Qatar to participate in 46th OCA General Assembly in Tashkent

Tashkent - Qatar is participating in the 46th General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), which begins on Monday in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent.The event is expected to mark the election of President of the Qatar Olympic Committee HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, as the new OCA President, signaling the start of a new era for the continent's largest sports organization.More than 350 sports officials from 45 Asian National Olympic Committees, along with representatives from international sports organizations, are attending the assembly.Participants will review reports from organizing committees for upcoming regional events, including the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (19 September- October 4), the Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China (April 22-30), and the 2026 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (February 8-10).The assembly will open with a welcome address by Timothy Fok, First Vice-President of the OCA and Chairman of the Hong Kong Olympic Committee, followed by remarks from Uzbek President HE Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who also serves as head of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan.The agenda includes approval of minutes from the 45th General Assembly in Kuwait last May and reports from regional vice-presidents. 

Tolan and Mohari Crowned Champions at the Doha 2026 Fencing Grand Prix

DOHA - Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, crowned Hungarian player Ester Mohari with the gold medal in the women’s category at the conclusion of the Doha 2026 Grand Prix Fencing Championship.The event was conducted by the Qatar Fencing Federation under the supervision of the International Fencing Federation, with great success at the Aspire Halls for 3 days, with the participation of 433 players, including 254 male players and 179 female players representing 53 countries, including 8 Arab countries: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Tunisia and the UAE.Thomas Bach, Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee, awarded the gold medal to Dutch player Tristan Tolan in the men’s category, while Abdul Moneim Al Husseini, President of the International Fencing Federation, awarded the silver medal to Italian Simone Mencarelli, and Abdullah Ali Al Ghanim, President of the Qatar Fencing Federation, awarded the bronze medal to players Dimitri Joseph and Hungarian Gergely Szekoly (ranked first in the world).In the men’s singles final, Dutchman Tristan Tolan won the title after defeating his Italian opponent Simone Mencarelli with a score of (15 - 7), with the latter taking the silver.The bronze medal went to Dimitri Joseph (playing under a neutral flag) after he lost in the semi-finals to Dutchman Tristan Tolan (12-7), and the bronze was also won by Hungarian Gergely Szekossi (world number one) after he lost to Italian Simone Mencarelli (world number 59) (15-9) in the second semi-final match.In the women’s singles final, Hungary’s Ester Mohari won the title and the gold medal after defeating her French opponent Alexandra Louis-Marie 15-5, with Alexandra taking the silver.Frenchwoman Alexandra Louise Marie had won in the semi-finals against her compatriot Marie Florence Kandasamy by a score of 15 to 12, while Hungarian player Ester Muhari had defeated Ukrainian Anna Maksymenko by a score of 15 to 14 in the semi-finals as well. Thus, the French player Marie Florence Kandasamy and the Ukrainian Anna Maksymenko won bronze medals.The Doha 2026 Grand Prix Epee tournament is considered one of the top 3 tournaments in the world after the Grand Prix in Hungary and the Grand Prix in Colombia, and its points count towards the world ranking of players.The tournament prizes total $22,000, with the winner receiving $5,000, the runner-up winner receiving $3,000, and the third and third-place winners each receiving $1,500.It is worth mentioning that the Grand Prix Fencing Championship includes 9 rounds in different countries around the world in the three weapons “Epee, Foil and Sabre”, with 3 rounds for each weapon, and each round is held in one country.Hamad Saad Al-Jassim, Deputy Director of the Doha 2026 Grand Prix Fencing Championship, expressed his delight that the tournament was presented in the best possible way, both technically and organizationally, and that the current edition achieved great success. 

Thrilling Action Continues on Day Two of Doha 2026 Fencing Grand Prix

DOHA – Excitement remained high on the second day of the Doha 2026 Fencing Grand Prix, as top-level men’s and women’s épée competitions continued at Aspire. The three-day event, organized by the Qatar Fencing Federation under the supervision of the International Fencing Federation (FIE), brings together 433 fencers from 53 countries, including eight Arab nations: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Tunisia, and the UAE.The day was marked by a high-profile visit from  Mr. Thomas Bach, Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee, alongside Abdel Moneim El-Husseini, President of the International Fencing Federation, and Sheikh Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the Asian and UAE Fencing Federations. They were welcomed by Abdullah Ali Al-Ghanem, President of the Qatar Fencing Federation, and senior federation officials.The guests toured the Aspire venue, checked the competition facilities, visited the training and weapons control areas, met fencers, coaches, and referees, and watched parts of the matches. Bach praised Qatar’s excellent organization and the modern technical systems used in the championship.On the piste, the men’s preliminary rounds delivered strong and competitive bouts, with fencers battling for places in the knockout stages. Several top international athletes advanced smoothly to the next rounds after impressive performances.Qatar’s fencers also made positive progress. Youssef Abdul-Tawab reached the round of 128 for the first time before losing to Portugal’s Filipe Frazao, while Abdulrahman Al-Jidrah reached the round of 256 and narrowly lost after a tough contest. Their participation offers valuable experience against some of the world’s best-ranked fencers.The championship concludes on Sunday with the main round of 64 for women and men, as world champions and the top 16 ranked fencers enter the competition. Among the stars expected to compete is Japan’s Koki Kano, Olympic gold medalist at Paris 2024, along with several Olympic medalists and the defending Doha Grand Prix champion.A total of 19 referees are officiating the event, including three from Qatar. Championship officials expressed their satisfaction with the smooth running of the competition and the application of new international fencing rules, highlighting the tournament’s high technical and organizational standards. 

Hamad Bin Khalifa University to Host 2nd GCC Women’s University Sports Tournament

Doha, January 24, 2026: Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development, is set to host the 2nd GCC Women’s Sports Tournament for Universities and Higher Education Institutions from February 6 to 11, 2026.Sponsored by the Ministry of Sports and Youth and hosted for the first time in the State of Qatar, the tournament seeks to strengthen cooperation among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, while also contributing to the regional development of women’s university sports.By bringing together universities and higher education institutions from across the GCC, HBKU is advancing its role as an advocate for regional cooperation, knowledge exchange, and collaborative institutional partnership. Leveraging world-class infrastructure, the tournament advances the University’s academic mission beyond the classroom, reinforcing student development and well-being as core pillars of higher education.Competition takes place across seven venues, six within Education City and one at Qatar University, with the opening ceremony on February 7, 2026, at Al Shaqab’s Longine Indoor Arena. Around 450 female students representing 16 of the region’s universities and higher education institutions will compete across eight sports: football, volleyball, basketball, padel, table tennis, badminton, athletics, with fencing making its first appearance at the tournament.The tournament’s draw ceremony is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, January 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m at Education City Stadium. Attendees will include heads of the technical committees from the relevant federations, representatives from participating universities, and members of the supervisory committee.Commenting on the competition, Dr. Maryam Hamad Al-Mannai, Vice President for Student Affairs, HBKU, and Chair of the tournament’s Supreme Organizing Committee, stated: “Hosting this event reflects the University’s academic and societal mission. It is not solely a sporting occasion, but a complementary experience that brings together sport, education, and culture, while highlighting the role of women in our societies. We are working with various stakeholders to ensure a successful tournament promoting women’s university sports.”Beyond competition, the tournament affirms the core values of teamwork, integrity, and resilience, while advancing women’s participation in sport as a catalyst for human development and social progress. 

Olympic Champion Duplantis To Open Outdoor Season And Challenge Meeting Record In Doha

Multiple Olympic, world and European champion Mondo Duplantis (SWE) will be hoping it’s third-time lucky when he competes at the Mazzraty Doha Meeting – the opening meeting of the 2026 Wanda Diamond league series – at the Qatar Sports Club on Friday 8 May.A two-time Olympic gold medallist, the dominant 26-year-old has been crowned world champion six times at senior level (three times outdoors, three times indoors), won a hattrick of senior European outdoor titles and won five successive Diamond league titles from 2021-2025 inclusive.He has broken the world record 14 times since 2020, most recently clearing a gravity-defying 6.30m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo where he successfully defended his global title.He is also unbeaten in this Doha Diamond League fixture, but it’s been far from plain sailing. The 2020 event was postponed due to the pandemic (he won the rescheduled competition with a best of 5.82m), while in 2022 the men’s pole vault was delayed by one day and moved indoors due to high winds. Duplantis cleared 6.02m for the win on that occasion – a mark that still stands as the meeting record.“We’ve had a couple of challenges in the past for sure, but I’ve always loved coming to Doha,” said the 2025 World Athlete of the Year.“Last year was amazing for me. I ticked off a couple of really big goals, stuff that was high up on my bucket list, but my hunger and motivation is still 100% there. My training has gone well over the winter and I’m looking forward to competing indoors – it’s important to have something new to aim for, and for me, I want to successfully defend my European title.“Doha will follow and it’s the perfect meet to kick off my outdoor season. I definitely prefer the warm weather to the cold, so hopefully conditions will be conducive to jumping high, challenging my meeting record, and setting a solid benchmark – and new goals – for the year ahead.”The Mazzraty Doha Meeting is the opening meeting of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League. The series comprises 15 of the most prestigious events in global track and field across four different continents. It concludes with a single final across two days in Brussels (4-5 September). 

3x3 All Star Game at the Match for Hope Fan Festival

Doha: The Naismith Trophy will be displayed for the first time in a public space in Doha, the host of the next FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2027.The World Cup trophy will take centre stage at the Match for Hope Fan Festival, set to take place from the 24th to the 31st  January 2026 at Place Vendome Mall (Gate 1 Eiffel, 2nd floor) in Lusail.All fans will have the opportunity to witness the most coveted prize in basketball, stand proudly next to it and take a picture.The FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 Local Organizing Committee and the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) have joined forces with Qatar’s International Media Office (IMO) and Education Above All Foundation (EAA) to create a unique basketball fan engagement experience.The Match for Hope Fan Festival will run for eight consecutive days. Basketball fans are going to have the opportunity to test their skills playing in an official World Cup 3x3 basketball court, coached by Qatar National Team technical staff, participate in shooting contests and can earn prizes, including tickets for Qatar’s National Team upcoming games in FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers Window 2.The highlight of the basketball activation at the Match for Hope Fan Festival will be the 3x3 All Star Game on the 28h January 2026 with the participation of Qatar and Lebanon’s National Team players and famous content creators that will travel to Doha.The basketball activation at the Match for Hope Fan Festival will tip off on the 24th of January 2026 with exciting performances of the school teams that participate at the Mini World Cup, and Qatar’s National Women’s basketball Team will visit the Fan Festival the same day to meet with the fans.Match for Hope is a charity football match that is held annually in Doha. Football legends and famous content creators participate in this admirable effort. All the proceeds go to support quality education for disadvantaged young people across the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Since 2024, Match for Hope has raised over $19.5 million, giving thousands of children hope for a brighter future. This year the Match for Hope will take place on the 30th January 2026 at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 LOC Executive Director of Sport Directorate said: “Education is one of the priorities for Qatar Basketball Federation. We firmly believe that basketball can be used to raise awareness for the right to education. Qatar National Team is one of the very best in Asia and our star players are excited with the opportunity to be part of the basketball activation at the Match for Hope Fan Festival. We extend an invitation to the basketball community of our great country to visit the Fan Festival and take part in all the activities”.