DOHA – The Athletes’ Commission of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and its counterpart at the Oman Olympic Committee have agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) next month, aimed at strengthening their partnership, exchanging expertise and experiences, and advancing sports and Olympic work in both brotherly countries.

The agreement was announced during a meeting held by the two sides on Thursday at the QOC headquarters, marking the conclusion of a three-day visit to Doha by the Omani delegation. The visit featured a varied program of meetings and field visits, providing an opportunity to learn about Qatar’s experience in sports and Olympic affairs.

During the meeting, both sides discussed prospects for cooperation and ways to develop initiatives that serve athletes and strengthen their role in the Olympic Movement. They also explored opportunities to exchange expertise and successful experiences to support the development of athletes’ committees in both countries.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al Thani, Director of the Sports Sector at the Qatar Olympic Committee. The Qatari side was represented by world champion Mutaz Barshim, Secretary-General of the Athletes’ Commission; Team Qatar champion Nada Mohammed Wafa, Assistant Secretary-General; and committee members and Team Qatar athletes Abdullah Al-Tamimi and Maryam Al-Suwaidi. The Omani delegation included Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Jabri, Chairman of the Athletes’ Commission; Nasser Hamdan Al-Riyami, commission member; and Buthaina Al-Yaqubi, commission rapporteur.

The visit program included a lecture delivered by QOC expert Mohammed bin Humaida, as well as visits to Aspire Academy to learn about its athlete development program, the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic & Sports Museum, and the Qatar Anti-Doping Agency. The visits provided an opportunity to learn about the work of these institutions and the services they offer in sports development, talent identification and athlete capacity-building.

On the occasion, Mutaz Barshim, Secretary-General of the Athletes’ Commission at the Qatar Olympic Committee, welcomed the Omani delegation on its first official visit to Doha. He reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with sports committees in brotherly countries and exchanging expertise and experiences to advance sports development and improve athletes’ performance.

Barshim also highlighted the importance of continuing such joint meetings, which provide opportunities to exchange perspectives, strengthen sports partnerships and support progress and excellence within the Olympic Movement.

For her part, Nada Mohammed Wafa, Assistant Secretary-General of the QOC Athletes’ Commission, welcomed the Omani delegation’s visit and praised the constructive dialogue and fruitful discussions, which reflected both sides’ commitment to expanding cooperation and exchanging expertise. She noted that such meetings represent an important step towards strengthening institutional partnerships among athletes’ committees and developing the initiatives and services provided to athletes, further supporting their role in the Olympic Movement.

Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Jabri, Chairman of the Omani Athletes’ Commission and member of the Oman Olympic Committee’s Board of Directors, expressed his gratitude to HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, and the members of the QOC Athletes’ Commission for their warm welcome and generous hospitality. He described the visit as productive and highly beneficial, noting that it had paved the way for the signing of MoU between the two sides next month.

Al-Jabri also congratulated HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani on her election as Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, wishing her every success. He explained that the visit aimed to exchange expertise and learn from outstanding sports experiences, adding that the Omani side had chosen to learn from Qatar’s experience because of its remarkable development, capabilities and Olympic achievements.

Meanwhile, Nasser Hamdan Al-Riyami, a member of the Omani Athletes’ Commission, expressed his pleasure at the visit and praised Qatar’s experience, expertise and capabilities. He stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation and exchanging knowledge to develop the work of athletes’ committees. He explained that the visit forms part of a program  of reciprocal visits with international committees, aimed at building effective partnerships and delivering practical benefits for athletes, in line with the growing emphasis placed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on the role and empowerment of athletes’ committees.

Al-Riyami added that the two sides had agreed to sign an MoU with the QOC Athletes’ Commission to strengthen communication, coordination and the exchange of expertise, laying the foundation for a sustainable partnership. He concluded by thanking Qatar’s sports leaders and the QOC Athletes’ Committee for their warm welcome, generous hospitality and efforts to ensure the success of the visit, expressing his hope that cooperation would continue in support of sport and athletes in both countries.