Qatar sport COVERMG.indd - Qatar Olympic Committee

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Leaders: Incisive opinion and lively debate CAN INVESTMENT IN SPORT MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUTH? THE 6TH EDITION of Qatar’s ever-expanding Schools Olympic Programme (SOP) kicked off in September. Launched in 2007 with 7,000 students, enrolment reached over 20,000 students from 370 independent and international schools in 2012 – and we expect this figure to grow over the coming programme. If you haven’t heard of the programme before, SOP aims to spread a culture of sports throughout Qatar’s schools and to engage the entire community in active and healthy lifestyles while retaining local values and traditions. Each year, the programme has a theme and 2012-2013 will see the SOP explore “Sports and Investment” via partner Enterprise Qatar, the authority established in 2011 to develop and promote small and medium enterprise entities in Qatar. POSITIVE IMPACT The slogan, “Schools Olympic Program: Investing in Qatar’s Youth” will reinforce the importance of sport and related investment projects, and the positive social impact resulting from an active, healthy community. However it’s not just the investment of money that counts, but the investment of people’s time and the engagement of the school authorities. In the off-season, for example, members of the programme visited a number of international schools across the country, including the German School Doha, the Philippine School Doha, the Sherborne School, Al Khor International School, and The Cambridge School. The international school visits are part of an ongoing plan to include schools that have not previously participated in the programme – and at each of the schools, principals, sports directors and physical education teachers turned out to discuss opportunities for their students. Engaging both local and expatriate student athletes in the programme is a key priority of SOP because the international schools and their students are an integral part of our community. IN BRIEF Before becoming the Executive Director for the Schools Olympic Programme, Mr. Mohammed Issa Al- Fadala held many posts in the Qatar Swimming Association as well as in the Sports Affairs Department at the Qatar Olympic Committee. He is the Head of Section for Sports Events and Activities in the Sports Affairs Department, in addition to his field activities as Technical Director of the Qatar national swimming team. From 2000 to 2004, he was supervisor of the Qatar programme for the promotion of swimming. He was coach of the Qatar national swimming team from 2004 to 2009. “Launched in 2007 with 7,000 students, enrolment reached over 20,000 students from 370 independent and international schools in 2012 – and we expect this figure to grow over the coming programme.” NEW LOGO WE have found that there is a real enthusiasm to get involved – an enthusiasm that has been spurred no doubt by this summer’s wonderful Olympic Games in London. The Olympic movement remains an inspirational touchpoint for the programme and this year we have created a new logo inspired by the symbol of the Olympics, with its five interlocking rings coloured blue, yellow, black, green, and red on a white field. The new SOP logo reinforces the values of the Olympic movement, where the rings are a universal symbol of continuity and humanity. We wanted our new logo to reflect these values while expressing the notion of people and communities coming together. We think the new logo will appeal to children and adults, and its bold colours and form are already inspiring us with fun, new ideas for this year’s activities. The SOP is a collaborative effort of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Supreme Education Council, Qatar School Sport Federation and Qatar Paralympics Committee and is aligned with the goals of Qatar’s National Vision 2030. 26 | Issue 19 | Qatar Sport
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE MIDDLE EAST AS A NEW EVENT PARTNER FOR WORLD SWIMMING? THE WORLD OF Sport, and of aquatics, in particular, has discovered a new, attractive location over recent years to hold its most prestigious events: the Middle East. Unknown to the majority of sport fans 15 to 20 years ago, this dynamic region has progressed incredibly in the first decade of the 21st century and is today considered a pivotal location for the development of elite competition. This was made possible thanks to a massive investment by the Middle East authorities in sport. They had the vision and the expertise to create superb facilities capable of stimulating not only the local youth, but also the most renowned athletes from the five continents. If these magnificent venues have an essential role in development, they are also used to host great events. The 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar was a memorable example of how the synergies between great facilities, proper funding and technical know-how are used for the benefit of sport. IN BRIEF A member of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) since 1984, Dr. Julio Cesar Maglione was elected as FINA President in 2009. Dr. Maglione has been an IOC Member since 1996 and was re-elected for a fifth term as Uruguayan National Olympic Committee President this September. He was a national champion and national record holder in the 100m and 200m butterfly and breaststroke from 1949 to 1954. Since that turning point in the history of sport in Middle East, the organisation of world-class events in this region has become a distinctive mark of quality and hospitality, gathering thousands of stars and generating amazing performances. At the FINA level, we had our great première in 2010, when the 10th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) were held in Dubai (UAE). Benefitting from a superb venue – the Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Rashid Sports Complex – this major FINA event was superbly organised by our friends from the United Arab Emirates. The atmosphere in this exciting city was fantastic and I am surely not wrong if I say that all athletes taking part at these Championships certainly felt at home. MOVING FORWARD Naturally interested in preserving the legacy of this fabulous facility, and to stimulate its use, the UAE authorities immediately proposed the organisation of two other events of the FINA calendar: one leg of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup, taking place in October/November each year and one leg of the FINA/MIDEA Diving World Series, organised in March/April. With swimming, the first edition was held in 2011, while diving had its inaugural meet in Dubai in 2012. In both cases, the organisers did a great job and managed to attract great crowds to watch the events. UAE is also known for staging FINA open water events, namely the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships, in 2004. Similarly, Doha, Qatar, is a valuable FINA partner. In 2009, in the top-quality facilities used for the Asian Games, Doha brilliantly staged one leg of the FINA/MIDEA Diving World Series. In December 2014, Qatari people will have the opportunity to cheer the best competitors of the planet at the 12th edition of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), to be held in Doha. This event will represent a huge step forward in the enhancement of aquatics in the country, which recently sent its first female swimmer to compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Moreover, along with these Championships, the third edition of the FINA World Aquatics Convention will also take place in Doha. Finally, on October 6-7, Doha will host, for the first time, a meet of the FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup. This vitality and will to host great events in the region is accompanied by concrete field actions to develop sport in the schools and to generate more participation of the Middle East youth in physical activities. Elite competition achieves its full potential when it is able to generate “Sport for All”. This is one of FINA’s major goals and the authourities of this region have understood this policy quite well. FINA is proud to be associated with this recent development and will maintain its full support to the organisation of its prestigious events in the Middle East, a true worldwide hub of Sport in the 21st century! Qatar Sport | Issue 19 | 27
Page 1 and 2: ISSUE 19 OCTOBER 2012 $10 DOHA GOAL
Page 3 and 4: INSIDE 5 In Focus Sporting life thr
Page 5 and 6: 1 THE SPORTING WORLD THROUGH THE LE
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Page 10 and 11: UPDATE Richard Attias and Carl Lewi
Page 12: UPDATE INBRIEF TREnTIno TARgETs
Page 15 and 16: SUPERSTAR PROFILE THE MAJOR MAN As
Page 17 and 18: SUPERSTAR PROFILE “McIlroy’s co
Page 19 and 20: COMING UP 5-14/12 PSA World Squash
Page 21 and 22: MY LONDON 2012 “I believe that th
Page 24 and 25: FIT FOR LIFE HITTING THE TARGET The
Page 29 and 30: QATAR STARS LEAGUE LOOK TO THE STAR
Page 31 and 32: 7 AL WAKRA Captain of the iraq nati
Page 33 and 34: Championships, Qatar 2016 Olympic B
Page 35 and 36: Winning margins at FIFA World Cup a

Qatar sport COVERMG.indd - Qatar Olympic Committee

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