Badr Al-Darwish re-elected President of the Qatar Equestrian Federation & Modern Pentathlon

Doha: The General Assembly of the Qatar Equestrian Federation & Modern Pentathlon has re-elected Mr. Badr Mohamed Al-Darwish as President of the Federation for the term 2024-2028.   During the meeting, which was held today at the Federation's headquarters, Sheikh Ahmed bin Nooh Al-Thani was elected as Secretary-General, and Mr. Ali Yousef Al-Rumaihi as Assistant Secretary General.  Moreover, Mr. Ahmed Jaber Al-Mulla and Mr. Amer Mohammed Al-Humaidi were elected as members of the Board of Directors. The Assembly agenda included the approval of the previous meeting's minutes and the endorsement of the federation's budget.

Qatari national basketball team leaves for India for Asian qualifiers

DOHA –  The Qatar national basketball squad along with Turkish coach Hakan Demir departed for India to take part in the Asian qualifiers for the Saudi 2025 Asian Cup Finals. Qatar will compete in their first game of the second Asian window against India at 3:30pm on November 22 (Friday), at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. Following this encounter, they will go up against Iran back home on November 25 at the Al Gharafa Hall. These games are part of Group E, which also features Kazakhstan. Qatar recently put up an impressive performance in the 12th edition of the King Abdullah II International Basketball Cup in Jordan achieving a second place finish with victories over Syria and Palestine. However, they were defeated in the final by the host nation. The showing marks a significant milestone in Qatar team’s preparations for the upcoming qualifiers for the 2025 Asian Cup. The team includes 15 players: Omar Mohamed Saad, Mustafa Fouda, Mahmoud Darwish, Khaled Rushdi, Babacar Dieng, Nadim Muslik, Mohamed Bashir, Tyler James Lee Harris, Aladji Boubou Magassa, Ndaye Elhaj Sidou, Abdullah Yassin, Mustafa Ndaw, Mike Lewis, Alen Hadzibegovic, and Donte Grantham. The team’s mission is headed by Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, Secretary-General of the Qatar Basketball Federation, along with members of the administrative and technical staff: Jassim Ashkanani, team manager, Nabil Juma, team administrator, in addition to the Turkish Hakan Demir (technical manager), Cengiz Karadag (assistant coach), Sonit Yetim (fitness coach), Gokteg Dalbazar (coach), Ihadji Abdo (assistant coach), Adel Khadir (therapist), Nicasio Sejano (masseur), and Abdel Fattah (mission worker). Iran lead Group E standings with four points, same as Kazakhstan, while the Qatar are in third place with two points, same as that of India, who are in fourth place.  

Team Qatar keen to get the better of UAE in FIFA World 2026 Qualifiers

ABU DHABI-  A determined Qatar will take on United Arab Emirates in another crucial clash when they face off in Group A of the AFC Asian Qualifiers- Road to FIFA World Cup 2026 at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday at 7pm (Doha Time). Team Qatar  have found the rhythm, they lacked earlier in the qualifiers, in a thrilling MatchDay Five battle against Uzbekistan on home turf and which they won 3-2 with a last-gasp winner from Lucas Mendes. In contrast, UAE who began their campaign with a stunning win over Qatar in their opening game, had to wait till Matchday Five for their second victory. Given the scenario, twice Asian champions Qatar would have the advantage and would be looking to drive home the point with a clinical win. Both Qatar and UAE having revived their respective campaigns with wins last Thursday are seeking another three points to stay within sight of Iran and Uzbekistan in the race to seal the two automatic qualifying slots. While Iran are on top of the group with 13 points, Uzbekistan are on 10 points. Qatar and UAE both have 7 points each. Kyrgyzstan (3pts) and North Korea (2) complete the group. While the top two finishers in each group qualify automatically, the third and fourth placed teams will advance to a playoff where another two berths will be at stake. Speaking on eve of the match, Qatar skipper and AFC Player of the Year Akram Afif said his team is focused on the campaign and are looking to deliver their best ““Our complete focus is on securing a win, which is pivotal for our qualifying campaign.  Collecting three points is crucial, and we will give our all to achieve the goal, said Afif. “The fans mean a lot to us, as they provide immense motivation. We promise to do our best to make them proud and happy,” he added. Qatar’s Spanish coach Marquez Lopez said his team’s win over Uzbekistan has acted as a morale-booster. “The win against Uzbekistan was a huge morale boost for us and will help in the crucial match against the UAE. Rising in the standings is very important for us. “We had limited preparation time, but we are physically ready for the challenge,” said Lopez. He added: “The UAE are an excellent team, but tomorrow’s match will be different from our previous encounter. We controlled the game in the first half but conceded goals in the second half due to counter-attacks. Maintaining 100 percent focus will be key to securing victory.” Meanwhile, UAE’s head coach Paulo Bento will hope his team have turned the corner and can embark on a run that seals them automatic qualification to the global showpiece for just the second time in their history. “We don’t have to think too much of the upcoming game against Qatar, but it’s important we rest now, allow the players to recover as much as possible, then begin our preparations,” Bento said after the 3-0 win against Kyrgyzstan on Thursday. “There is more than one way to reach the World Cup and we need to try as much as we can to go all the way to be there,” said Bento, who previously guided his native Portugal and South Korea at the Finals. “This is not the best time to just spend too much energy thinking about the World Cup and the game against Qatar but of course, on the pitch they need to be able to take all those decisions. “Qatar are a tough side with quality and experienced players. They’ve won two Asian Cup titles and also competed in the World Cup. It’s going to be a difficult match. “This is an important game for us. We succeeded in winning the away fixture against Qatar and now aim to deliver our best performance and earn the desired result. We trust in our capabilities. “Each match is different, and this one won’t be the same as our last meeting. It’s difficult to replicate results in football, but we must draw lessons from the previous match and other games to craft a winning strategy.” UAE right-back Khaled Al Dhanhani, said, “The match is vital for both teams. We are determined to secure three points in front of our home fans, whose support provides a massive morale boost.” Against Uzbekistan, Mendes’ goal deep into added time secured Qatar a 3-2 win and coach Lopez will hope the thrilling win will steer his side past UAE, who won the reverse fixture 3-1 in September. Seeking to qualify for the FIFA World Cup on merit for the first time, back-to-back AFC Asian Cup champions Qatar have found the AFC Asian Qualifiers difficult to navigate but Lopez believes Thursday’s win will motivate his squad against a UAE side who have won five of their previous eight meetings.  

Team Qatar Shooters return home to a warm welcome

DOHA – Team Qatar's shooters received a festive reception at  the Hamad International Airport on Sunday  after securing five medals  in  the Arab shotgun Championship 2024 held in Kuwait  recently , an event that featured 15 GCC and Arab nations. Team Qatar shooters Reem Al-Sharshani, Hajar Ghulam Mohamed, and Sarah Ghulam Mohamed claimed the silver medal of the Skeet Women’s Team event, while   in the Trap Men’s Team event, the trio of Mohamed Al-Rumaihi, Rashid Al-Athba, and Ali Al-Athba secured the bronze medal . Continuing their victorious streak ,  Team Qatar, shooters  Mitha Al-Binali, Kholoud Al-Khalaf, and Amna Al-Abdullah earned the  bronze of women's event.   

Qatar defeat Palestine in Jordan International

Doha: The Qatari national basketball team secured a hard-fought victory in their second game of the 12th King Abdullah II International Basketball Cup, triumphing 74-72 over the Palestinian team after extra time. This game took place on Sunday evening at Prince Hamzah Hall in Al Hussein Youth City, located in the Jordanian capital, Amman. The game concluded its four regular quarters with scores of 11-11, 21-15, 16-19, and 15-18, while the extra period ended 11-9 in favor of the Qatari team. This tournament, now in its 12th edition, follows a single-stage league format and serves as a preparatory event for the four participating teams ahead of the double qualifiers for the Asian Cup, scheduled to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and the 2027 World Cup in Doha. The Qatari team commenced their tournament journey with a victory against the Syrian team, winning 75-66, while the Palestinian team faced a defeat in their opening game against the host, Jordan, with a score of 80-92. This tournament presents a significant opportunity for the Qatari team to enhance their players' readiness prior to the Asian qualifiers for the 2025 Saudi Asian Cup. Following their second victory, the Qatari team is set to compete in their final game of the tournament against the Jordanian team on Monday, November 18, at 7:30 PM. The Qatari team's preparations will continue with a game against the Indian team on November 21 as part of the 2025 Asian Cup qualifiers in India, followed by a game against the Iranian team in Doha on November 25 at Al Gharafa Hall. The list of players includes: Omar Mohamed Saad, Mustafa Fouda, Mahmoud Darwish, Khaled Rushdi, Babacar Dieng, Nadim Muslik, Mohamed Bashir, Tyler James Lee Harris, Aladji Boubou Magassa, Ndaye Elhaj Sidou, Abdullah Yassin Musa, Mustafa Ndaw. The Qatari team's mission in Jordan is headed by Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari, Secretary General of the Qatar Basketball Federation, and the administrative and technical staff includes Jassim Ashkanani (team manager), Nabil Juma (team administrator), in addition to the technical staff led by Turkish coach Hakan Demir and his assistants. The Jordanian team is the record holder for winning the King Abdullah II International Cup Championship with five titles, and the title holder of the last two editions, while the Lebanese team has two titles, while the Egyptian, Tunisian, Saudi and Lebanese Riyadi teams have one title each.  

Thani Shams shines with silver medal at UAE Sailing Championship

Abu Dhabi: Thani Shams of Team Qatar secured the silver medal of the ILCA 4 event at the 2024 UAE Open Sailing Championship, held over two days.The event brought together more than 110 sailors, representing teams from Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Singapore, and the host nation, the United Arab Emirates.Praising the young sailor's accomplishment, Ali Nasser Talfat, Secretary General of the Qatar Sailing & Rowing Federation highlighted the significance of Shams’ achievement. "This silver medal reflects Thani’s dedication and underscores Qatar's growing prominence in regional sailing," he stated, adding that the result inspires future prospects for Team Qatar in the sport.