Earlier this year, WFN ran a story on a a young Muslim, Bachar Houli and his aspirations to become the AFL's first high-profile Muslim footballer. For those that aren't aware, the draft took place last Saturday and Houli was fortunate enough to have been selected by Essendon with pick 42.

In the West, the Middle East is never far from front page news. Unfortunately, in the world of Aussie Rules, it has been quite the contrary. There have been attempts to set up competitions in Lebanon, Israel and Turkey, but ultimately, they either haven't yet come to fruition, or they are on hiatus. Furthermore, the recent tension in the area is unlikely to have done a great deal to help proceedings. Yet almost unnoticed, the United Arab Emirates, renowned for its rapid city construction levels and more tolerant way of life (at least from a Western perspective), has produced a team in the city of Dubai.

As a Muslim and being of Lebanese extract, Bachar Houli is hardly the stereotypical footballer. Yet next week, Houli will pull on the Vic Metro jumper and represent his state in the Under-18 national competition. It is a big step for any footballer, let alone one who has had to struggle at times with the additional stresses of racial, religious and cultural differences.

As Australia's Jewish community grew over the past fifty years, many new arrivals and their children grew to love the indigenous code. Melbourne's predominantly Jewish AJAX football club have a proud history in the VAFA and a side representing Israel won the inaugral Multicultural Cup in 2004. Australian Jews migrating to Israel also took the game with them, and moves are afoot to start something more permanent.

Hashem Ouaida recently returned to Melbourne following one year of hard work bringing the Australian native code to his ancestral homeland of Lebanon. His efforts also helped start up a Melbourne Lebanese community football organisation which fielded a side in this year's Multicultural Cup and has started a Sunday social competition.

World Footy News recently caught up with Ouaida to talk about their progress.