Snickers creates World's first desert "4Xfootball" match

Jeeps play daredevil football match in sand dunes

Dubai/Riyadh, June 13, 2006: With Saudi Arabia's match against Tunisia in the world cup just two days away, rumour has it that camera phone footage featuring a sneak preview of a daring football match involving Jeeps and a one metre diameter football has been circulating via the web throughout the Middle East.

The match, dubbed "SNICKERS 4XFootball", is reported to have been played amidst the frenzy of the World Cup's first weekend. Football fans in the region are said to have demonstrated their true passion and craze for the 'beautiful game' by participating in a 'World's First' 4X4 Jeep football match played in the desert.

Commenting on the initiative Tarek Abdallah, Category Development Manager, MasterFoods said: "SNICKERS shares the same hunger for the world's most popular sport as football fanatics across the Middle East. SNICKERS has always been passionately involved in football and an event of this kind reflects our determination to bring the sport to life in a truly dynamic and out of the ordinary way. It was a great opportunity for us to create a world's first and to elevate our love for football to a completely new level."

The Jeeps were divided into two teams four Jeeps representing Saudi Arabia and the other four representing Tunisia to play in a high tempo match from sunrise to sunset on a 250m x 150m pitch with a one metre diameter ball.

To beat the summer heat, the game kicked off at 5am with jeeps tackling each other over sand dunes with the aim of scoring a goal. Excited Saudi fans cheered on their home jeep drivers for the incredible skills performed during the match.

Jeep experts juggled the ball and took hand-break turns with dare-devil driving tricks creating a striking in game sand storm culminating in a stunning finale with the match ending in penalties.

Saudi Arabia snatched victory in dramatic style and celebrated their success by showering each other with chilled water.

Mohammed Aziz, a Saudi jeep expert, commented on the team's victory, "This is one of the best and most fun ideas ever to be created in football history. We are so excited and thankful to SNICKERS for helping us manage an event of this kind. Football is not just a sport for us but a way of life. It is our passion and we have proved this today by participating in the world's first ever 4x4 football match."

Match Facts:
Pitch Size        250m x 150 m
Ball Size          1m wide
Goal Posts      6m x 3m
Cameras mounted on cars and camels to capture stunning shots
Footage recorded as video file and MPEGs

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For further information please contact:
Mohammed Ahmed Abdullah
Impact Porter Novelli
Tel: + 971 50 284 0432
Email: a.abdallah@ipn.ae

Sarika Aidasani
Impact Porter Novelli
Mobile: +97150 612 7765
Email: s.aidasani@ipn.ae