Category: Sports

Doha: The Qatar Stars League (QSL) announced the winners of the Best of the Month awards for April, 2024, in the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League. The awards are for Best Under-23 Player, Best Coach and Best Player.

In a statement, QSL said that the choices were made based on the decision of an expert committee managing football development in QSL.

Younes El Hannach of Al Shamal was named Best Under-23 Player. Umm Salal coach Patrice Carteron won the Best Coach award. Kenji Gorre of Umm Salal captured the Best Player award.

As part of the action plan to increase the level of competition and provide enjoyable, high-quality competitive football, the committee also selected Best Save, Best Goal and Best XI for the month of April, 2024.

Shehab Ellethy, Al Duhail goalkeeper, made the Best Save during their Week 20 match against Al Sadd (27th minute).

Mohamed Benyettou, Al Wakrah forward, scored the Best Goal during their match against Al Gharafa in Week 21 (52nd minute).

Best XI included: Fahad Younis (Al
Rayyan), Shogo Taniguchi (Al Rayyan), Andre Amaro (Al Rayyan), Younes El Hannash (Al Shamal), Mohammed Al Naimi (Al Markhiya), Marco Verratti (Al Arabi), Younes Belhanda (Al Shamal), Roger Guedes (Al Rayyan), Akram Afif (Al Sadd), Kenji Gorre (Umm Salal), Yohan Boli (Qatar SC).

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: The Qatar Chess Association (QCA) announced Wednesday the signing of a strategic cooperation and partnership agreement with Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) to introduce chess into schools and academies under the QF umbrella.

The partnership agreement aims to collaborate on the QCA’s goals of expanding chess horizontally, spreading its culture in schools and academies, increasing the base of practitioners from age groups participating in local tournaments, and number of players registered and classified by the International Chess Federation.

The agreement contributes to the spread of chess in QF schools by organizing chess training courses for teachers, obtaining training certificates, establishing clubs in schools, and providing chess tools for students.

Speaking to Qatar News Agency , President of the Qatar Chess Association Mohammed Al Mudahka said that the cooperation between QCA and QF aims to achieve many goals, primarily spreading chess culture in schools,
especially since it is part of a full-fledged educational program. He expressed his appreciation for the great cooperation with the Student Affairs and Community Engagement Department in Pre-University Education at Qatar Foundation, and expressed his aspiration for further cooperation that helps the QCA achieve its vision, develop chess, and build a large base for it.

He pointed out that studies have proven that chess clearly enhances the student’s mentality, which improves their academic performance. Therefore, the QCA is keen to use the game as an educational tool for schoolchildren to increase their thinking skills and mathematical abilities and support self-confidence by presenting an educational and scientific project.

For her part, Director of Student Affairs and Community Engagement in Pre-University Education at QF, Sarah Al Hajri, considered this cooperation to reflect the foundation’s great commitment to providing diverse opportunities to enrich student participation, as chess enhances vital skill
s such as strategic thinking, which enhances students’ academic and personal development.

She looked forward to the positive impact that this cooperation will have on the students, as this agreement represents one of the results of the joint cooperation during the state’s 2024 Sport Day events.

In turn, Abdullah Shaheen Al Kaabi, Head of the Sports Affairs Section in the Student Affairs and Community Engagement Department in Pre-University Education at QF, expressed his great happiness with this cooperation and partnership with the QCA to enhance and spread the culture of chess among QF students, develop their mental skills, and open up wide horizons in the sport of chess in QF schools. He thanked the QCA for its support to the students who represented the Qatari team in the Gulf Youth Games, which was recently held in the UAE, and their success in winning many medals in individual and team competitions.

QCA implemented a project during the past year in cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and Youth and
the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, which contributed to the establishment of chess clubs in several model public schools, where teachers were trained to teach chess to some students to compete at the school level, and teachers noticed the role of chess in enhancing the abilities of the students.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Jeddah: The Saudi Smash 2024, a global table tennis tournament, began in May and is currently underway at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. The tournament features the world’s top male and female players, all vying for a chance to advance to the final rounds.

Yesterday, a total of 29 matches were played across five categories: men’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Surprising upsets occurred throughout the day, with lower-ranked players achieving victories over higher-ranked opponents.

In the men’s doubles round of 16, Saudi Arabia’s Ali Al-Khadrawi and Abdulaziz Bushalibi faced off against the top-seeded Chinese pair of Chuqin Wang and Ma Long. Despite a valiant effort, the Saudi team fell to the Chinese duo in straight sets (3-0).

Bushalibi, one of the Saudi players, expressed the importance of the tournament for the national team, stating that the experience gained from playing against the world’s best is invaluable. He also noted that playing in front of a
home crowd is an unforgettable experience that motivates players to strive for success.

The Saudi Smash 2024 has a global audience in over 165 countries, with over 2.26 million viewing hours on live and recorded broadcasts.

Source: Saudi Press Agency

Doha: Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital provided distinguished medical services for the players of the teams participating in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, which recently concluded its activities in Doha. This came according to a partnership agreement between the Local Organizing Committee for the tournament and the hospital.

The hospital offered a wide range of medical services to the players through a team of highly skilled doctors and medical staff in various stadiums of the tournament. These services included providing the necessary care and treatment for sports injuries, offering medical advice related to sports injuries and the methods of prevention and treatment, and cooperating with several local partners to provide emergency medical care and ambulance services in all stadiums and facilities that hosted the competitions.

Hassan Rabea Al Kuwari, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at the Local Organizing Committee for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, praised the extensive experience an
d high-level services provided by Aspetar to the participants, considering them one of the main factors that contributed to the success of the tournaments, including the AFC U-23 Asian Cup.

He pointed to the global reputation Aspetar possesses in the field of sports medicine worldwide, highlighting that the partnership between the two parties, thanks to the advanced and prestigious equipment available at the hospital, contributed to providing the best possible care for the rising stars of Asian football, which confirms Qatar’s position as a leading sports destination on all levels.

Al Kuwari mentioned that the list of medical care services provided by Aspetar hospital to the players included massage and physiotherapy sessions dedicated to the referees participating in the tournament, providing medical services and healthcare for the youth tournament around the clock, with a permanent presence of doctors in the teams’ residences at the hotels as well as in the medical command center.

On his part, Dr. Khalid
Al Khalifa, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Director of the Visiting Surgeons Program at Aspetar, and Chairman of the Medical Committee at the Local Organizing Committee for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, indicated that the hospital’s cooperation in the continental tournament falls within a long legacy of providing support for players participating in the major sporting events hosted by the State of Qatar.

In turn, Khaled Al Nuaimi, Director of Marketing and Communications at Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, highlighted that the hospital’s participation in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup constituted a distinguished opportunity to shed light once again on the advanced services it offers in the field of sports medicine. He expressed his appreciation for the constructive bilateral relations with colleagues in the Qatari football family and the Local Organizing Committee, which enhances the position of the State of Qatar as a leading destination for organizing major sporting events, and Aspetar’s position as
a center of medical excellence for the Asian Football Confederation.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Algiers, HE Chairman of Qatar Chamber, Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al-Thani, praised the strong fraternal relations between the State of Qatar and the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, noting the mutual cooperation in various fields, especially in trade and investment, thanks to the wise directives of the leadership in both brotherly countries.

This came during HE the Qatar Chamber Chairman’s visit to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, which included a series of meetings with several Algerian officials.

The visit aimed to strengthen commercial and economic relations between the Qatari and Algerian private sectors, with a focus on increasing Qatari industrial investments in Algeria and attracting Algerian investment to Qatar.

HE the Qatar Chamber Chairman met with HE Chief of Staff of the People’s National Army of Algeria Lt. Gen. Said Chengriha, HE Algerian Minister of Industry and Pharmaceutical Production Ali Aoun, HE Algerian Minister of Trade and Export Promotion Tayeb Zitouni, and HE Governor of the Bank of Algeria Salah Eddine Taleb.

In a separate meeting, HE the QC Chairman and Chief of Staff of the People’s National Army discussed means of enhancing cooperation between the private sectors of both countries in the industrial fields.

Additionally, HE the QC Chairman and Algerian Minister of Industry and Pharmaceutical Production discussed ways to enhance cooperation and partnership relations between the two brotherly countries, especially in the industrial fields. They also reviewed experiences in the industrial sector in both countries, along with opportunities for cooperation in manufacturing industries, particularly in the food sector and others.

The Algerian Minister, in turn, urged Qatari businessmen to invest in industrial projects in Algeria, emphasizing the significance of cooperation between both sides in establishing partnerships that benefit the economies of both brotherly nations.

On the other hand, HE the QC Chairman and Algerian Minister of Trade and Export Promotion reviewed ways to enhance trade cooperation relations between both countries and emphasized the role of the private sector in activating mutual investments and increasing the level of trade exchange.

For his part, the QC Chairman and Governor of the Bank of Algeria focused on enhancing cooperation between both countries in the finance, banking, and insurance sectors.

On this occasion, HE the QC Chairman praised the close relationship between Qatar and Algeria thanks to the directives of the wise leadership in both fraternal countries, pointing to cooperation in various fields, especially in commercial and investment spheres.

He emphasized that Qatari business owners are eager to explore opportunities in Algeria, especially in the industrial sector. He also stressed the Qatar Chamber’s keenness on strengthening relations with the Algerian side by forging commercial alliances and partnerships, whether in Qatar or Algeria.

He said that the trade volume between both countries amounted to QR 297 million last year, showing a 36 percent growth compared to QR 218 million in 2022.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Muscat: The Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) general index (30) closed Tuesday at 4,778.59 points, down by 13.1 points, or 0.27 percent, compared to the last trading session, which closed at 4,791.67 points.

The trading value reached RO 3,216,840, an increase of 39.5 percent compared to the last trading session, which stood at RO 2,305,495.

The report issued by the MSX indicated that the market value decreased by 0.059 percent from the last trading day, and amounted to approximately RO 24.40 billion.

Source: Qatar News Agency