QGA prepare to host Commercial Bank Qatar Masters 2019

DOHA, February 19, 2019 – The Qatar Golf Association (QGA) is intensifying its managerial and technical efforts to organize the prestigious 2019 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters from 6-10 March at Doha Golf Club.Over the recent years, the prestigious event had brought together elite professional golfers worldwide , among them the South Korean Wan Jeung-hun won Commercial Bank Qatar Masters title in 2017.This year top world golfers are due to compete in the event in their enduring quest to grab the honor of winning the title.

Qatar set to host GCC Junior Athletics Championships

DOHA, February 18, 2019-The Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) will host the 2019 GCC Junior Athletics Championships at Qatar Sports Club with participation of three nations including Kuwait, Oman and hosts Qatar. The QAF President HE Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari chairs the event's higher organizing committee while the QAF Secretary General Mohamed Essa Al Fadhalah acts as Director of the Championships to begin on Wednesday. The GCC Athletics Championship is one of 4 major athletics championship to be staged in Doha this year as it will be followed by the Asian Athletics Championships in April, the IAAF Diamond League in May and the IAAF World Athletics Championships from September 28 to October 04.

QOC Strategy and Values reviewed in a productive Workshop

DOHA, February 18, 2019 – The Qatar Olympic Committee's Strategy and Projects Management Office organized a productive workshop on QOC's strategy and values at QOC's Losail Hall Conference on Sunday.The workshop key lecturer, engineer Fahad Ibraheem Gomaa exhaustively defined the concepts of the QOC's vision, message and strategic goals and how they cope with Qatar 2030 National vision.Mr. Gumaa has also reviewed QOC's strategy roadmap for the period 2017 -2022 and the role of staff and employees to achieve the QOC strategy and values.The workshop aims to enlighten the employees and increase their awareness on the strategic track of QOC.The one day workshop was attended by the QOC employees.

Qatar Olympic Committee celebrates its 40th Anniversary on March 14

Doha, February 18, 2019 - The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) is celebrating its 40th anniversary on March 14.The anniversary coincides with the decision to form the committee on March 14 of 1979 under the chairmanship of HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al-Thani and membership of the presidents of the sports federations. The organizational and supervisory bodies of Qatar Sports have passed several formations since the 1950s, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Education then HE Sheikh Qassem Bin Hamad Al-Thani, until the first Board of Directors was established under the chairmanship of HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.The beginnings of the sports movement in Qatar and football in particular date back to the late 1940s. It all started with emergence of oil exploration companies in the country, where its foreign employees from Asians, Europeans and others practiced many forms of sports activity that were not common to citizens such as football Cricket, tennis, golf, etc. This new activity attracted the attention of the population and their passion for these sports and football in particular. At first, they took the foreigners to play and then moved to their neighborhoods (Al Furjan) and gradually became their local teams and took Aaron among themselves and soon those teams that turned out to sports clubs. In the absence of the sports federations, neighborhood teams (Al Furjan) organized football matches between each other and the winner would get a cup. In 1963, the first official league was launched.Sports clubs in Qatar have been established and established over the past 30 years (1950-1980). These clubs participated during the 30 years in the various sports activities that were held under the auspices of the sports federations and the Qatar Olympic Committee when they appeared. These clubs and teams had a prominent and important role in publishing Sport, prosperity and development in that period of time. The emergence and development of sports in the fifties and sixties of this century and the enthusiasm and collective and individual initiatives led to the flourishing of the sport movement and its steady growth even in the absence of modern regulatory bodies and institutions. This development should have been accompanied by the development and growth of football stadiums, Clubs, and from these old stadiums have been lost and faded away, including the effects of the history of football in Qatar, such as: Dukhan City Stadium, Mesaieed Stadium, Gulf Club Stadium, Shell Old Stadium, Shell Stadium and High School Stadium (Doha Stadium currently).

Germany and Brazil Dominate the First Round of FINA Marathon Swim

Doha, February 17, 2019 - Florian Wellbrock of Germany and Ana Marcela Cunha of Brazil were the fastest yesterday in Doha, Qatar, the inaugural leg of the FINA Marathon Swim Series 2019.Wellbrock touched home first in 1h52m21s6, while Hungary's Kristof Rasovsky was second in 1h52m22s8. United States' Jordan Wilimovsky completed the podium, clocking a time of 1h52m24s4. Italy's long distance star Gregorio Paltrinieri was fourth in 1h52m28s1.In the women's race, 2018 overall Series winner Cunha clocked the best time in 2h03m51s5, while newcomer Kareena Lee of Australia secured the second position in 2h03m52s0 and Italy's veteran Rachele Bruni clinched the bronze medal in 2h03m53s0.Olympic champion and last year winner in Doha Sharon Van Rouwendaal (NED) ended in the twelfth position yesterday in 2h04m05s2.The QOC Secretary General HE Mr. Jassim Al Buenain and President of Qatar Swimming Association head of the organizing committee Khaleel Al Jabir handed out the medals for the top three winners in the men and women categories.The Series resumes on May 12 in the Seychelles (SEY) for the second-out-of-nine leg, before heading to Portugal and Hungary.The total prize money of each round of the competition is $30,000 divided among the top eight men and women. The prize money for the final standings after the eight rounds is $250,000.The QOC Secretary General HE Mr. Jassim Al Buenain praised the success of the first round.He said that Qatar has become a capital for international sporting events and competitions. He noted that 2019 will see the hosting of 50 different sporting events, the most notable of which will be the World Championships in Athletics that is set to take place in September.On the Doha Open Water Challenge, he said that the current year's edition saw a growing number of participants. He congratulated all swimmers who won and those who completed the challenge. He also thanked the Qatar Swimming Association (QSA) for their good organization of the challenge they held in cooperation with FINA.Al Buenain also highlighted that Qatari sports and athletes make great gains from hosting such distinguished international events. He added that they become a perfect opportunity for Qatari players to gain experience by competing with the best world champions.President of Qatar Swimming Association Khaleel Al Jabir for his part praised the high level shown in the first round of the 10 Km challenge, in which 136 of the best swimmers around the world competed. He said that competition was very strong, evident by the marginal differences that separated the top participants. He also expressed his delight with FINA and the participating delegations' praise of the level of organization.

QOC organizes Diplomatic Sport Day

​DOHA, February 17, 2019 – The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) organised the Diplomatic Sport Day for diplomatic missions' members and their families at the QOC winter camp (Al Ennah) at Sealine beach on Friday.The QOC Secretary General HE Mr. Jassim Al Buenain attended the event. The prestigious event brought together 566 participants including senior diplomats, staff and their families who were representing 34 embassies accredited in the country.The participants from different age groups engaged in a number of entertainment activities and sport events including Volleyball, Football, Basketball, Table Tennis and Handball. The QOC Secretary General said stressed that the QOC was keen to host this event annually as it boosts its cooperation with embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions.Khaleel Al Jabir, Director of the QOC Sport Affairs Department thanked embassies and ambassadors for participating in this prestigious day which aimed to foster social relations and break the work routine.