WEST BANK: Beit Jala Lions become the first rugby team in the Palestinian territories

Record ID: 1487807

  • Title: WEST BANK: Beit Jala Lions become the first rugby team in the Palestinian territories
  • Date: 6th April 2009
  • Summary: BEIT JALA, WEST BANK (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF RUGBY TEAM TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF THE BEIT JALA LIONS RUGBY TEAM, NASSAR KHAMIS, SAYING: "The youth have developed. At the start we had 6 individuals and currently we have about 40 players in two teams; a team for the older players and a team for the younger ones." VARIOUS OF RUGBY TEAM TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PLAYER, NICOLA STIFAN, SAYING: "Because it's a new game and nobody knew very much about it in this country, it was a new idea and I wanted to see what this new idea was. I learned a bit about rugby and I liked it a lot so I continued with it." VARIOUS OF PLAYERS TRAINING CLOSE OF RUGBY BALLS ON PITCH MORE OF TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF THE BEIT JALA LIONS RUGBY TEAM, NASSAR KHAMIS, SAYING: "We've knocked on all doors, we've asked the Ministry of Youth and Sports to help us to set up a Rugby league however the law says that there needs to be four teams to have a recognised league. Unfortunately the game is not well known. But we told them we are ready to train other teams in other clubs but till now, no answer." BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF THE MINISTRY OF THE YOUTH AND SPORTS IN BETHLEHEM REPRESENTATIVE , ABDEL NASSER AL-SHARIF, WRITING AT DESK CLOSE OF CERTIFICATE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) THE MINISTRY OF THE YOUTH AND SPORTS IN BETHLEHEM REPRESENTATIVE, ABDEL NASSER AL-SHARIF, SAYING: "Honestly speaking, as a sports club, the Ministry of Youth and Sports have asked us not to establish sports clubs, however I have one suggestion for them, that they establish a specialist club that focuses solely on rugby, so if there is more than one club, they can establish a Rugby league." BEIT JALA, WEST BANK (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF RUGBY BEIT JALA LIONS TEAM TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PLAYER, SAMER TAREH, SAYING: "When we first started, there was no stadium, no balls and not too many players. But bit by bit, thank God, we developed, we got funding and the youth liked the game and the numbers have gone up." CLOSE OF BEIT JALA LIONS LOGO ON SWEATSHIRT MORE OF PLAYERS PLAYING RUGBY
  • Embargoed: 21st April 2009 23:31
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Lifestyle,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA3VTHR525KWDKQYJZAYSG3WTUV
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: 'Beit Jala Lions', the first Rugby team in the Palestinian territories, has been set up by young athletes in the West Bank town of Beit Jala. The team formed a year ago and has since developed significantly.
    Initially made up of only 6 member, Beit Jala Lions are now 40 strong in numbers.
    "At the start we had 6 individuals and currently we have about 40 players in two teams; a team for the older players and a team for the younger ones," the head of Beit Jala Lions, Nassar Khamis told Reuters Television.
    The idea for the team began when Hungarian coach Martin Bisztrai met with some Palestinian youths curious to find out more about his sport.
    Bisztrai decided to train those interested and shortly after, the first Palestinian rugby team was born.
    Nicola Stifan was intrigued by this new sport that few knew little about and pursued his interest only to discover a new hobby he wanted to take further.
    "It's a new game and nobody knew very much about it in this country, it was a new idea and I wanted to see what this new idea was. I learned a bit about rugby and I liked it a lot so I continued with it,"
    said Stifan.
    All members of the team are still students, at school or university, hoping to some day form a rugby league. However, the head of the Lions is finding it difficult to get external support for his new team and any promotion of the game in other Palestinian areas.
    "We've knocked on all doors, we've asked the Ministry of Youth and Sports to help us to set up a rugby league however the law says that there needs to be four teams to have a recognised league," said Khamis.
    "Unfortunately the game is not well known. But we told them we are ready to train other teams in other clubs but till now, no answer," he added.
    When asked, Abdel Nasser al-Sharif, a spokesman from the Ministry of Youth in Bethlehem and Sports, said that the way around such obstacles is to form a club specific to Rugby which in turn allows for the growth and development of a rugby league.
    "I have one suggestion for them, that they establish a specialist club that focuses solely on rugby, so if there is more than one club, they can establish a Rugby league," he said.
    However, despite it's relatively unknown status in the area, those participating in the sport have felt significant progress in the field.
    "When we first started, there was no stadium, no balls and not too many players. But bit by bit, thank God, we developed, we got funding and the youth liked the game and the numbers have gone up," said rugby player Samer Tareh.
    In April 2009 Beit Jala Lions are due to compete with the Jordanian Rugby Team in Amman. The team aims to become a member of the Arabian Gulf Rugby Football Union and participate in the annual Dubai Rugby Sevens tournament.
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