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CNN
2 hours ago
- General
- CNN
Representing nation is one of the ‘greatest honors,' says history-making Palestinian soccer star Oday Dabbagh
Not many players could take a more perfect penalty: the ball confidently drilled into the top-left corner, a near-impossible save for any goalkeeper. That was how Palestinian forward Oday Dabbagh executed one of the most high-pressure scenarios of his career to date, helping his Aberdeen side to a shootout victory over Celtic in the Scottish Cup final. This was the first time in 35 years that Aberdeen had lifted the Scottish Cup, and for Dabbagh the victory was a moment of instant, undiluted joy. The sight of his penalty flying into the back of the goal, he says, is one that will 'stay with me forever.' A month earlier, Dabbagh had played an even more crucial role in Aberdeen's Scottish Cup campaign, prodding in a goal against Hearts during the final minutes of extra-time. Despite only being at the club for a four-month period, on loan from Belgian side Charleroi, the 26-year-old had quickly earned legendary status. 'It's a big one for me,' Dabbagh told CNN Sports, 'and the excitement and atmosphere here in Scotland is an unforgettable feeling. It means a lot … and at the same time, it motivates me even more for what's next.' As for what comes next in Dabbagh's club career – after his loan spell with Aberdeen ended on a spectacular high, he is set to return to Charleroi, with his current contract reportedly running until 2026. But at the forefront of his mind right now will be the Palestinian national team's attempt to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico. Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 75% of all United Nations members, but it is a non-member observer state of the UN General Assembly as the United States has consistently blocked full UN membership. As a soccer team though, Palestine has been recognized by the sport's world governing body FIFA since 1998. Despite three Asian Cup appearances since then, the national team is yet to qualify for a World Cup, but the current players, including top-scorer Dabbagh, now have a chance to make history. Up next for the Palestinian national team are two crunch World Cup qualifiers against Oman and Kuwait. Currently fifth in its qualifying group, the team needs to finish third or fourth to enter the fourth round of qualifying. The odds of leapfrogging above Oman in the group are long, but the team will be well supported by those back home. For the people of Gaza, seeing its soccer team qualify for the World Cup would be a beacon of light in an otherwise harrowing period of war and bloodshed. In March, the Palestine Football Association told CNN Sports that 408 athletes have been killed in the conflict with Israel – players, officials and the majority children, including 270 soccer players. Susan Shalabi, vice president of the Palestine FA, said at the time that the organization's offices in Gaza have been either destroyed or severely damaged, and what remains is now being used to accommodate families who have lost their homes. As for home games, they have been switched to locations all over the world – Jordan, Qatar, and even Malaysia. 'In spite of the genocide our people are subjected to in Gaza,' Shalabi told CNN Sports in March, 'the will to live as a nation remains. The national team has become a symbol of our national aspirations, of the longing to live in peace like other nations under the sun.' Dabbagh is a crucial player in the Palestinian national team's bid to qualify for the World Cup. The all-time top scorer with 16 goals, including a hat-trick against Bangladesh in the first round of qualifying last year, he embraces every opportunity to represent the Lions of Canaan, long dreaming of doing so on the biggest stage. 'It's one of the greatest honors in my life,' he says to CNN. 'To wear the Palestine shirt, knowing what it means to so many people, my family, my team, and myself … it is powerful.' Dabbagh is reluctant to see himself as a trailblazer, despite being the first home-grown Palestinian player to appear in a major European league – first with Arouca in Portugal before moving to Charleroi in 2023. 'I do hope what I can achieve helps make the path a little clearer for others,' he says. 'I know how much football means to everyone back home, and I don't take that lightly. Everyone has a dream. If a kid back home sees me and starts to believe it's possible, that means everything. And I do carry that with me every time I play.' Dabbagh made his professional debut for Hilal Al-Quds in the West Bank Premier League, aged only 16. He went on to win three league titles before representing a series of teams in Kuwait, winning another title with Al-Arabi in 2021. Moves to Portugal, Belgium, and then Scotland followed – an unprecedented career arc for a player who grew up kicking a ball on the streets of Jerusalem. He hopes to send a clear message to other young boys and girls now in the same situation he once was. 'Never stop believing,' says Dabbagh. 'Work hard, stay focused, and never lose your passion. You belong on the world stage.' Dabbagh and his teammates could be on the biggest stage of them all should the Palestinian national team qualify for the World Cup. For the forward, that would surely be the high point in an unlikely and trophy-laden career. CNN's Don Riddell contributed to reporting.
CNN
18 hours ago
- Sport
- CNN
The Stanley Cup: The storied and quirky history of one of sports' greatest trophies
(CNN) — It's one of the most recognizable trophies in sports, with a history dating back to the 19th century, so it's no surprise that the Stanley Cup has a story or two to tell. Named after Lord Stanley of Preston, a Canadian governor general who donated the first Cup back in 1892, the trophy is awarded to the NHL champions every year. It is, and always has been, the pinnacle of the sport and something players dedicate their entire lives to winning. With that being the case, it's perhaps predictable that those who manage to get their hands on the trophy are keen to celebrate, especially since it is tradition that every player of the winning squad gets to spend an entire day with the prized silverware. Problem is, that's left the poor old Stanley Cup in some unusual situations. CNN Sports looks at some of the most bizarre predicaments it's ended up in. Prized possession The Stanley Cup is looked after by a team of people with the title of 'Keeper of the Cup.' These people travel with the trophy, keeping it clean and, more importantly, safe. At least one member of the team is always with the trophy when it's in public. 'We get called different things too. People have fun with it. They call us Cup keepers, Cup dudes, Cup guys. You know, handlers is all kinds of terms, but in essence, we're basically babysitting the Cup,' Howie Burrow, Keeper of the Cup, told CNN Sports. Global tour The Stanley Cup has traveled to dozens of countries around the world, including places such as Afghanistan, Japan, Scotland and the UAE. It doesn't get a first-class seat, though. Instead, it flies underneath the airplane in a very secure box. 'When I'm getting my boarding passes, I'll open it up to show whoever's checking me in, but soon as I do that, there's usually about a dozen people in the other lines going, 'Oh my God, that's a Stanley Cup. Can I get a photo? Can I touch it?'' Burrow told CNN. All shapes and sizes The Stanley Cup we see today has been the same shape since 1948, but it hasn't always looked the same. The first ever iteration of the trophy, back in 1892, was just a bowl and was called the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup. Over the years, more tiers have been added to it and now the Cup stands at 35.25 inches and weighs 34.5 pounds. 'If you have to hang on to it for a long time and say, you have to walk a block or two because you're following somebody, it does get heavy. You're switching arms, or you got to put it down. You can work up a good sweat. But when the players first win it, right after on the ice, I mean, I'm sure it weighs hardly anything to them,' Burrow said to CNN. Etched into history Each player of the winning team has their name etched into a band which is then placed onto the trophy – with older bands being retired through the years. Given the number of winners, it's not surprising that a few spelling mistakes have creeped onto the prestigious Cup. Summer tour Since 1995, every player who wins the Stanley Cup is allowed a day to celebrate with it – sometimes two – in any way they deem fit. The trophy is then returned to NHL trustees before the new season, meaning every team bids to win the prestigious trophy again. Record winners No team in history has gotten its hands on the Stanley Cup more than the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs have won it 24 times, including a record five-in-a-row from 1956 to 1960. The franchise's first win came in 1916 – before the NHL even ran the tournament. The Canadiens haven't won it since 1993, though, and last reached the final in 2021.
CNN
a day ago
- Health
- CNN
World Aquatics to ban participants of controversial Enhanced Games
World Aquatics, the governing body for all aquatic sports, has introduced a new rule that will ban those who participate in the controversial Enhanced Games. The Enhanced Games says it is an 'alternative' to the Olympics and will allow athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs. Participants will not be tested and will be under no obligation to declare which substances they have taken in order to compete. The inaugural games will take place in May 2026 and include events from swimming, weightlifting and athletics. On Tuesday, World Aquatics released a statement introducing the new bylaw, which will be in effect immediately. 'Under the new Bylaw, individuals who support, endorse, or participate in sporting events that embrace the use of scientific advancements or other practices that may include prohibited substances and/or prohibited methods will not be eligible to hold positions with World Aquatics or to participate in any World Aquatics competitions, events, or other activities,' the federation said in a statement. 'This ineligibility would apply to roles such as athlete, coach, team official, administrator, medical support staff, or government representative.' World Aquatics added that it would ban people on a case-by-case basis, while also encouraging federations at a national level to adopt a similar stance. 'Those who enable doped sport are not welcome at World Aquatics or our events,' said World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam. 'This new Bylaw ensures that we can continue to protect the integrity of our competitions, the health and safety of our athletes, and the credibility of the global aquatics community.' In response to the ban, Enhanced Games' president and founder Aron D'Souza said his organization stands with 'athletes and their support teams.' 'At the Enhanced Games, athletes have what traditional federations never gave them: choice, fairness, and real money,' he said in a statement sent to CNN Sports. 'We offer a medically supervised, safety-focused, science-driven arena – where performance is rewarded, not policed by outdated ideology. 'This ban isn't about protecting athletes. It's about protecting a monopoly.' Since the start of the controversial program, Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev swam the men's 50 meters freestyle in 20.89 seconds, shaving 0.02 seconds off the long-standing world record, per Reuters Gkolomeev finished fifth in the same event at the Paris Olympics last year. But the competition has been widely criticized, including by those from a health perspective. Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, who exposed Russia's state-sponsored doping program – a massive, years-long effort which benefited more than 1,000 athletes between 2011 and 2015 – previously said that the new event is a 'danger to health, to sport.' Similarly, Travis Tygart, the CEO at the United States Anti-Doping Agency, previously told CNN Sports that the concept was 'a dangerous clown show, not real sport.' In the statement sent to CNN Sports Wednesday, the Enhanced Games said: 'Our mission is to protect and improve athlete well-being for those pushing the limits of human performance, and we have extensive safeguards in place to ensure we uphold this value.'
CNN
a day ago
- Health
- CNN
World Aquatics to ban participants of controversial Enhanced Games
World Aquatics, the governing body for all aquatic sports, has introduced a new rule that will ban those who participate in the controversial Enhanced Games. The Enhanced Games says it is an 'alternative' to the Olympics and will allow athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs. Participants will not be tested and will be under no obligation to declare which substances they have taken in order to compete. The inaugural games will take place in May 2026 and include events from swimming, weightlifting and athletics. On Tuesday, World Aquatics released a statement introducing the new bylaw, which will be in effect immediately. 'Under the new Bylaw, individuals who support, endorse, or participate in sporting events that embrace the use of scientific advancements or other practices that may include prohibited substances and/or prohibited methods will not be eligible to hold positions with World Aquatics or to participate in any World Aquatics competitions, events, or other activities,' the federation said in a statement. 'This ineligibility would apply to roles such as athlete, coach, team official, administrator, medical support staff, or government representative.' World Aquatics added that it would ban people on a case-by-case basis, while also encouraging federations at a national level to adopt a similar stance. 'Those who enable doped sport are not welcome at World Aquatics or our events,' said World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam. 'This new Bylaw ensures that we can continue to protect the integrity of our competitions, the health and safety of our athletes, and the credibility of the global aquatics community.' In response to the ban, Enhanced Games' president and founder Aron D'Souza said his organization stands with 'athletes and their support teams.' 'At the Enhanced Games, athletes have what traditional federations never gave them: choice, fairness, and real money,' he said in a statement sent to CNN Sports. 'We offer a medically supervised, safety-focused, science-driven arena – where performance is rewarded, not policed by outdated ideology. 'This ban isn't about protecting athletes. It's about protecting a monopoly.' Since the start of the controversial program, Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev swam the men's 50 meters freestyle in 20.89 seconds, shaving 0.02 seconds off the long-standing world record, per Reuters Gkolomeev finished fifth in the same event at the Paris Olympics last year. But the competition has been widely criticized, including by those from a health perspective. Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov, who exposed Russia's state-sponsored doping program – a massive, years-long effort which benefited more than 1,000 athletes between 2011 and 2015 – previously said that the new event is a 'danger to health, to sport.' Similarly, Travis Tygart, the CEO at the United States Anti-Doping Agency, previously told CNN Sports that the concept was 'a dangerous clown show, not real sport.' In the statement sent to CNN Sports Wednesday, the Enhanced Games said: 'Our mission is to protect and improve athlete well-being for those pushing the limits of human performance, and we have extensive safeguards in place to ensure we uphold this value.'
CNN
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Stanley Cup: The storied, sometimes questionable and funny, history of one of sports' greatest trophies
(CNN) — It's one of the most recognizable trophies in sports, with a history dating back to the 19th century, so it's no surprise that the Stanley Cup has a story or two to tell. Named after Lord Stanley of Preston, a Canadian governor general who donated the first Cup back in 1892, the trophy is awarded to the NHL champions every year. It is, and always has been, the pinnacle of the sport and something players dedicate their entire lives to winning. With that being the case, it's perhaps predictable that those who manage to get their hands on the trophy are keen to celebrate, especially since it is tradition that every player of the winning squad gets to spend an entire day with the prized silverware. Problem is, that's left the poor old Stanley Cup in some unusual situations. CNN Sports looks at some of the most bizarre predicaments it's ended up in. Montreal Canadiens In almost cartoon-like fashion, the Montreal Canadiens left the trophy on the side of the road after winning it in 1924. The story goes that a car carrying some of the team had stalled going up a hill, meaning players had to get out to push. It wasn't until they reached the top that they realized they had left one of the most famous trophies in the world behind! Prized possession The Stanley Cup is looked after by a team of people with the title of 'Keeper of the Cup.' These people travel with the trophy, keeping it clean and, more importantly, safe. At least one member of the team is always with the trophy when it's in public. 'We get called different things too. People have fun with it. They call us Cup keepers, Cup dudes, Cup guys. You know, handlers is all kinds of terms, but in essence, we're basically babysitting the Cup,' Howie Burrow, Keeper of the Cup, told CNN Sports. Edmonton Oilers It's only natural that players want to party after finally getting their hands on the trophy and that seemed to be the case with the Edmonton Oilers following the magical final series in 1987, where the Oilers blew a 3-1 series lead, but managed to pull off the win in Game 7 against the Philadelphia Flyers. Led by Mark Messier, both on and off the ice, the Oilers reportedly went partying to celebrate and accidentally damaged the Stanley Cup over the course of the night, requiring repairs before being returned. Global tour The Stanley Cup has traveled to dozens of countries around the world, including places such as Afghanistan, Japan, Scotland and the UAE. It doesn't get a first-class seat, though. Instead, it flies underneath the airplane in a very secure box. 'When I'm getting my boarding passes, I'll open it up to show whoever's checking me in, but soon as I do that, there's usually about a dozen people in the other lines going, 'Oh my God, that's a Stanley Cup. Can I get a photo? Can I touch it?'' Burrow told CNN. Pittsburgh Penguins One thing the trophy's handlers insist on is that the Cup shouldn't get wet – although that didn't stop the Pittsburgh Penguins. Now legendary photos show the team celebrating with the trophy in Canadian star Mario Lemieux's swimming pool. Luckily, though, it seems like the trophy floated. All shapes and sizes The Stanley Cup we see today has been the same shape since 1948, but it hasn't always looked the same. The first ever iteration of the trophy, back in 1892, was just a bowl and was called the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup. Over the years, more tiers have been added to it and now the Cup stands at 35.25 inches and weighs 34.5 pounds. 'If you have to hang on to it for a long time and say, you have to walk a block or two because you're following somebody, it does get heavy. You're switching arms, or you got to put it down. You can work up a good sweat. But when the players first win it, right after on the ice, I mean, I'm sure it weighs hardly anything to them,' Burrow said to CNN. New York Rangers It seems even animals can enjoy the 'People's trophy.' In 1994, a photo was taken of Kentucky Derby winner Go For Gin eating out of the trophy while at New York's Belmont Park. New York Rangers star Eddie Olczyk was rumored to be behind the stunt, but he's since denied responsibility. Etched into history Each player of the winning team has their name etched into a band which is then placed onto the trophy – with older bands being retired through the years. Given the number of winners, it's not surprising that a few spelling mistakes have creeped onto the prestigious Cup. Detroit Red Wings What's the worst thing you could imagine happening to – or in – the Stanley Cup? Well, this might be it. When Kris Draper had his day with the trophy, he celebrated by putting his baby daughter in the Cup for a photo. Only she left behind a little surprise… by using the legendary trophy as a toilet. Summer tour Since 1995, every player who wins the Stanley Cup is allowed a day to celebrate with it – sometimes two – in any way they deem fit. The trophy is then returned to NHL trustees before the new season, meaning every team bids to win the prestigious trophy again. Pittsburgh Penguins Forward Josh Archibald got creative and used his time with the Cup to baptize his son. Three-week-old Brecken was photographed receiving his blessing while sitting in the bowl at the top of the trophy. Quite the experience for someone not even a month out in the world. Record winners No team in history has gotten its hands on the Stanley Cup more than the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs have won it 24 times, including a record five-in-a-row from 1956 to 1960. The franchise's first win came in 1916 – before the NHL even ran the tournament. The Canadiens haven't won it since 1993, though, and last reached the final in 2021.
