Sports
Sports
Toni Breidinger: First Arab American female driver to compete at NASCAR
February 12th, 20211 NORTH CAROLINA — Toni Breidinger, 21, a rising star in the car racing world, is set to become the first Arab American female driver to compete in a NASCAR national series. Breidinger, who is also a successful model, hails from the Bay Area in California. Her mother was born in Beirut and Breidinger currently has family in...
Washington Spirit Women’s Soccer Team visits Qatar, plays friendly match
December 18th, 20200 DOHA, QATAR — Players from the Washington Spirit Women’s Soccer Team played a friendly match with members of the Qatar Women’s National Soccer team on Tuesday, Dec. 15. The Spirit’s visit was organized by the Embassy of the State of Qatar in the U.S. in partnership with the Qatar Museums and the U.S. Embassy in Doha. The...
Hammoud leads bipartisan legislature group to suggest Robert Saleh for Lions head coach
December 4th, 20200 LANSING — State Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn) is leading a bipartisan group of 36 Michigan House legislators in releasing an open letter to the Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp, suggesting Robert Saleh, a Dearborn hero and 49ers defensive coordinator, for the team’s next head coach. “We are writing today to thank you...
Iraq-born Arab American boxer chasing spot in 2021 Olympics while balancing work, education in Tennessee
May 5th, 20200 KNOXVILLE, TN — When 22-year-old Esam Abid first moved to Tennessee from Turkey by way of his native Iraq, the going was a bit rough. “It was a little difficult at first not speaking the language,” said Abid, an aspiring Olympic boxer who is currently in his third year at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, studying civil...
History-making coach from Dearborn leads 49ers into Super Bowl LIV in Miami
January 31st, 20200 MIAMI, FL — The NFL's San Francisco 49ers will be led by one of Dearborn's own in their contest against superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, as rising star coach Robert Saleh will take the field in hopes of winning his second Super Bowl title as an assistant. Saleh serves as defensive coordinator for the...
Homegrown entrepreneur Allie Mallad, Red Effect Infrared Fitness for women celebrate grand opening of Dearborn location
January 17th, 20200 DEARBORN — A grand opening party for the new Red Effect Infrared Fitness for Women location in west Dearborn took place on Saturday, December 28, celebrating the fast-growing nationwide fitness chain's latest success story. Guests officially welcomed Dearborn native Allie Mallad's newest location to the neighborhood with music,...
Dearborn native, Lebanese American Ali Fayad stars for Western Michigan University’s Broncos football team
September 13th, 20190 KALAMAZOO — The state of Michigan is home to several high level college football programs beyond the usual suspects Michigan and Michigan State, and the Western Michigan University Broncos are certainly among them. The school, which currently plays in the Mid-American Conference against other Division I colleges from the Midwest,...
Arab American goalie thrilled for chance to compete with hometown favorite Detroit Red Wings
July 3rd, 20190 DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings 2019 development camp wrapped up this past weekend under the watchful eye of new general manager Steve Yzerman at Little Caesars Arena downtown, as recent draft picks and free agent signees battled it out on the ice. Among the latter group was Plymouth native Robbie Beydoun, a lifelong fan of the team...
Arab American player receives first University of Michigan football scholarship for the class of 2021
March 26th, 20190 UTICA — The University of Michigan received its first football commitment for the class of 2021 earlier this month, as Sterling Heights Stevenson High School offensive lineman Giovanni El-Hadi announced that he had accepted a scholarship offer from the Wolverines. The 6' 6", 280 lbs. El-Hadi chose to commit to the Wolverines...
Russia hands over World Cup hosting duties to Qatar
July 15th, 20180 MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday handed over the mantle of World Cup host to the emir of Qatar, whose country will stage the 2022 edition of the tournament. The ceremony marked a handover from the world’s largest country by landmass to one of the smallest. Qatar has a population of 2.3 million people and an area...
Local basketball star joins professional Lebanese team
March 30th, 20181 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Mohamed Bazzi stood on his former high school's basketball court, dribbled a ball, studied the hoop, aimed and rejoiced as the ball effortlessly whipped through the net. A yellow and blue banner with his name and scoring achievement of 1,436 points in the 2015 season hanging from the ceiling next to the basketball...
NFL policy on anthem kneeling unchanged, despite Trump rebuke
October 19th, 20170 NEW YORK - National Football League officials weighed the fervor of players protesting racism against President Trump’s anger at their autumn meeting on Tuesday with supporters of the players kneeling outside in solidarity. The NFL did not seek commitments from its players to stop kneeling during pregame renditions of the U.S....
War-torn Syria on verge of World Cup fairytale
September 3rd, 20170 HONG KONG - Against all odds, Syria’s footballers have overcome more than six years of civil war and internal political rifts to raise hopes of qualifying for their first ever World Cup. Forced to play their home games away due to security concerns, Ayman Hakeem’s Syria have embarrassed a succession of better-resourced opponents...
Local Taekwondo athletes bring home national accolades
July 21st, 20170 DEARBORN — The 2017 National Championships for U.S.A. Taekwondo took place at the Cobo Center in Detroit from June 30 to July 6. This marked the first time in nine years that the championships took place in Michigan. Athletes from the Dearborn-based Koubeissi Taekwondo School brought home two silver medals and one bronze. Yara...
Detroit City Council approves $34.5 million for Pistons move
June 23rd, 20170 DETROIT— The Detroit City Council has approved $34.5 million in public funding bonds toward modification of the Little Caesars Arena that would permit the Detroit Pistons to play there in the fall, despite pleas from residents to abandon the deal or reconsider. The 7-2 measure passed after six months of negotiations between the city......
Dearborn resident wins women’s race at Detroit Free Press/Talmer Bank Marathon
October 24th, 20140 DETROIT — Courtney Brewis of Dearborn won the women’s race at the 37th annual Detroit Free Press/Talmer Bank Marathon on Oct. 19. Brewis, who used to run track at Grand Valley State University, said the victory came as a surprise. The 23-year-old has considered competing in a marathon since high school. She also competed in the...World Cup: Sunday Times report alleges $5 million in Qatari payoffs and FIFA VP calls for potential 2022 re-vote
Another day and another report about the alleged corruption that led to Qatar winning the bid to host the 2022 World Cup over the United States. But the one that emerged on Sunday is different. English outlet The Sunday Times published a detailed report titled "Plot to Buy the World Cup" which tracks a sum...
Dearborn bodybuilder places first in showdown
May 2nd, 20140 Klait (left). DEARBORN — Arab American bodybuilder Ibrahim Klait has taken home first place in the 2014 NPC Simmons-Peckham Ultimate Showdown. The competition took place on April 26 at Rochester’s Adams High School. He competed against bodybuilders from 13 other Midwest states in the heavyweight division. Klait, better...
HYPE Athletics hosts National Signing Day event
February 14th, 20140 DEARBORN HEIGHTS — HYPE Athletics hosted a National Signing Day event on Wednesday, February 5, where 22 local high school students affiliated with the recreation center signed their letters of intent to play college football.The high school football players were soon-to-be graduates from schools all over the Detroit metro area,......
Tigers sweep Yankees, prepare for next Wednesday’s World Series opener
October 19th, 20120 Detroit Tigers celebrate winning Game 4 against the New York Yankees in their MLB ALCS baseball playoff series in Detroit. REUTERSDETROIT - The Detroit Tigers are on their way back to the World Series for the first time in six years after a dominating 8-1 AL Championship Series win over the New York Yankees on Thursday night.The win...Junior at Farmington Hills school becomes captain of soccer team
FARMINGTON HILLS —Sixteen-year-old junior Moussa Zaatar is making a splash at Harrison High School in Farmington Hills. This year, he was selected by the school’s coach to become captain of the Hawks, the school’s varsity soccer team. For a position usually held by seniors, Zaatar’s years of practice and experience have made him......
Arab Americans take the lead in bodybuilding contest
Firas AltwaijGRAND RAPIDS - Firas Altwaij, 27, and Haider Ali, 35 were recognized recently for their success as bodybuilders in two different weight classes. The two Dearborn residents both won second place in the Michigan challenge championships held during June in Redford, where people from six different states...
Arab American teen represents USA in international hockey tournament
August 5th, 20120 WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI — Butrus Ghafari has a lot on his plate for a 16-year old hockey player. Earlier this year the West Bloomfield teenager was drafted by the United States Hockey League (USHL), the top junior hockey league in the country, to play for the Fargo Force in North Dakota. But now his year has gotten even busier, as he......
