The ruler of Oman, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, has awarded the national football team cash and land to show his thanks for them winning the Arabian Gulf Cup which was held in Kuwait last week.
The rewards will be given to the 26 members of the national team. The gifts are not exclusively for the players and will also be distributed to the support staff as well.
The Omani News Agency, a state-run broadcaster, said that the Sultan rewarded the team “in appreciation for their grand accomplishment, which instilled happiness in all Omanis and residents on this dear homeland, and in recognition of their top professional performance.”
Oman’s victory at the Gulf Cup marks the second time they have won. The championship has been held 23 times.
The Sultan also hopes to encourage more people to take up sports and “hoist the flag of the Sultanate.”
The Sultan is known for his neutral position, maintaining a relationship with Iran and the UK at the same time. The Sultan and the Emir of Kuwait have worked to resolve diplomatic crises in the region.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain threatened to withdraw from the championship if it was held in Qatar like it was originally planned to be. The championship was later moved to Kuwait in order to please all the countries participating.
The Sultan has a long history of awarding people and groups prizes as rewards or for bailouts. Most recently, he gave a $250 million grant in order to combat the increased cost of petrol and help the lowest earners.
Jordan, dear: The plural of crisis is crises. No need for an apostrophe anywhere…