Trialbiking

Us: Please tell Us a bit about yourself.
Kenny Belaey: I started doing trials when I was 9, with only one goal, and that was winning! So anything I did was all in preparation of my performance. That also meant that I wasn't really a good student actually, because it's hard to combine school and hard work, plus I didn't get the support of the school to make my life easier. I always passed classes and topped sports education when I was 18 (high school) but never went to University. Let's just say I had different plans than the other school kids, and I'm glad it turned out fine. My parents have always been very supportive in what I did, because they saw that I was determined and not fooling around, so they let me do my thing, which I respect a lot; not all parents would do that. My brother Wesley is 4 years younger than me and is doing the same thing. He mainly does shows now. He stopped competing for a year and is taking care of our bike sales business that we both are running; we are importers of a Spanish bike brand, Monty.

Us: How did you become interested in bike trials? What prompted you to take up the sport?
Kenny: Our dad, a national motortrials champion, took us with him to his races. When we saw his colleagues' kids doing the same thing on a bike, Wesley and I wanted to do that too. Dad sold all of his gear and started driving us all over Europe so we could compete.

Us: What was it like winning your first championship? Have the subsequent wins felt different in any way?
Kenny: The first race I ever competed in was somewhere in the early '90s; I got the 3rd position. A couple of years later, I won my first cadet UCI World Championship in 1998 – that win and the last win in Canada (September 5, 2010) feel the same; only, the impact is bigger because now it's not just a hobby any more and a lot more is depending on it.

Us: You recently won the Elite World Championship for the fourth time, your ninth title overall. First of all, congratulations! Secondly, what do you think makes you so successful and able to stand out amongst all the competitors?
Kenny: Dedication, hard work and self-discipline, and most important of all: 'planning', because if I wouldn't [plan], I would go mad. It's not easy to combine training with a globetrotting lifestyle, but it works.

Us: What is your daily routine? How many hours a day do you train/practice?
Kenny: I train every day from 10 to 12 and from 3 to 5. That includes gym/bike specific rehearsals and improvement of jumps, running, cycling and plyometrics. In between, I try to rest as much [as I can] and take care of my businesses because I take care of my own management.

Us: Have you sustained any particularly bad injuries while training/competing?
Kenny: Apart from scratches and scars, I haven't broken a single bone in my body, but touch wood and hope for the best because in this kind of sport it's easy to get injured, of course.

Us: You're sponsored by various big brands. What importance does such sponsorship hold for an athlete?
Kenny: It's everything, because without sponsors we can't make a living out of it, and an athlete should only focus on his 'thing' and not be worried about 'how will I pay the bills by the end of the month?' For me, Red Bull has been the greatest brand to work with; it's all because of them that I have seen 20 countries, and they treat me like a king… although I know that's temporary, because when I come home I'm not a king any more and just Kenny, haha! But it's hard work, too: interviews, shows, touring, airplanes and squeezing training in isn't easy, but nothing comes for free, does it?

Pakistan

Us: How has your experience of visiting Pakistan been so far? And would you consider touring here again?
Kenny: I was very scared of coming because of [what I saw of Pakistan through] the media, but I would recommend people to definitely come here, especially to Islamabad in the mountains; it's very nice over there. And if my sponsors ask me to do it again, I would for sure!

Us: What are the things that you have liked the i) best and ii) least during this visit?
Kenny: The crowds were the best one by far from all my tours! I am not saying this to make you feel good, really. I didn't know 750 people could sound like 2500! The least: the bomb blast in Karachi really concerned me because I've been on that spot earlier, so you think about it differently than when you just see it on the news. I can't believe people can actually do that and I hope that will stop one day.

Us: What do you think is the scope of trialbiking in Pakistan?
Kenny: I don't think there are any trialbikers in Pakistan, but by showing this sport to the people they might be influenced to go out and try some basic moves on regular bikes, like standing still for example… you'll be amazed by how much this can help you, even in traffic from a safety point of view.

Us: Do you have any suggestions on how sports can be improved here?
Kenny: It needs awareness and people must really do sports; I am convinced 'sports' in general is good to do. It will make you feel better, and a person who feels better also has a clearer mind, and that's good for everything you want to do in life after sports, whether it's business, studying or just relaxing afterwards. Go for it!!

Us: You're supporting the 12-12 charity programme. Could you please tell Us about that?
Kenny: I always planned to support this charity fund, and when I knew I was coming to Pakistan, there was no doubt that I wanted to support the people in rebuilding their lives. My target is 2000 Euros for the next couple of weeks, and I already have over 500 now, plus when I return to Belgium I'll try to exceed that target; should be possible.

Life

Us: Is there a lot of travelling involved in trialbiking? Does it in any way affect your personal life?
Kenny: Well, I like travelling a lot; otherwise I wouldn't be doing it for so long. My girlfriend [rider Fien Lammertyn] needs to accept it, for sure; she does it perfectly so I'd say there are no issues. Whenever I am home everything is better then; there is no routine in my life and that's how I'm used to it and how I like it so far. I think once I'll get older I might take it easy but right now, I'm far from that.

Us: If you weren't a trialbiker, what profession would you have chosen?
Kenny: That's very hard to say. I have really no idea but I know one thing… since I can't imagine a better life, I would most definitely not be as happy. And one thing is for sure, I am an entrepreneur; so I think I would start my own business and realise things… that's what I like – create what hasn't been done before and always aim higher. The sky is the limit.

Us: Do you have any hobbies? What do you do in your spare time (presuming you get any)?
Kenny: Playing the guitar, listening to music, watching a movie, fishing, but it's been awhile. And in winter, I do snowboarding.

Us: What's your favourite book, television series, movie, and band/musician?
Kenny:

• Book: I only read magazines, no books. I like bike magazines and National Geographic because I like bikes and nature.
• Television show/series: The Simpsons, but I have to admit I rarely watch TV.
• Movie: The last one I saw was Knight and Day; that was cool. No real favourite, though.
• Band/musician: Got so many! I like Joe Bonamassa's guitar skills; he's a Blues player. I like Metallica a lot because they have been there for so long and are still kicking it, big time. Also, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, so basically a lot of old school rock and roll.

Us: What do you hope to achieve in the future? What are your goals?
Kenny: I'll continue what I am doing already part-time right now while competing, which is promoting trials by organising competitions, managing riders, and selling bikes, and trying to bring [the sport] to levels that have never been seen before.

Us: Any message for the readers?
Kenny: I'd say go for it. Whatever dream you have, chase it and work hard because no one is going to ask you to live the dream for free. Try to find out what you like and make this your target. Once your target is reached, set a higher one and don't try to force it; it might take time though.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 29 October, 2010

"To make something special, you first have to believe it's special"

interview

Freestyle football has been generating a lot of interest in recent times, especially since being pushed to the fore by advertising campaigns, online video clips, and, most recently, by freestyling championships. This year, 19-year-old Areeb Iqbal got the chance to represent Pakistan at the 2010 Red Bull Street Style (RBSS) World Championships that took place in Cape Town, South Africa. The event that was held in April saw some of the world's most talented freestylists from around the globe compete for the honour. We got a chance to ask Areeb about the sport and his experience of participating in the championships; here's what he had to say:

Us: Tell Us a bit about yourself.
Areeb Iqbal: I am 19 years old and currently in my second semester of Electrical Engineering from FAST. I am a football freestyler. My hobbies are sketching, playing guitar and listening to music.

Us: When did you start freestyling? And what prompted you to take up the sport?
Areeb: I started freestyling around the end of November last year. My dream was to be a professional football player and I have been playing football since 2006 at GSA (Gulshan Soccer Academy). The pure spirit and the freedom of expressing myself through freestyling attracted me towards it; the sheer love and passion for the game increased day by day and now it's everything to me.

Us: How did you qualify for the Red Bull Street Style World Championships? How tough was the competition in the national level finals?
Areeb: I took part in the RBSS qualifications in Karachi and ultimately got selected in the top 16 of Pakistan who were to battle it out for the ultimate crown. In Pakistan's national finals, I just wanted to prove myself; it wasn't about winning or losing but rather making my mark in that historic event. The competition was really tough. My aim from the start was to entertain the judges and the audience, I tried to perform with a clear and relaxed mind without thinking of making it to the next round and that's where things got into place. I am grateful to Allah that he helped me get through it all, and my friends who were a great support at the event.

Us: How was the experience of participating in the championship that was held in South Africa?
Areeb: The event was a life changing experience. At the very start of my freestyling career, I lived the dream of practising at the biggest stage with freestyle pioneers. Five days in Cape Town was just the most amazing time of my life. The talent and skills of freestylers was double that of the previous RBSS. And it was a proud moment for me to take my nation's flag there among all the other countries.

Us: How do you feel about your performance at the event? And what did you learn from it?
Areeb: For me, representing my country and carrying Pakistan's flag around my shoulders was the proudest moment of my life. I gave it my best because at that moment it wasn't just about Areeb Iqbal, it was about who Areeb Iqbal is. But this surely isn't goodbye from my side, it's hello. Next year, I will be going back, bigger, better and stronger.

Us: How did you train for the event?
Areeb: I trained really hard for RBSS world finals after winning the national finals. I practised for around five to six hours daily, always trying to come up with something new and different, and then tried pulling it off with style and adding a flow to my tricks. I tried to move the ball and my body with the beat of the music that in turn made my technical tricks look more artistic.

Us: Did you face any difficulties while training or competing?
Areeb: Managing my studies and university life with my training was one of the biggest challenges I had to face. Along with that, I faced a whole lot of criticism from people who thought I was doing something that is not worthy. But that's how life treats us. "To make something special you first have to believe it's special." From the very start I believed in myself and this made me strive harder in my practice sessions. And I would love to thank all my friends, family and people who supported me all this time. "I'm very lucky to have wings and people to fly with."

Us: In your opinion, what importance do such events hold for our athletes and our country?
Areeb: These types of events are really good and motivating for people who are doing something extraordinary and out of the box. Still, it's hard for them to get proper recognition. Pakistan is filled with talent in every single mainstream or alternative sport. Its people have a lot of potential; there is just the need to bring such talents into the limelight. Through this, we can create a good change in the image of the Pakistanis in front of the world and represent the country's name with pride.

Us: What difference did you see/feel between Pakistan and South Africa (with respect to sports)?
Areeb: They are hosting the FIFA World Cup this year and Pakistan is not even close to that for the next 25 years or so. Athletes and sportsmen there are credited for what they are doing and they also get proper support from their government. Apart from that, each respective sport has been provided with proper facilities. Regarding the talent and skills, I think Pakistan is not behind them; it's just lacking in support and proper platform to acknowledge the talent. In the near future, I am sure we will achieve much more.

Us: What do you think of the current situation of sports in Pakistan?
Areeb: When one thinks about Pakistan and sports, the first thing that comes to one's mind is cricket, or hockey maybe. Most of the other sports are pretty much neglected in our country, which shouldn't be the case. Cricketers get a total different form of respect than footballers in our country. I think this really needs to change now. We should really think about making our country's name shine in all of the sports, not sticking to just one or two major streams.

Us: What can be done to improve the state of sports in our country, both generally and with respect to freestyle football?
Areeb: Incentives should be given by the government to provide the proper facilitation to all the sports. It can only happen through the support of the government, so that athletes can take sports as their career and move forward in it. Freestyling is at its starting stage in Pakistan and awaiting its rise. The need to acknowledge this game as a proper sport is really necessary for all the freestylers of Pakistan so that we can continue our career in freestyling and do what we love to do and make a living out of it. A separate federation or association can be made to organise all the football freestyle activities in the country. It can help the players by conducting foreign tours, and by inviting professional freestylers from across the globe to train the upcoming kids who want to learn more about this game. I am sure that freestyle is going to be really big in Pakistan one day and that day will come soon.

Us: Do you plan to continue competing?
Areeb: Definitely. Football freestyle is my passion, it's everything to me and I don't think that I am ever going to stop. I am training myself harder and harder everyday. I will go beyond the limit and train myself to the extent of conquering new and untouched boundaries of freestyling. I have a dream - 2014 Pakistan RBSS World Champion.

Us: Any message for the readers?
Areeb: If you really love something and you're proud of what you are doing, only then can you achieve it. Just be proud of who you are and always believe in yourself and in what you are doing. I just want to tell all the people aspiring for sports like freestyling to stay determined and never give up. Everything you do, do it for yourself - not for showing off in front of others, because it's not how you say it but how you do it.

- S.A

Us Magazine, The News - 11 June, 2010

The ICC Awards

ground reality

Picking one person as the most outstanding performer over a given period in any field – be it music or television or sports – is (usually) a fairly tough decision. And unless the choice is based purely on statistics, it is likely to lead to much controversy. So it wasn't surprising that the 6th annual ICC Awards were marred by criticism even before the first award was handed out, and quite understandably too, as the nominees yielded a number of head-scratchers. Other than the omission of some arguably deserving players, the shortlist, most noticeably, did not include even a single South African cricketer despite the fact that the Proteas had an impressive season and were the number one team in both the Test and ODI rankings at the time (and, were, ironically, the hosts of the ceremony). Consequently, the winners, revealed in a ceremony on the 1st of October in Johannesburg, left out some of the leading countries in the three formats – including Pakistan who were recently crowned the Twenty20 champions. India and Australia dominated the winners' list:
- Cricketer of the Year: Mitchell Johnson (Australia)
The other nominees were: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India), Gautam Gambhir (India), and Andrew Strauss (England)
- Test Player of the Year: Gautam Gambhir (India)
The other nominees were: Mitchell Johnson (Australia), Thilan Samaraweera (Sri Lanka), Andrew Strauss (England)
- ODI Player of the Year: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India)
The other nominees were: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Virender Sehwag (India), Yuvraj Singh (India)
- Emerging Player of the Year: Peter Siddle (Australia)
The other nominees were: Ben Hilfenhaus (Australia), Graham Onions (England), Jesse Ryder (New Zealand)
- Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year: William Porterfield (Ireland)
The other nominees were: Rizwan Cheema (Canada), Ryan ten Doeschate (Netherlands), Edgar Schiferli (Netherlands)
- Twenty20 International Performance of the Year: Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)
The other nominees were: Pakistan's Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul, and West Indies' Chris Gayle
- Women's Cricketer of the Year: Claire Taylor (England)
The other nominees were: Charlotte Edwards (Eng), Shelley Nitschke (Aus)

Pakistan's Aleem Dar was declared the Umpire of the Year, marking the first time the award did not go to Australia's Simon Taufel who won the honour five years in a row. The 41-year-old Dar made his international debut as an umpire in 2000 and became part of the ICC Elite Umpire Panel in 2004. Pakistan's Asad Rauf was also in the running for the award.

The Spirit of Cricket award went to New Zealand for upholding the spirit of the game. The ceremony also announced the teams of the year, which included only one Pakistani player (Umar Gul), and also overlooked some international names like Graeme Smith and Daniel Vettori.

- World Test Team of the Year: Gautam Gambhir (India), Andrew Strauss (England), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Thilan Samaraweera (Sri Lanka), Michael Clarke (Australia), MS Dhoni (India, captain & wicketkeeper), Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh), Mitchell Johnson (Australia), Stuart Broad (England), Dale Steyn (South Africa), Harbhajan Singh (India, 12th man)
- World ODI Team of the Year: Virender Sehwag (India), Chris Gayle (West Indies), Kevin Pietersen (England), Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka), Yuvraj Singh (India), Martin Guptill (New Zealand), MS Dhoni (India, captain, WK), Andrew Flintoff (England), Nuwan Kulasekara (Sri Lanka), Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka), Umar Gul (Pakistan), 12th man: Thilan Thushara (Sri Lanka)

All in all, (and not to take anything away from the players who won, because they certainly did put on some splendid performances), the awards could benefit from a better selection process. And while one can even argue that the whole premise of choosing one player over all the others is in itself flawed, if they insist on having such ceremonies, coming up with a system that recognises the performances of players in all the leading cricketing countries, and is more reflective of the ICC rankings, might help add more credibility to this event.

*****

Voting process
The nominees (a long list of around 14 players in each category) were decided by a panel including Bob Taylor (England), Anil Kumble (India), Mudassar Nazar (Pakistan) and Stephen Fleming (New Zealand), and chaired by former West Indian captain Clive Lloyd.
- A panel of 25 members – 11 eminent former players, 11 media representatives, along with Clive Lloyd, Alan Hurst and Billy Bowden – voted for their top three choices in each category. Those votes were tabulated to reveal the shortlist; the winners were not revealed until the award ceremony.
- The performance period taken into account was August 13, 2008 to August 24, 2009.
(The nomination and selection process has been criticised by voting panel member Neil Manthorp as flawed due to being "too hard to do the research and to put in the required time to make considered and balanced judgements". "By putting 12 or 14 names forward," he wrote, "they are simply obfuscating the issue and making it nigh on impossible to give equal and fair consideration to all the nominees.")

*****

Hall of Fame
Launched earlier this year as part of the ICC's centenary celebrations, the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame recognises the "achievements of the legends of the game from cricket's long and illustrious history". Initially 55 players – including Pakistan's Javed Miandad, Hanif Mohammad, and Imran Khan – were induced, with more to be added each year during the ICC Awards ceremony. The cricketers inducted during this year's ceremony are:
- Steve Waugh (Australia)
- Clarrie Grimmett (Australia)
- Victor Trumper (Australia)
- Wasim Akram (Pakistan)
- Herbert Sutcliffe (England)

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 9th October, 2009