Team Qatar to participate in WAFF U-23 Championship

Amman: The West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) has announced that team Qatar will participate in the 2022 WAFF U-23 Championship to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from November 03 to 18. The event will bring together 9 teams including Qatar, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Lebanon, Bahrain, Yemen and hosts Saudi Arabia. The WAFF also confirmed that the draw of the event will take place in Amman, Jordan on October 20.

Team Qatar Gymnasts claim seven medals in Arab Championship

Algeria – Qatar’s  Rakan Al Harith and Mohammed Al Nahdi have made impressive performance to win seven medals , including a sliver and six bronze medals  in the 3rd  Arab Artistic Gymnastics Championship , which held recently  in Algerian city of  Oran. In the single event, team Qatar gymnast Rakan Al Harith  raised the scale of challenge  to claim the Men’s pommel horse silver as his teammate Mohammed Al Nahdi won a total of  six bronze medals in all events  of junior category. This six-day championship brought together almost 82  gymnasts from seven Arab countries, including Qatar, Kuwait, Yemen, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt and hosts Algeria.

QOC announce Doha 2030’s Project Legacy at OCA General Assembly

Phnom Penh - The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) delegation participated in the 41st Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly held in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh on Tuesday. The QOC delegation was led by QOC President H.E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani. At the beginning of the General Assembly, respects were paid to those who have passed away. The General Assembly commemorated former President of the QOC, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani. The OCA members strongly supported the nomination of H.E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani as a Senior Vice President of Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC). During the meetings, the QOC announced Project Legacy of the Doha 2030 Asian Games which will ensure pre-Games benefits for all Asian National Olympic Committees (NOCs). Project Legacy is made possible by Doha already having all the infrastructure in place to host a world-class Asian Games in 2030 across 54 sports and disciplines in 39 state-of-the-art venues. Doha 2030’s innovative and unique legacy project will be open to all of Asia’s NOCs, ensuring targeted assistance across various areas such as athlete development, training for NOC personnel and equipment provision. QOC Secretary General and OCA Vice President to the 2030 Asian Games, H.E Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain said: “We promised that the Doha 2030 legacy would begin in 2021 and it has. Even before the formal launch of our pre-Games legacy project, we have supported Asian athletes through Tokyo 2020 preparations, athlete rehabilitation and many other programmes. Now, following collaboration with the OCA, we have announced Doha 2030’s Project Legacy.” “We have been working with the OCA to ensure that Doha 2030 benefits all of Asia’s NOCs and its athletes. Qatar is committed to ensuring that not only Team Qatar excels, but all of Asia’s athletes excel as well. That process has already begun and is already bearing fruit.” Project Legacy will be overseen by a Legacy Committee, chaired by QOC President H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and an Executive Board which comprises a team represented by the OCA, the Local Organizing Committee, in addition to other stakeholders. “Project Legacy will create diverse opportunities for partnership and engagement within Asia’s Olympic family,” said QOC Marketing and Communications Director Sheikha Asma Al Thani. “It will also contribute to sustainable athlete development pathways and enhanced athlete performance. So that come 2030, every NOC has the chance to send their strongest team and achieve their best results at an Asian Games.” “We can reassure Asian NOCs that we are delivering on the promises we made to you. And we will continue to do so over the next eight years to bring you and your athletes lasting benefits and guarantee a world-class Asian Games.” To apply, NOCs will be invited twice a year, to complete an online application form through the Doha 2030 Asian Games legacy page. Project Legacy will ensure targeted assistance for NOCs across: Local & regional elite training camps; Social and cultural camps for youth engagement; Athlete development; Training and professional certification for NOC personnel; Lectures and knowledge sharing; Medical & anti-doping workshops; Equipment provision; Facility co-development; and Medical support. Each Division that forms part of the Legacy Committee will provide an assessment and evaluation of each NOC application. To ensure transparency and no overlap with any OCA project, an independent Technical Evaluation Committee of OCA representatives will lead the approval process. Once an application is approved, it will be transferred to the responsible Division for implementation, coordination and follow up.

Qatar held by Bahrain in U17 Asian Cup qualifiers

Muscat: An against the run of play equalizer in the second half helped Bahrain to salvage a 1-1 draw against Qatar in the AFC U17 Asian Cup™ 2023 Qualifiers Group C match on Monday. Qatar, who defeated Iraq 2-1 on Saturday, set the early pace and were rewarded as early as the 10th minute with defender Ali Mohammad Shahabi giving them the lead. Bahrain, 1-0 victors over Lebanon, looked to respond but found the Qatar defence hard to breach. They kept pushing though and drew level 10 minutes into the second half, with midfielder Sami Bassam Awdi burying the ball into the back of the net.  

Executive Program for Integrity in Sports proves a huge success

Doha- The sessions of the Executive Program for Integrity in Sports organized by the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority, in cooperation with the International Center for Sports Security continued for the second day on Monday. In his message on the second day of the program, Sheikh Ahmad bin Nooh Al-Thani, Director of Legal Affairs Department at the Qatar Olympic Committee underlined the importance of sport in the state of Qatar and said "Sport for us here in the State of Qatar is a spirit that unites the people, and its protection requires extensive support to confront unethical practices that must be encountered with deterrence, firmness and strict measures."  "From this standpoint, the Qatar Olympic Committee was keen to comply with all international requirements and standards, whether issued by the International Olympic Committee in the first place or other international organizations, particularly the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, due to the long-term partnership between both organizations, by reflecting those requirements and standards for the Qatar Olympic Committee’s rules, regulations and policies, including, Sports Code of Ethics Project: which was drafted with specialized provisions that meet all requirements and standards for sports integrity" He added.  Sheikh Ahmad bin Nooh Al-AThani also stressed that the Qatar Olympic Committee paid great attention and full belief in the necessity of the governance of sports institutions to ensure integrity and transparency in sports management and to unify national efforts to harmonize national legislation, establish policies, raise awareness, and build capacity in relation to the protection of sport from corruption. The program, held by the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority in cooperation with the International Center for Sports Security, focuses on providing knowledge of the different types of threats to sports integrity with a focus on sports corruption, in addition to developing an understanding of how national public authorities and international bodies deal with integrity violations in the field of sports. As well as developing knowledge of good practices and advanced standards in addressing different types of integrity violations, as well as developing knowledge and competencies in the field of information exchange and exposing the risks of sports corruption, as well as identifying potential actions to address integrity violations and adding value to the work of other stakeholders within the sports system.

H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, H.E Sheikha Hind Bint Hamad Al Thani and H.E Jassim Rashid Al Buenain appointed to prestigious IOC Commissions

Doha- The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) is proud to announce that QOC President H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, Qatar Foundation (QF) Vice-Chairperson and CEO H.E Sheikha Hind Bint Hamad Al Thani and QOC Secretary General H.E Jassim Rashid Al Buenain have been appointed to key roles on IOC Commissions.  H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, H.E Sheikha Hind Bint Hamad Al Thani and H.E Jassim Rashid Al Buenain were appointed to the IOC’s Olympism 365 Commission, Olympic Education Commission and Olympic Programme Commission respectively, and will provide expert advice to the IOC to further the development of the Olympic Movement.  In addition to having led the QOC since 2015, H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani serves as President of the 2024 FINA World Championships Organising Committee and 2024 FINA World Masters Championships Organising Committee.  He has also overseen the world-class delivery of a number of Qatar’s international events including the ANOC World Beach Games Qatar 2019, the 2019 World Athletics Championships and Qatar 2015 Men’s Handball World Championship.  QOC President H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani said:  “I am pleased to be appointed to the newly established Olympism 365 Commission. At the QOC we have worked hard to further the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN) in all that we do. Sport has a vital role to play as an enabler for the UN SDGs and as a vehicle for creating a peaceful and better world. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with my colleagues on the commission to help further the IOC’s work and drive Recommendation 10 of the Olympic Agenda 2020+5.” H.E Sheikha Hind Bint Hamad Al Thani will bring her diverse experience in education to the Olympic Education Commission. In her role  at the QF, H.E Sheikha Hind Bint Hamad Al Thani leads a multicultural team of 5,000 with a focus on three core areas: education, science and research, and community development.  Her Excellency also serves on the boards of several education and cultural institutes including Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar National Library, HEC Paris – as a member of its International Board - and Teach for Qatar. H.E Sheikha Hind Bint Hamad Al Thani said: “I am delighted to be appointed by the IOC to such a prestigious Commission. I am strong believer in the power of education to shape lives, strengthen societies and build a better world. At its core, sport is a form of education, instilling the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship to create a more harmonious world.  “I am excited to contribute to the work of the Olympic Education Commission in ensuring the dissemination of the Olympic values and the promotion of sport in education.”  Meanwhile, H.E Jassim Rashid Al Buenain brings his experience as both a professional footballer for 12 years and a sports administrator to the Olympic Programme Commission. As the Secretary General of the QOC, he works closely with Qatar’s 23 National Federations on evaluating their sporting pathways from grassroots through to the elite level and has been a key figure behind the delivery of world-class events in an array of sports. He is also OCA Vice President for the Doha 2030 Asian Games and serves as Vice President of the FINA World Championships and World Masters Championships Doha 2024. H.E Jassim Rashid Al Buenain said: “It is a privilege to have an opportunity to serve the IOC and Olympic Movement in an even greater capacity. As the Secretary General of the QOC, I play an active role in the delivery of world-class sports events in a wide variety of sports. I have seen first-hand how different sports resonate with young people and the ways in which sports can innovate and adapt to new trends and the IOC’s commitment to appeal more to younger generations through sports. I am looking forward to sharing my experience and knowledge with my fellow colleagues in the Olympic Programme Commission to best support the IOC and wider Olympic Movement in maximising the popularity and the outreach of the Olympic Games.”