Edward Maalouf is the only Lebanese athlete competing at the Paralympic 2012 Games in London. He already participated in the Men’s Individual H 2 Time Trial on September and ranked 9th [Results]. His next and last event will be today at 18:32. [Schedule]

Best of luck to our great champion!

Update: Edward was unable to win another medal for Lebanon this year as he ended 11th in the second and last event today. [Results]

Edward Maalouf at the Beijing Games in 2008

Edward Maalouf will be the only Lebanese athlete competing at the Paralympic 2012 Games in London. Edward is an exceptional athlete who has received very little support from the Lebanese authorities throughout the years, yet has won 2 Bronze Medals at the Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008.

Edward will be competing in two cycling road events, the Men’s Individual H 2 Time Trial on September 5 [Link] and the Men’s Individual H 2 Road Race on September 7 [Link].

Let’s show him some support and hope he will bring back more medals.

Check out his Facebook Group [Here] and his blog [Here].

Edward Maalouf at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games

Lebanese water skier Silvio Chiha snagged the gold medal Monday at the Asia-Australasia Oceania (AAO) water skiing championship in Chuncheon, South Korea, the state-run National News Agency reported Wednesday. [DailyStar]

The final ranking of the competition came as follows:

1-Silvio Chiha (Lebanon)
2- Cha Bum-Kun (South Korea)
3-Josh Briant (Australia)
4-Kim Don John (South Korea)

via LBC

[YouTube]

Dani Schahin is a Germany Footballer who currently plays for Fortuna Düsseldorf in the Bundesliga. I am not sure whether he’s of Lebanese descent or not though, as Wikipedia mentions his father is Palestinian of Lebanese descent while other websites mention he’s Lebanese. [FootballDatabase.eu] [Encyclo.co.uk]

Eitherways, he is very talented striker who could make his way through to the national team if he keeps his great strike rate and strong performances. In his first appearance in the Bundesliga, Schahin scored two goals.

As expected, the controversy that surrounded Gretta Taslakian and her coach at the London 2012 Olympics will remain unsolved as the Lebanese Federation dismissed any sexual harassment and asked Gretta for a verbal apology. [Link]

What I find unacceptable about this whole story is that a member of the delegation (supposedly her coach) was the one who reported Gretta to the Olympic committee and caused her ban from the Olympic village. They should have waited till they got back to Lebanon then dealt with the matter internally. That was an unprofessional and sort of “childish” behavior. As for Gretta, she has to come out and say what happened with her or else she’s to blame for this scandal as much as the Lebanese Olympic Delegation and her coach are.

Last but not least, someone should be asking the London Olympic Committee whether not wearing the proper uniform is a valid reason for banning an athlete, specially that other athletes have done the same and got away with it.

Thanks to a reader I found this short piece by CNN on Lebanese Olympian Andrea Paoli which I thought was worth sharing. [YouTube]

I should have posted this before the Olympics but I just found it now. Thank you The Guardian for making this heart warming video. With all the creatives in Lebanon it’s strange why no one did anything similar with the other Lebanese Olympians. [Vimeo]

Gretta Taslakian’s coach Vahé Abrahamian replied back to the accusations directed to him by Gretta’s coach and club through his attorney. The letter published came very close to what Mark had posted the other day quoting one of the blog’s readers Bob.

You can read it [Here] and if you don’t read Arabic, you can also check the comment Bob posted [Here].

I have a feeling we will never understand what really happened unless a proper investigation is open, which means we will never understand what happened. What I know is that one of our top athletes had her image tarnished whether it was her fault or the coach’s or the federation’s fault, and instead of showing a good image of Lebanon at the Olympics and come back with a medal, we got banned and came back with a scandal.

I just found out tonight the giant French sporting good chain Decathlon is going to be opening next month at Le Mall Debayeh. I just passed by the one that’s opening in Kuwait tomorrow and the place is huge so I’m curious to see if the one in Lebanon is going to be bigger.

Sarah Attar, First Saudi Woman To Compete In Olympic Track

The London 2012 Olympics were rather encouraging to the participating Arab countries as they managed to collect twelve medals overall. Added to that, it was the first time Saudi Arabia accepted to send female athletes to compete, Wojdan Shahrkhani and Sarah Attar.

Tunisia and Algeria were the best performers with 3 medals (1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze) and 1 Gold medal respectively. Egypt got 2 Silver medals, Qatar 2 Bronze medals, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Morocco all ended up with 1 Bronze Medal. Lebanon came back without any medal.

According to this [article], a proper planning is essential for Arab countries to achieve better results at the upcoming Olympics.

A reader going by the name of Bob left the following comment below which gives a different story to what happened to Gretta:

You guys are so simple minded. You are discussing based on what RRA ( Gretta’s club) president wrote in behalf of Gretta , trying to attack the National Olympic Committee and the Lebanese Athletic Federation ( because he was banned for one year the result of his behavior), and of course attacking the coach of Gretta, because he never wanted her to be coached by someone who doesn’t work for his club, on whom he cannot impose his authority and with whom he had many conflicts and finally he got an opportunity to revenge over the media.

Gretta’s coach is a happily married man with the most gorgeous wife and enjoying a new born babe. He trains her since 2009. Anyone who knows him and knows Gretta will make fun of the articles written in the newspapers.

Gretta and her president reacted very fast without even knowing why she was sent back. Relying on gossips instead of waiting for the report which the NOC and LAF will post soon about what really happened in London.

She could have came back and remained silent until a report was delivered , then they could reply and react.

Gretta went to the Olympics because she is the best female athlete in Lebanon, but she was absolutely not excited to race. And who are close to her might have read her status on facebook. “No goals , no expectations , but enjoy..”

Since day one she didn’t submit to her training plan, she only trained once then she disappeared from the sight of the officials and her coach. The rest of the Lebanese Olympians were always with their team and officials, like any other Olympian in the village, because everyone is there to raise the name of his country and they follow a strict discipline.

Gretta wanted to have complete freedom and be busy socializing and having fun. No one saw her face after day 2, and they could only find her with this Irish trainer around midnight , 3 days in row and lunchtime the day of her race. They remained silent despite the chef wanted to go and rebuke her but many stopped him twice. Her coach is a Doctor and runs a medical center, he left his work and went there for her to be super ready for the race and do a personal best at least.

Her coach warned her that he will write a report that she is always absent from the sight of everybody and not submitting to the plan (trainings,physio, nutrition, rest, focus etc) designed for the camp. She didn’t care about it, and continued neglecting the rules. The day of the race, in the morning her coach wrote a report about Gretta not submitting to the plan and never training and being always absent, therefore he will decline from coaching her. The Federation will post the report of her coach and everybody will see that there’s absolutely nothing of what is mentioned in the newspapers.

Lunch time again they saw her with the Irish guy, and during the pre-race warm up, her coach went to the stadium and found her in the Irish boot , wearing green jacket exactly like the Irish team, and being coached for pre-competition by the Irish guy. Gretta’s coach warned the Irish guy that what is happening is illegal and the Olympic committee can take severe action against such behavior and left. The Irish guy followed Gretta’s coach and tried to convince him that he doesn’t have intention to coach her and that Gretta told him different story and apologized a hundred time.

By that time, The officials arrived to the warm up area to watch Gretta preparing for the race. They met Gretta’s coach arguing with the Irish coach. Finally they saw Gretta sitting in the Irish boot wearing green like them. (Gretta didn’t realize the officials were on track watching her). The NOC president lost his mind and wanted to go and stop her from racing and send her back to Lebanon on the first plane. many stopped him from doing so and asked him to allow her at least to race. One of the federation members took a picture of her in the Irish boot wearing like them. (All the Lebanese team, at least the day of the race wore Lebanese Red jacket written LEBANON on the back). Gretta went to stadium with the green jacket and no one could guess which country does she represent if it wasn’t announced. Of course no one expected her to run well after all.

After the race the NOC and the LAF called her and took her badge and claimed that she will go back to Lebanon on the first plane.

I guess you all can assume why she was sent back after the accumulation of many irresponsible acts. Being hurt and angry, she imagined by her own the scenario that might have happened and reacted through her club president’s announcement.

Soon the NOC and the LAF will post all details.

I had posted earlier today that Lebanese athlete Gretta Taslakian was banned from the Olympic Village and had to return home after she was seen wearing Ireland’s uniform during a training session. Added to that and according to Lorient-LeJour’s article, it was Gretta’s coach Vahé Abrahamian who testified against her and showed the Olympic committee pictures of Gretta wearing Ireland’s uniform (Not Available anywhere on the net).

I thought the story is very weird and did some research and asked some friends around and the truth is I was shocked to hear what really happened, or at least what I was told from some presumably reliable sources and read in an article. Here’s a summary of the Press Release Inter-Liban club issued yesterday:

1- Gretta is participating in the Olympic games for the third consecutive time unlike Vahe who’s there for the first time. As a result Gretta has a lot of friends among athletes and coaches.

2- Vahé was acting like an overprotective boyfriend the whole trip which obviously annoyed Gretta. He would get upset if she doesn’t have dinner with him and once threatened her to file a report against her before the 200m race. Gretta however never skipped practice and tried to contain the situation.

3- Gretta was friends with the Irish coach for years and with others as well and used to roam around the village all the time. The jacket she was wearing was a Nike one that had nothing to do with the Irish team.

4- The Lebanese Olympic committee should have gone through the report Vahe issued more thoroughly and verified the facts stated. Gretta is a great athlete that does not deserve such treatment. What a shame!

It looks like a sexual harassment case and if this is true, this coach will be in serious trouble when he gets back to Lebanon.

According to an article from L’Orient-Le Jour, Lebanese athlete Gretta Taslakian was banned from the Olympic Village in London for wearing the Irish team’s uniform during a training session and flew back to Lebanon on Tuesday.

L’Orient-Le Jour contacted Gretta who denied that she was wearing the Irish uniform and said it was simply a green Nike jacket. She added that she still has the jacket and it has nothing to do with the Irish team except the color maybe.

Now the interesting part is that Gretta’s coach, Vahé Abrahamian who is still in London, apparently informed the Olympic committee that Gretta was indeed wearing Ireland’s uniform during a training session and showed them pictures. I don’t have any of the pictures but why the hell would a coach do something like that? Why didn’t he simply inform her that she shouldn’t be wearing the uniform or a jacket of the same color?

Last but not least, so what if she wore another country’s uniform? Doesn’t that fall under the “Olympic spirit” slogan? I don’t recall that happening in any of the previous Olympics. Actually according to L’Orient-Le Jour, it may be the first time ever an athlete is banned for such a reason. They also pointed out on how the Kenyan runner Kemboi, winner of the 3000m race, wore the French uniform while parading around the stadium and no measures were taken against him.

Gretta is a great athlete and has won gold medals for Lebanon in Asian and Arabic tournaments and deserves much better than that!

Read the full article [Here]

PS: Antoine Chartier, president of the Lebanese Olympic delegation, did not yet comment on the matter.

Andrea Paoli is our last hope for a medal at the Olympics as we haven’t had luck with any of our other Lebanese athletes. She will be competing at 11:30am in the Women’s -57kg Preliminary Round (Taekwondo). [Schedule]

Update1: Andrea is through to the quarter finals! She beat Nidia Munoz frmo Cuba 4-2. Quarter Final game scheduled at 5pm Lebanon Time.

Ahmed will take part in Round1 of the Men’s 110m Hurdles scheduled at 12:31 Lebanon time. [Round1]

Update: Ahmed Hazer finished unfortunately last. [Results]