NEWS - Qatar Olympic Committee

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4 QATARSPORT Q5.09 Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-� ani, Secretary General, Qatar Olympic Committee Welcome... The beginning of the year is a particularly exciting period for sport in Qatar and for the country’s sportsmen and women. In January, Qatar teams travelled to Oman to take part in the 19th Gulf Cup, becoming champions in two of the four sports in the schedule. � e Gulf Cup is a particularly important competition, which was established back in 1970 and even predates the formation of the GCC, the Gulf Cooperation Council. “We must never lose sight of the need to develop and promote our national teams and to connect with our youngsters” Held every two years it was launched solely as a football competition and Qatar was proud to host the 2004 edition, which saw the addition of volleyball, basketball and handball. Over the years the Gulf Cup has been the catalyst for the development of excellent sporting facilities and infrastructure in Qatar and throughout the Gulf, with the result that we now have some of the fi nest stadiums and indoor sports arenas in the world. Our hope is that the success of the Gulf Cup will ultimately lead to the creation of a GCC Games, which will provide a showcase for the skills of athletes from the region in a range of additional sports. While we were delighted with the performance of Qatar’s teams in the Gulf Cup, equally important, is the sense of community among neighbours that results from sharing this sporting experience. It can only help strengthen the ties between neighbouring states and we eagerly anticipate the next competition, which will be hosted by Yemen in 2010. While Qatar’s sportsmen were impressing in Oman, Doha was providing a warm welcome for the superstars of men’s tennis and the leading players on golf’s European PGA Tour. � e ExxonMobil Qatar Open is the fi rst date on the ATP Tour Calendar and this year attracted the world’s top rated players including Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and the up-and-coming Andy Murray who took the title in what was a fascinating tournament packed with top quality tennis. Late last year, Doha also hosted the world’s fi nest female tennis players when it provided the stage for the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championship. � is too proved to be an epic contest, which delivered some surprising results along the way as American Venus Williams beat Russian Vera Zvonareva in the fi nal after losing the fi rst set. � ese events have fi rmly established Doha as a major global centre for world-class tennis and it is already established as an important venue for the European Golf Tour. We take great pride in the fact that the players enjoy not only the tournaments and facilities but the welcome and hospitality they enjoy in Qatar. It was also good to see some of the world’s top tennis players taking time out to coach and inspire local youngsters. � e Qatar Olympic Committee is committed to promoting active participation and is deeply immersed in the latest Schools Olympic Day programme, which is continuing in schools throughout the country. � is year the theme behind the sporting activity is � e Environment. Our aim is not simply to foster an understanding of the part played by sport in establishing a balanced and healthy lifestyle, but to teach youngsters important lessons about the environment, it fragility and the need to protect it. � ese are issues, which will aff ect them and, eventually, their own children. � is promises to be an exciting year for sport worldwide. In Qatar we are looking forward to hosting world class cycling, fencing and athletics among a range of other events. But, as the activity of the last month or so shows, while we are committed to these major events, we must never lose sight of the need to develop and promote our national teams and to continue to connect with our youngsters.
STARS IN THE SPOTLIGHT The stars of world tennis and golf converged on Doha in January to compete in two of the fastest-growing events on their respective professional circuits: the ExxonMobil Qatar Open and the Commercialbank Masters. In tennis, world number one, Rafael Nadal of Spain - making his fi rst appearance in Doha - and Roger Federer, the Doha champion from 2006 and 2007, were among a world-class fi eld battling it out for a slice of the $1.05 million prize money at the Qatar Open. � e presence of the world’s top ranked players ensured the world’s attention focussed on Qatar for the ATP Tour event, but the on-court action also served to highlight the depth of talent currently on show in the men’s game. Nadal made a surprise exit at the quarter-fi nal stage, beaten by Gael Monfi ls of France, while the defending champion Andy Murray of Britain accounted for Federer in the semi-fi nals. In front of a packed crowd at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex, Murray then overwhelmed America’s Andy Roddick 6-4, 6-2 to lift the Golden Eagle trophy for the second successive year - off ering further proof that the Scot can challenge at the Grand Slam events this year. Sheikh Saoud joins students at Aspire Park Alvaro Quirós Andy Murray Q5.09.NEWS “Obviously the more time you spend on court against them [Nadal and Federer] the more comfortable you feel and you're not so in awe of them," Murray said. "It defi nitely helps, especially when you play them in the latter stages of events and in big tournaments." Meanwhile, in golf’s Commercialbank Masters, eight out of the world’s top 20 players were among the 120-stong fi eld competing for Qatar’s leading European Tour event at the Doha Golf Club. � e elite list included defending champion Adam Scott and previous winner Henrik Stenson, the popular American Boo Weekly and world number two, Sergio Garica, who was making his third consecutive appearance at the Qatar Masters. Stenson came close to repeating his 2007 victory when he took the lead at the tenth hole on the fi nal day, but it was Garcia’s countryman, Alavaro Quirós, who claimed the Mother of Pearl trophy with an aggregate score of 19 under par. Quirós, ranked 74th in the world before tournament, was as amazed as anyone by his triumph. “Winning is not easy,” he said. “It is easy for guys like Sergio Garcia and others who win so often. So, defi nitely, it [was] a big surprise for me to win here.” QOC SUPPORTS GREEN AGENDA Making the link between a healthy lifestyle and a ‘green’ environment, the QOC has launched an initiative to instil children with a respect for nature through its Schools Olympic Day sports development drive. � e second edition of the Schools Olympic Day programme for the 2008-2009 academic year is themed on ‘Sport and the Environment’ and will act as the catalyst for a host of environmentallybased activities in Qatari schools. � e launch ceremony for the project took place at the Aspire Park, part of the Aspire Zone sports precinct, where around 50 students from Qatari schools joined members of the government and the QOC to plant saplings in an area dedicated to the project. Q5.09 QATARSPORT 5
Page 1 and 2: QATARSPORT Q5.2009 $10 the offi cia
Page 3: QATARSPORT.Q5.09.CONTENTS 04 QOC Co
Page 7 and 8: SETTING NEW STANDARDS The Qatar Oly
Page 9 and 10: QATAR LAUNCHES WORLD CUP BID Qatar
Page 11 and 12: The 2008 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de T
Page 13 and 14: FEELING Q4.08 QATARSPORT 13
Page 16 and 17: o o o o o o o o o WORLD CLASS GOLF
Page 18 and 19: GREAT SCOTT AUSTRALIA’S NUMBER ON
Page 21 and 22: Billie Jean King oversees a coachin
Page 23 and 24: Opposite page: Qatar’s basketball
Page 25 and 26: Left: Michael Browne, head of the A
Page 27: Top: TV cameras capture the action
Page 30 and 31: SURViVAL oF tHe FitteSt THE PHYSICA
Page 33 and 34: WORLD SPORTS RANKINGS THE BEST OF T
Page 35 and 36: Qatar Sport talks to MohaMMed Bin h

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