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Re: [RC] [RC] Rc;Rc:Dubai Time - Maryanne GabbaniIt does't occur to you that my time spent might be precisely why I am not so generous? I have never in my life seen people more determined to be acclaimed winner of something at WHATEVER cost than from the UAE. I will admit that I have found Dubai to be the most ruthless, but when you have watched up close and personal the extent to which they will go to a) put on the biggest show no matter how little it actually means, and b) the extent to which they will ignore, bend, and break rules while expecting everyone else to follow them....after a while, it's pretty hard to label their winning as an achievement. The extravagant hoopla and the sycophantic press releases...well those are achievements of sorts.Sure, they have achieved some things in terms of being able to tune a horse to perform some super-equine speeds...but at what cost? I have watched some of the smoothest doping done right under the noses of officials, I've seen just how long "FEI officials" (who oddly enough make their livings as employees of the studs in the area) will close their eyes to infractions. I've watched the "FEI" change the rules of a sport to mold it into what their benefactor wants in terms of speed and venue...in the process eliminating other possibilities for the sport. The last little CoC hiccup with Malaysia was perhaps the most blatant attempt. The Emiratis comprise 3% of their own population, and they sure are not the workers on the front lines. Do you or they honestly believe that people working in their studs, racetracks and hospitals DON'T go home and talk about the "wonders" that they've seen, the marvelous medicines that can help a very tired horse not look tired anymore? I'm sorry. You can build Disneyland on the Gulf and everyone can come and admire it, but to fantasize that the dwarves and birds and mice doing all the housework don't tell tales at home is just plain silly. They are marvelous businessmen and have created the business of endurance racing. They did a very thorough vertical expansion through the regulatory mechanisms, the best sporting blitz krieg I've ever seen, and my hypothetical hat is definitely off to them for that. But I don't see any romance in this. I see dangerous envelopes being pushed by horses...but then maybe that doesn't matter, does it because you can always buy a new one. Sorry, Nik, no rose coloured glasses here. And I've most definitely just shot down my career in diplomacy, but I sleep very well. Cassandra On The Nile On Jan 13, 2008 2:08 AM, Nik Isahak Abdullah <
drnikisahak@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
-- Maryanne Stroud Gabbani msgabbani@xxxxxxxxx Egypt Face to Face www.alsorat.com Weblogs: Living In Egypt miloflamingo.blogspot.com Cairo/Giza Daily Photo cairogizadailyphoto.blogspot.com Turn Right At The Sarcophagus haramlik.blogspot.com Photos of Egypt: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livinginegypt/
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