Saudi Arabia to Host 1st Gulf Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2024

The presidents of the Olympic committees of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) met in Muscat on Monday. SPA
The presidents of the Olympic committees of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) met in Muscat on Monday. SPA
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Saudi Arabia to Host 1st Gulf Indoor and Martial Arts Games in 2024

The presidents of the Olympic committees of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) met in Muscat on Monday. SPA
The presidents of the Olympic committees of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) met in Muscat on Monday. SPA

Saudi Arabia will host the first Gulf Indoor and Martial Arts Games from September 30 to October 9 next year.

The presidents of the Olympic committees of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) approved the holding of the games during their 35th meeting in Muscat on Monday.

The Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC), Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, attended the meeting.

The meeting also approved the activation of the mechanism for exchanging experts and specialists in the sports field between the GCC countries.

Moreover, it endorsed the implementation of the GCC General Secretariat's initiative for on-the-job training among Olympic committees, sports federations, and other relevant bodies involved in sports affairs. These decisions are geared towards fostering the growth and fortification of the collaborative sports framework within the Gulf region.



Hamburg Fires Steffen Baumgart as Coach after Five Games without a Win

08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
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Hamburg Fires Steffen Baumgart as Coach after Five Games without a Win

08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)

Former Bundesliga heavyweight Hamburger SV has fired Steffen Baumgart as coach after five games without a win across all competitions.

The second-division club said Sunday it was letting Baumgart go because of a “crisis of performances and results” after the team’s 2-2 draw at home with Schalke on Saturday.

That left Hamburg eighth in the 18-team division, four points behind early leader Paderborn after 13 rounds.

“Steffen gave everything with great passion, energy and commitment right up to the end for HSV. However, our analysis of the current situation and yesterday’s game has once again made it clear that we believe a new impetus is necessary,” Hamburg sporting director Stefan Kuntz said.

The club said Baumgart, who was a Hamburg fan as a child, took the news “calmly” on Sunday morning.

“It was an exciting and very intense time,” the former Cologne coach said. “I remain connected to the club and hope that HSV achieves its goals.”

Hamburg has been bidding to return to the Bundesliga since its demotion from the top flight in 2018. It had been the only ever-present team in the league since it was founded in 1963, earning the nickname “der Dino.”

But every season since relegation has ended in disappointment. Hamburg rival St. Pauli was promoted last season to add to Hamburg fans’ woes.

Baumgart, a former Hansa Rostock and Union Berlin forward, took over as Hamburg coach in February, when the team was third, but ultimately it was unable to improve and finished fourth – one place behind Fortuna Düsseldorf in the promotion playoff spot.

Hamburg said Baumgart’s assistants Rene Wagner and Kevin McKenna were also let go, and that assistant coach Merlin Polzin will prepare the team for its next game at Karlsruher SC.

There was no mention of a permanent successor.