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Kuwait Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Syrians chase equestrian glory in sport once dominated by Assads
For weeks, Ziad Abu Al-Dahab has been training for gold at an equestrian tournament near Damascus - in a sport once dominated by Syria's Assad family and their inner circle. 'Results used to be decided in advance, always favoring those close to the government,' the 25-year-old rider said. 'My greatest ambition was to reach third place, but today, I can aim for first and do well with my new horse.' For decades, former president Bashar al-Assad, his relatives and allies enjoyed wide-ranging privileges before his overthrow in a lightning Islamist-led offensive in December. Equestrian sports surged in the 1990s under Assad's late brother Bassel, who was being groomed to succeed their father Hafez before dying in a car crash in 1994. Bashar took over and became president in 2000. Bassel used to take part in tournaments at home and abroad and styled himself as Syria's 'first rider'. His profile helped shine a spotlight on the sport, which came to symbolize elite status under the Assads. Abu Al-Dahab said those close to the family had European horses, which far outperformed the local ones of other competitors. 'It was impossible to compete with the ruling family,' he said while walking his horse on the sand. The head of an equestrian statue of Bassel Al-Assad, the eldest son of late Syrian president Hafez Al-Assad who was killed in a car crash in 1994, is wrapped in a Syrian flag, outside the Central Equestrian Club in Dimas, northwest of Damascus. A woman trains with her horse before taking part in the fourth Al-Nasr Equestrian Show Jumping Championship at the Central Equestrian Club in Dimas, northwest of Damascus. A horse rider competes during the fourth Al-Nasr Equestrian Show Jumping Championship. A young horse rider competes during the fourth Al-Nasr Equestrian Show Jumping Championship. Impossible competition Outside the Dimas equestrian club near Damascus, a statue of Bassel still stands, his face now hidden by the new Syrian flag. The family's grip on the sport passed to the next generation, including Sham, daughter of Bashar's brother Maher. Sham used to compete in Syria and at international tournaments, often placing high. The attention she received in the media stirred controversy, with critics seeing it as propaganda. That grip on the sport kept some away. Munana Shaker, 26, said her father banned her from competing until the Assads were gone. 'My father forbade me from practicing due to fear (of the ruling family), and he always told me that competition with them was impossible,' she said as she stroked her white mare, Mariana. 'He didn't want us associating with the Assad family at all. He told me the story of the equestrian who was jailed after beating Bassel al-Assad, and did not want to put me in danger.' She was referring to Adnan Qassar, a prominent rider who outperformed Bassel before being imprisoned without trial in 1993, accused of plotting to kill him. Many believe his sporting success was the real reason for his arrest. Qassar was freed 21 years later under a presidential pardon. 'I have long stayed away from this sport, but it is now time to come back strong. I am from the Shaker family, not the Assad family,' she said. 'Dream come true' Shadi Abu al-Dahab, 48, oversees about 240 horses - including some of the Assads' former European ones. 'Around 40 horses were set aside for the Assad family. No one else was allowed to get near them,' he said. But today, he's seeing new faces and growing interest in the sport. 'We have new skills that we discover daily, and enthusiastic children... We now have a large number of riders aspiring to compete and get titles,' he said. Fellow trainer Salah al-Ahmad, 52, was beaming as his son took the mare Topsy for a spin - once ridden by Sham al-Assad. 'He used to dream of touching her or patting her head,' Ahmad said. 'Now in this new era, the mare is with him, and he has won two tournaments. 'It's a dream come true.' — AFP
Asharq Al-Awsat
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Syrians Chase Equestrian Glory in Sport Once Dominated by Assads
For weeks, Ziad Abu al-Dahab has been training for gold at an equestrian tournament near Damascus -- in a sport once dominated by Syria's Assad family and their inner circle. "Results used to be decided in advance, always favoring those close to the government," the 25-year-old rider said. "My greatest ambition was to reach third place, but today, I can aim for first and do well with my new horse." For decades, former president Bashar al-Assad, his relatives and allies enjoyed wide-ranging privileges before his overthrow in a lightning offensive in December. Equestrian sports surged in the 1990s under Assad's late brother Bassel, who was being groomed to succeed their father Hafez before dying in a car crash in 1994. Bashar took over and became president in 2000. Bassel used to take part in tournaments at home and abroad and styled himself as Syria's "first rider". His profile helped shine a spotlight on the sport, which came to symbolize elite status under the Assads. Abu al-Dahab said those close to the family had European horses, which far outperformed the local ones of other competitors. "It was impossible to compete with the ruling family," he said while walking his horse on the sand. Impossible competition Outside the Dimas equestrian club near Damascus, a statue of Bassel still stands, his face now hidden by the new Syrian flag. The family's grip on the sport passed to the next generation, including Sham, daughter of Bashar's brother Maher. Sham used to compete in Syria and at international tournaments, often placing high. The attention she received in the media stirred controversy, with critics seeing it as propaganda. That grip on the sport kept some away. Munana Shaker, 26, said her father banned her from competing until the Assads were gone. "My father forbade me from practicing due to fear (of the ruling family), and he always told me that competition with them was impossible," she said as she stroked her white mare, Mariana. "He didn't want us associating with the Assad family at all. He told me the story of the equestrian who was jailed after beating Bassel al-Assad, and did not want to put me in danger." She was referring to Adnan Qassar, a prominent rider who outperformed Bassel before being imprisoned without trial in 1993, accused of plotting to kill him. Many believe his sporting success was the real reason for his arrest. Qassar was freed 21 years later under a presidential pardon. "I have long stayed away from this sport, but it is now time to come back strong. I am from the Shaker family, not the Assad family," she said. 'Dream come true' Shadi Abu al-Dahab, 48, oversees about 240 horses -- including some of the Assads' former European ones. "Around 40 horses were set aside for the Assad family. No one else was allowed to get near them," he said. But today, he's seeing new faces and growing interest in the sport. "We have new skills that we discover daily, and enthusiastic children... We now have a large number of riders aspiring to compete and get titles," he said. Fellow trainer Salah al-Ahmad, 52, was beaming as his son took the mare Topsy for a spin -- once ridden by Sham al-Assad. "He used to dream of touching her or patting her head," Ahmad said. "Now in this new era, the mare is with him, and he has won two tournaments. "It's a dream come true."
France 24
19-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Syrians chase equestrian glory in sport once dominated by Assads
"Results used to be decided in advance, always favouring those close to the government," the 25-year-old rider said. "My greatest ambition was to reach third place, but today, I can aim for first and do well with my new horse." For decades, former president Bashar al-Assad, his relatives and allies enjoyed wide-ranging privileges before his overthrow in a lightning Islamist-led offensive in December. Equestrian sports surged in the 1990s under Assad's late brother Bassel, who was being groomed to succeed their father Hafez before dying in a car crash in 1994. Bashar took over and became president in 2000. Bassel used to take part in tournaments at home and abroad and styled himself as Syria's "first rider". His profile helped shine a spotlight on the sport, which came to symbolise elite status under the Assads. Abu al-Dahab said those close to the family had European horses, which far outperformed the local ones of other competitors. "It was impossible to compete with the ruling family," he said while walking his horse on the sand. Impossible competition Outside the Dimas equestrian club near Damascus, a statue of Bassel still stands, his face now hidden by the new Syrian flag. The family's grip on the sport passed to the next generation, including Sham, daughter of Bashar's brother Maher. Sham used to compete in Syria and at international tournaments, often placing high. The attention she received in the media stirred controversy, with critics seeing it as propaganda. That grip on the sport kept some away. Munana Shaker, 26, said her father banned her from competing until the Assads were gone. "My father forbade me from practising due to fear (of the ruling family), and he always told me that competition with them was impossible," she said as she stroked her white mare, Mariana. "He didn't want us associating with the Assad family at all. He told me the story of the equestrian who was jailed after beating Bassel al-Assad, and did not want to put me in danger." She was referring to Adnan Qassar, a prominent rider who outperformed Bassel before being imprisoned without trial in 1993, accused of plotting to kill him. Many believe his sporting success was the real reason for his arrest. Qassar was freed 21 years later under a presidential pardon. "I have long stayed away from this sport, but it is now time to come back strong. I am from the Shaker family, not the Assad family," she said. 'Dream come true' Shadi Abu al-Dahab, 48, oversees about 240 horses -- including some of the Assads' former European ones. "Around 40 horses were set aside for the Assad family. No one else was allowed to get near them," he said. But today, he's seeing new faces and growing interest in the sport. "We have new skills that we discover daily, and enthusiastic children... We now have a large number of riders aspiring to compete and get titles," he said. Fellow trainer Salah al-Ahmad, 52, was beaming as his son took the mare Topsy for a spin -- once ridden by Sham al-Assad. "He used to dream of touching her or patting her head," Ahmad said. "Now in this new era, the mare is with him, and he has won two tournaments. © 2025 AFP
Int'l Business Times
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Syrians Chase Equestrian Glory In Sport Once Dominated By Assads
For weeks, Ziad Abu al-Dahab has been training for gold at an equestrian tournament near Damascus -- in a sport once dominated by Syria's Assad family and their inner circle. "Results used to be decided in advance, always favouring those close to the government," the 25-year-old rider said. "My greatest ambition was to reach third place, but today, I can aim for first and do well with my new horse." For decades, former president Bashar al-Assad, his relatives and allies enjoyed wide-ranging privileges before his overthrow in a lightning Islamist-led offensive in December. Equestrian sports surged in the 1990s under Assad's late brother Bassel, who was being groomed to succeed their father Hafez before dying in a car crash in 1994. Bashar took over and became president in 2000. Bassel used to take part in tournaments at home and abroad and styled himself as Syria's "first rider". His profile helped shine a spotlight on the sport, which came to symbolise elite status under the Assads. Abu al-Dahab said those close to the family had European horses, which far outperformed the local ones of other competitors. "It was impossible to compete with the ruling family," he said while walking his horse on the sand. Outside the Dimas equestrian club near Damascus, a statue of Bassel still stands, his face now hidden by the new Syrian flag. The family's grip on the sport passed to the next generation, including Sham, daughter of Bashar's brother Maher. Sham used to compete in Syria and at international tournaments, often placing high. The attention she received in the media stirred controversy, with critics seeing it as propaganda. That grip on the sport kept some away. Munana Shaker, 26, said her father banned her from competing until the Assads were gone. "My father forbade me from practising due to fear (of the ruling family), and he always told me that competition with them was impossible," she said as she stroked her white mare, Mariana. "He didn't want us associating with the Assad family at all. He told me the story of the equestrian who was jailed after beating Bassel al-Assad, and did not want to put me in danger." She was referring to Adnan Qassar, a prominent rider who outperformed Bassel before being imprisoned without trial in 1993, accused of plotting to kill him. Many believe his sporting success was the real reason for his arrest. Qassar was freed 21 years later under a presidential pardon. "I have long stayed away from this sport, but it is now time to come back strong. I am from the Shaker family, not the Assad family," she said. Shadi Abu al-Dahab, 48, oversees about 240 horses -- including some of the Assads' former European ones. "Around 40 horses were set aside for the Assad family. No one else was allowed to get near them," he said. But today, he's seeing new faces and growing interest in the sport. "We have new skills that we discover daily, and enthusiastic children... We now have a large number of riders aspiring to compete and get titles," he said. Fellow trainer Salah al-Ahmad, 52, was beaming as his son took the mare Topsy for a spin -- once ridden by Sham al-Assad. "He used to dream of touching her or patting her head," Ahmad said. "Now in this new era, the mare is with him, and he has won two tournaments. "It's a dream come true." Since the overthrow of Assad, equestrian events in Syria have seen faces and growing interest in the sport AFP A statue of ousted president Bashar al-Assad's late brother, Bassel, still stands outside the Dimas equestrian club near Damascus AFP
The Guardian
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘Traditional flavours and modern ideas' turn Swedish buns into a TikTok delight
The earliest version of the Swedish semla was a 16th-century plain bread bun served in a soup of warm milk eaten only on Shrove Tuesday in preparation for the 40-day fast of Lent. It is a far cry from this year's hit varieties, which include Dubai chocolate (the chocolate bar with a knafeh and pistachio filling that became a TikTok trend) and chokladboll (based on a Scandinavian oat, cocoa and butter ball – a popular fika item). Social media has turbocharged the popularity of the traditional buns but also transformed them almost beyond recognition. The whipped cream-filled, almond paste-stuffed Instagram-friendly semlor that fill the windows of Sweden's bakeries and patisseries in the run-up to Lent this year are more of a celebration of decadent eating than fasting. They have an entire season dedicated to them – approximately between January and March – and their popularity, and the number of variations, keeps growing. Milda Doumit, who runs Lindquists Konditori in Stockholm with her husband, Bassel, said: 'The semla has evolved from a traditional Swedish bun to a modern pastry that is constantly being renewed and adapted to today's tastes and demands.' The highly visual world of social media has played a central role in the increasing popularity of semlor, she said. People send them pictures and videos on Instagram and TikTok and they get requests from influencers asking to be the first to try their new flavours. 'By combining traditional flavours with modern ideas, we have been able to reach new customers and create a new appreciation for the classic semla,' said Doumit, whose new pistachio knafeh semla has been attracting queues on Fridays and over the weekends. She and Bassel have also launched a tiramisu version which has been popular among older customers. Shops and cafes start serving the buns on 2 January each year – taking the place of the Christmas saffron buns – and don't stop until around Easter, with queues often forming outside popular spots. The current form of the semla dates back to the 1930s, but in recent years – thanks in part to social media – each spring brings new takes on the classic recipe. Other popular contemporary takes on the semla include Oreo, red velvet, chia, matcha and princess cake (a classic Swedish green icing-covered sponge cake). Johan Sandelin-Järnåsen, a master pastry chef and co-owner of Vete-Katten, which has several branches around Stockholm, said enthusiasm for semlor increases every year. Why? 'Because it's delicious,' he said. 'It's fantastically delicious. It's such a simple product, but you can't fake or cheat it. A good semla is a good semla, full stop.' Crucially for its survival into the 21st century, a good semla is also 'beautiful to look at. You can actually see how tasty it is,' he added. In a season, Vete-Katten sell about 90,000 semlor. At the moment they are selling at least 1,000 a day. There are variations of the bun across the Nordics including the fastelavnsbolle in Denmark and Norway and laskiaispulla in Finland. At Noma, the three Michelin star restaurant in Copenhagen, head pastry chef Francisco Migoya was surprised to find people were already queueing when he arrived for work before 7am last weekend for their one-off fastelavnsbolle day. Migoya's version of the bun was bright pink-red, filled with a pumpkin seed praline, covered with freeze-dried raspberries and topped with chestnut cream. Before arriving in Copenhagen last year from the US, he had tried semlor, but not the Danish version. Before devising his own he carried out extensive research. Migoya said: 'It was interesting for me as a pastry chef, as a baker, to work on something new. It was very gratifying to me from a personal perspective.' The limited time availability of the buns contribute to their popularity, he said, as does the way they indicate that spring is on its way. 'If it was available year-round maybe there would not be the same enthusiasm. Also it starts to signal that spring is coming and better and sunnier and warmer days are coming.'
