Amal Al-Sibai

Saudi Gazette



JEDDAH — The Syrian national team’s victory in the West Asian Football Federation recently gave Syrians a rare reason to rejoice. Despite two years of division, violence, and hardship in their country, the Syrian team won the West Asian cup.



Viewers in their homes from distant regions of the globe roared with delight when Ahmed Saleh scored the winning goal in the 73rd minute of the match against Iraq that ended with a final score of 1-0.



More than the win itself, what inspired Syrians and made them proud was the heartfelt act of solidarity that star Omar Al-Soma displayed with his people as the eyes of millions of football fans from around the world were glued to television sets.



At the end of the match Al-Soma rushed to the field and raised the flag that represents the Syrian revolution. Fans in the audience who are also against the brutal regime of Bashar Al-Assad went wild.



However Al-Soma’s parading of the flag and his obvious support of the revolution angered pro-regime members from the audience and the team’s administration.



Although their celebrations are fleeting and short lived, members of the Syrian community in Jeddah gathered to congratulate one another and social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook were teeming with congratulatory messages.



“We were very happy that the Syrian team won but our hearts are still bleeding for the people in Syria who are now facing a bitter cold winter.

“Hundreds are either homeless or they go without electricity or gas to keep warm; they are living in hunger and fear. We pray that our next and more meaningful victory will be that of the Syrian people as they topple the regime,” said Rolla Qurabi, Jeddah resident.



Several sources stated that seven of the eleven players from the national Syrian football team, Red Eagles, have announced that they will no longer play on the team in protest of the government’s ruthless military attacks on civilians. The key player, Firas Al-Khatib, has also given up his love and passion for the game to extend moral support to his people who have endured much suffering.



Al-Khatib wrote a few lines of Arabic poetry that stated, “We apologize to Paris for surpassing its unique fame in creating the most exquisite fragrances. While the perfumes in Paris are made from roses, the beautiful scents in Syria are due to the honorable blood of martyrs.”



Two years of military shelling has taken a toll on the country’s infrastructure with countless streets, homes, bakeries, hospitals, and historic sites destroyed albeit mostly in small towns. Even in areas which were not directly targeted, violence has spilled over to severely affect daily life.



The conflict in Syria has pushed some 50 professional footballers into exile in neighboring countries due to threats and fear of prosecution after they openly sided with the revolutionaries’ aspiration for freedom.

Sports training centers and facilities have been converted into military bases and arresting stations. Syrian coaches have also fled to Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Oman. The violence has emptied Syrian stadiums, despite a widespread love for the game.



Football is not the only sport impacted by the crisis. On April 14th of this year, Syrian basketball player Sameh Surur was apprehended by the army and he remains in Al-Assad’s prisons to this day. Also, kickboxing champion Saria Al-Jazairi lifted the Syrian revolution flag on public television after winning the gold medal at a tournament in Cairo and ever since he has not dared to return to his home town.



Several months ago Syrian body building champion Muhammad Abulaban left the sport to join forces with the Free Syrian Army to fight for liberty, freedom, and protection of innocent civilians. Al-Jazirah news channel reported that he was hit during clashes with the government forces on Dec. 17 and died shortly afterwards as a result of his injuries.