Draw held for Asian Handball Championship

​DOHA, September 14, 2017- The draw for the 18th Asian Handball Championship was held in South Korea on Wednesday. The tournament will be staged in South Korea on January 18-28, 2018 with participation of 15 teams. The event will serve as a qualification tournament for the 2019 World Championship to be staged in Germany and Denmark. Four Asian teams will qualify to the world championship. The participating teams were distributed into 4 groups as Qatar will play in group (D) alongside Saudi Arabia, China and New Zealand. The Qatari national team will try to retain their Asian title they won in last edition in 2014 and 2016.

Paris and Los Angeles Confirmed as Hosts of 2024 and 2028 Olympic Games

Lima, September 14, 2017- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Wednesday confirmed that the French capital would host the 2024 Olympics, while Los Angeles was awarded the 2028 Games, following a unanimous vote at the 131st IOC Session in Lima, Peru.HE Secretary-General of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari led the Qatari delegation to the session, accompanied by Director of Sports Affairs Department Khalil Ibrahim Al Jaber and a number of directors and heads of departments at QOC."This is a win-win-win situation for Paris, Los Angeles and the entire Olympic Movement," said IOC President Thomas Bach.With the two teams, the final contestants of an initial six-strong field, having already agreed to split the 2024 and 2028 Games, there was none of the usual pre-announcement nerves and tension.In unusual circumstances, the IOC announced two host cities at the same event, with Bach calling it a "golden opportunity" to award two Games simultaneously.It sees the Games return to the United States for the first time since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and marks the third occasion in which Los Angeles has hosted (1932, 1984).For Paris, however, the wait has been considerably longer. The city last held the Olympics in 1924, meaning 2024 will mark the 100-year anniversary of its previous hosting.It also means Paris will become the second city to hold three separate Summer Games, after London and before Los Angeles. (QNA)

Qatar Men’s Volleyball League to begin on October 20

Doha, September 14, 2017- Qatar Volleyball Association held Wednesday the men's league draw for the new season, which set to start on 20 October, after replacing the method of determining the calendar from relying on the results of the previous season to the random withdrawal.The draw resulted in the distribution of the 10 clubs as follows: Al Shorta (1) Al Shamal (2) Al Wakra (3) Al Ahli (4) Al Sadd (5) Al Gharafa (6) Al Arabi (7) Al Khor (8) Al Rayyan (9) Qatar Club (10).In the opening round of the league, Al Shorta will face Qatar Club (1st with 10th), Al Shamal with Al Rayyan (second with ninth), Al Wakra with Al Khor (third with eighth), Al Ahli with Al Arabi (4th with 7th), Al Sadd with Al Gharafa (5th with 6th.It has been decided that clubs will coordinate with each other to organize friendly matches as an alternative to the Association's Cup, from Tuesday, October 10th until Wednesday, November 8th, to test the foreign players, before completing the procedures for their international transfers.

Stage set for QNB Stars League

DOHA, September 14, 2017- Qatar After over three months of hibernation, the QNB Stars League will kick-off with Al Gharafa taking on Al Ahli at the Al Gharafa Stadium on Friday.The Cheetahs since the exit of Pedro Caixinha, towards the end of the last season, have appointed former Olympic Marseille and Al Khor coach Jean Fernandez to put the club in contention for the coveted Falcon Shield a trophy they last won in 2010.Fernandez who stirred Al Khor away from relegation last term thinks Gharafa are still a work in progress."We are building a team right now with this set of players but that does not stop us from taking three points from every game."Our pre-season was good and this year with just 12 teams in the league, I think it is important to start well and take every game as a final."The Cheetahs finished fifth last season their best league position in the last four seasons and with an eye on breaking the top four, the club brought in attacking midfielder Luis Jimenez who was last seen in the colours of Al Arabi.Jimenez believes Gharafa have a lot to offer this season."I have seen the quality in our squad and I know we can be great. Personally I am ready to play and give everything on the pitch for the club."Al Ahli Club on the other hand have had an unstable couple of years. Former coach Yousef Adam was appointed in 2016 to after poor results led to the sack of Zlatko Kranjf1'e8ar in February 2016. Adam delivered, taking the team to 6th place in 2015/16 a feat that proved too much to repeat as Al Ahli could only finish 10th last season. One place ahead of the relegation zone.The Brigadiers appointed experienced spanish coach Joaquin Caparros in June and the former Deportivo La Coruna of Spain coach is rearing to go in his first managerial stint in the GCC.f0"I am glad to be working in Qatar with Al Ahli. This country has had many great Spanish players, and I hope we can win trophies at this great club," Caparros said."I know Jean Fernandez (AL Gharafa coach), He was coach of Marseille while I managed Deportivo in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. He has a good team in Gharafa, but they are rebuilding just like us. We will take it week by week and hard work will see us go far."Ghanaian defender John Benson also added that despite Gharafa's pedigree in the league, Ahli have nothing to worry about."We had a great pre-season, and we are set for the task ahead. This is an ideal test for us."In the other game of the day, the sixth and seventh placed team of the last season Umm Salal and Al Kharaitiyat will do battle. Kharaitiyat enjoyed a rich run of form towards the end of last season to shrug off relegation while Umm Salal enjoyed a steady campaign.

Qatar to participate in volleyball FIVB Challenger League for men

​DOHA, September 28, 2017-Qatar's national volleyball teams committee has unanimously agreed to take part in the first edition of the Men's FIVB Challenger League, to be held in the summer of 2018.The decision was arrived at during the meeting held on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Qatar Volleyball Association (QVA) in the presence of President Ali bin Ghanim al Kuwari and members of the QVA Board of Directors Mubarak Eid al Abdullah and Saeed Salem al Jamaani as well as the technical expert Hussein Imam.The QVA has received an official invitation from the International Federation to participate in the FIVB Challenger League, which is an alternative competition for the teams that will not be able to participate in the World League under its new system.The Qatari volleyball teams committee also discussed the preparation plan of the first team and the age groups in the coming period and reviewing the agenda of the Asian and international tournaments for all age groups for the year 2018.

Stage set for Qatar Volleyball League

​DOHA, September 13, 2017- The Qatar Volleyball Association (QVA) will hold the draw for its competitions at the QVA Headquarters on Wednesday. The Qatari Volleyball League will begin on November 20 while Qatari Youth Volleyball League will get underway on October 04.The Super Cup match will be held on November 10 as Al Rayyan will clash against Police at the QVA Indoor Hall.On the other hand, the Qatar Beach Volleyball will resume their training sessions at Al Gharafa Beach Volleyball Arena in preparation for the upcoming participations.Ali Ghanim Al Kuwari, President of the Qatar Volleyball Association said that the Qatari successful participation in the world beach volleyball championship helped the Qatari team secure the 18th place in the FIVB world ranking.