I will never get how a politician whose background is education and who’s nearing the Lebanese legal retirement age has the qualifications to head the Lebanese department of Sports and Youth, but here we are – as usual – and that person is Mohammad Fneish.
The Lebanese minister of sports and youth is usually inconspicuous. They sponsor a few tournaments here and there, issue statements in support of our national teams every now and then, but the sports situation in the country is improving at a pace slower than a snail’s, the clearest indication our athletes not bringing in any medals at the Olympics and barely receiving governmental aid. In fact, those athletes had to pay for some of their expenses at the previous Olympics.
Today, Mohammad Fneish decided that MMA, which stands for mixed martial arts, would be banned in Lebanon and have all its licenses revoked, according to Sports-961. The resolution, which was published yesterday, says the following:
- Article 1: Resolution 67/1/2016 on 10/4/2012 regarding MMA is annulled, and so the said game becomes one of the non-practiced sports in Lebanon.
- Article 2: It is prohibited to any party, and under any title, to hold games, competitions and events of MMA or any similar sport in which a cage and violence are used, and that, under the risk of applying the laws in force.
- Article 3: This resolution will be published and divulged where needed.
Before going into the benefits of a sports like MMA, I can’t but note the irony in anyone banning a sports in Lebanon because it’s too “violent.” Our basketball games have a tendency to break out in riot just because. Our football games have the same tendency as well. MMA is one of the few sports in the country that is not synonymous with “violence” at this point, but it’s the one that banned.
It was a few weeks ago that all hell broke loose between Homentmen and Riyadi because the latter team’s fans raised Turkish flags to tease the Armenian-Lebanese team. Riyadi and Sagesse basketball games have been held more frequently without fans than with them because of how disruptive and violent they tend to become. Football games featuring Al Nejmeh and Al Ansar have also often managed to turn violent. What’s next, should we ban sports altogether just because the actions of a few individuals taint the bigger picture?
The even bigger irony is that the politician banning MMA is member of a Lebanese militia whose ideological existence is mostly based on the premise of “resistance,” which is inherently violent. How often does Hezbollah brag about its missiles, about its power to stop its enemies in their track? How many times has that party threatened the Lebanese interior to get its way? How many times has that party, in the past decade, launched mini civil wars against fellow Lebanese to get its way? I guess violence is only as such when it’s between two consenting adults in proper gear, but never with tanks and brigades in neighboring countries.
If anything, Lebanon needs MMA for the many benefits it contains which would better our society. It’s a discipline that has been shown to grow the confidence of the person training in it. It teaches them self-defense and is a good medium for them to release pent-up energy. It boosts self-discipline and forms bonds of friendships between those who are training and is known to be a huge stress- relief.
If anything, MMA controls the violent tendencies that we all have inside us especially in a country where daily life serves to boost our anger. Punches and kicks are not “violent” when they’re performed in a controlled medium. It’s like they want people to be on edge all the time and not want them to find media in which they can release all the crap they have to deal with daily because of the inadequacy of our governance.
People can get hurt doing all kinds of sports. You’d think a minister of sports and youth would know that.
A Separate State of Mind | A Blog by Elie Fares 
Fneish is not a minister.
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Resistance is inherently violent? What alternative do you suggest for people who are oppressed? And raising Turkish flags is okay in your opinion? Turkey arrests its journalists and academics and shuts down newspapers and TV channels if they criticize their government. Further, they support and fund terrorists fighting in Syria, let alone their denial of the Armenian genocide. Do you realize what raising the Turkish flag symbolizes?
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What does being oppressed have to do with it? Using weapons to do anything is violent. And did you even read the article I linked to with the Turkey flag incident before you started going off? Clearly not.
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You misunderstood my comment. I was not defending violence but resistance. You said resistance is inherently violent. Unfortunately, this is always used to show that people who resist are violent. When people are oppressed, resistance becomes a duty.
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Yes that militia is resisting in Syria now. 😒
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Do you prefer the head-choppers?
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No, but they’re not fighting against those as much as they are fighting for their interests with a regime that is worse than the head-choppers.
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I don”t believe that the Syrian government is worse than the head-choppers. Most Syrians would also disagree with you. Unfortunately, they are not given a voice in MSM. This is were we part.
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*where
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I will now read the article linked to the Turkish flag incident.
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Good article on the flag incident.
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🔹so because of the “Ban” our athletes are not bringing in any medals at the Olympics!?
🔹plus when u mentioned violence happening in football , basket & others did u realize that you’re talking about l audience ? or even more have you realized that the main purpose for those games isn’t violence?
🔻”The even bigger irony is that the politician …” this part clearly and cruelly describes your level of thinking…!! and to where u are aiming to reach . iam that much surprised by your talented abilities to mix politics with sports which they are totally separate domains
🔹”People can get hurt doing all kinds of sports. You’d think a minister of sports and youth would know that.” here particularly you lost your professionalism ..for many reasons i guess l summary must include hek political views to be more catchy like l tittle … you know … to help sport!
as a human i stand against any ban for any beneficial sport and i’ll be more than ready to defend for
second as a a person who deeply and truely belongs to the “Miltia” you talked about i want to clarify for ur blurred vision something that it’s not a “militia” it’s a مقاومة😍💎 that every noble person will always be proud of (like me) becaused it saved Lebanon not only during 2006 aganist isreal and now aganist head choppers but since 1982 and will forever defend Lebanon from ignorant greedy eyes💛
i hope for next time that u would never confuse ur political views with sports and to be more logical in what u write and as i said before i would definitely defend sports since its totally ignored in Lebanon*
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Who cares!!! About you and hezbollah and mohammad fneich and all your militia we need this sport back* mr Logical* we respect your militia but were waiting the same understanding back
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Mohammad fneich shame on you, your stopping the dream of millions unfortunately this guy is in hesbollah militia wich he doesnt know a little thing in sports this guy shouldnt be removed from the Lebanese department of Sports and Youth and should be replaced time will proof MY comment Mark My Words. Thank you for taking my dream childhood opportunity
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Who cares!!! About you and hezbollah and mohammad fneich and all your militia we need this sport back* mr Logical* we respect your militia but were waiting the same understanding back
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