Syria reaches the world participating in the Arab Rugby Tournament

Pablo Sapag, a Chilean writer of Syrian origin, and an associate Professor at Complutense University of Madrid, was recently in the United Arab Emirates as the representative of the Syrian Rugby for Spanish speaking countries. He attended the Arab Rugby Sevens 2023, that took place recently in Al-Ain city, UAE, with the participation of 9 men and 6 women national teams from Asian and African countries, including Syria.

Overwhelmed with love to Syria, his motherland, Sapag covered the Syrian team’s participation and wrote an exclusive article to the Syria Times, describing this participation as amazing, during which the team represented Syria so well under very difficult circumstances, sending a message of hope and commitment.

 Here is what he wrote:

Pablo Sapag

Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Rugby is a team sport where values such as resistance, determination and unity are core and both men and female Syrian National Teams demonstrated all that during their participation in the Arab Rugby 7s Tournament. The competition of this intense modality of rugby performed by seven players a side in two halves of seven minutes each was held on the week end of the 18th and 19th of February in Al Ain city, United Arab Emirates.

Syrian women ended up in fourth position after a brilliant participation in the first day of competition with wins against Libya (45-0) and Jordan (12-7) and one draw with Egypt (10-10). After losing the next day against UAE and Tunisia, Syria played against Egypt for the bronze medal, losing for just three points in one of the most attractive and disputed games of the whole tournament.

The Syrian female squad has been coached by the Argentinean Carolina Bravo, an experienced trainer that accepted the call of the Syrian High Rugby Committee. In a statement to Syria Times, Bravo described her impressions of the Syrian players’ evolution.

“Since the very moment after my arrival we started training for this tournament, and I realized immediately that the girls improved and grew not on a daily basis but every single second! From the very beginning they had the clear idea to represent Syria properly and leave a mark in this tournament, and for sure they did it”.

The Argentinean coach, who while in Syria enjoyed her country’s mate tea drinking tradition, imported to the Motherland by Syrian expatriates which returned from Argentina, has the best of the impressions after her intense weeks in Syria and the tournament in the UAE of the sport of the oval ball.

“To be honest, this full experience has changed my life forever. It will always be a before and an after Syria in my professional and personal life. I never imagined coming to Syria or the Arab world. I am very grateful to Syria Rugby because they opened me their doors and trust me to coach the Syrian National Team. It has been a big responsibility and an honor because Syria is taking rugby seriously to reach the world and for me is a privilege to be part of all this”.

And for sure that Syrian Rugby has reached overseas. Some Syrians living in the UAE enthusiastically supported the delegation in Al Ain while two long-time Syrian expatriates didn’t doubt a single second to travel the world in order to answer the Motherland’s call. They are Andy Fadi Jarjour, from Scotland, and Karim Mosa Yousef, from Chile, both joined the men’s National team and proudly played for Syria.

Karim, who is a lawyer and a rugby player in Chilean top league, played in all of the five male Syria’s games in Al Ain. He was the most outstanding defensive player of the men’s competition and he even scored a try (5 points) in the first game against Palestine, a team defeated twice by the Syrians (14-5 and 26-10). In other games, Syria lost against the champions EAU, Saudi Arabia and finalist Tunisia. However, both uncontested wins against Palestine allowed Syria to achieve their goals. For Karim Mosa it has been such an experience.

“Personally, all what I have experienced these weeks have been very intense. The earthquake happened just hours after I arrived into Damascus from Chile. Then, the long trip to Al Ain or the fatigue after playing and training, all was very intense. However, absolutely everything has worth the matter. I have been welcomed by a beautiful human group. I knew how warm and cozy Syrians are but I never expected to be welcomed as a brother. I am very happy to belong to this group and to this Nation which I belong to. Syria gave me to chance to make true my dream”.

The men’s team has been coached by the seasoned Tunisian trainer Dhafer Al Qathah, who also praised the players, Syrian High Rugby Committee and the Syrian General Sports Federation efforts to represent Syria in Al Ain after all Syria has been through along the years and especially because the earthquake.

Syria’s delegation arrange with the organization of the tournament a minute of silence in memory of all the victims of the quake which was respected by all the stadium before Syria’s male and female first games. Sympathy and solidarity towards Syria and the Syrian people was constantly expressed by players and members of other delegations. Syria has reached the world through rugby and the world has embraced Syria in Al Ain.