2020Journalism

  Teddy Riner Secures 11th Gold Medal at World Judo Championships After 6-Year Absence   Doha, 13 May 2023  –  In a highly anticipated comeback after a six-year absence, French world champion Teddy Riner returned to claim his eleventh medal at the 2023 Judo World Championships in Doha, solidifying his position as one of the greatest judokas in history.   Teddy Riner's victory in the men's over 100 kg category came after he defeated Inal Tasoev in a seven-minute round. The audience reacted with much excitement to Riner's win, who won Olympic gold in 2014 and 2016. The number of attendees at the Ali bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena on the seventh day of the championship was estimated in the thousands.   The mixed team competitions are scheduled to begin tomorrow, Sunday, May 14th. Each team consists of three men and three women from different weight categories who will compete in a series of matches, with each member facing an opponent from another country.   K...

 Qatar has been approved as a full member at the Annual Meeting of World Rugby Council, which was held virtually on 11 May.  Nepal and Turkey are the other two nations which have been approved as full members.  Each of the three national unions have ascended to that status having previously been associate members.  World Rugby’s supreme decision-making body approved the recommendations of the Executive Board and Regional Committee, to accept their moves to full membership, after Nepal, Qatar and Turkey each met the necessary governance criteria.  Although the total membership of the international federation remains at 132, its make-up has been changed by the promotion of the three unions and now comprises 114 full members and 18 associate members.  The move demonstrates the continued strategic focus on the expansion of rugby’s reach across the globe, driven by a surge of interest in women’s rugby, and the development of rugby sevens in emerging nations....

The Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council and the Spanish Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI) launch Qatar-Spain Innovation Program (QASIP), a joint funding call for RDI proposals addressing Qatar’s national needs. Doha, Qatar, May 9, 2023: The Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council formally unveiled the Qatar Spain Innovation Program (QASIP), an esteemed joint venture between Qatar and Spain for research, development, and innovation (RDI) initiatives, in collaboration with the Spanish Centre for the Development of Technology and Innovation (CDTI). The prestigious launch event took place on May 9th, with distinguished attendees including His Excellency Javier Carbajosa Sanchez, the Spanish Ambassador, and esteemed national and international stakeholders and high-ranking officials from RDI institutions in Qatar. During this notable occasion, Eng. Omar Ali Al-Ansari, Secretary General of the QRDI Council, emphasized: ...

    QNRF, a division of the QRDI Council, introduces its new programs portfolio: the Academic Research Program, the National Research Program, and the Research Talent Program   Doha, Qatar, 8   May, 2023:  The Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council has announced the launch of a newly revamped research programs portfolio funded by its division, the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF). The new suite comprises three primary programs: the Academic Research Program, the National Research Program, and the Research Talent Program. This initiative is part of the QRDI 2030 Strategy to enhance scientific research and foster RDI talent.   Eng. Omar Ali Al-Ansari, Secretary-General of the QRDI Council, remarked: “We are committed to building on Qatar's competitive scientific research funding legacy. Launching this newly revised scientific research programs’ portfolio embodies our dedication to sustaining competitive research funding. This is critica...

  QOI Winner, Rézomes, visited stakeholders and Facilities, as part of its partnership with Hassad Food, to assess current and potential partnerships     Doha, Qatar, May 3, 2023:  The Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council’s flagship program, Qatar Open Innovation (QOI), hosted the French SME Rézomes in Doha after Hassad Food, Qatar’s investment arm in Food and Agribusiness sectors, had awarded it the call for the “Value Extraction from Agricultural Side streams.”   Launched in early 2022, the QOI meets with local enterprises in brainstorming workshops to identify their challenges and opportunities and issue innovation calls for out-of-the-box solutions. After evaluating submitted offers, QOI hosts the awardees in a series of visits to lay foundation for the upcoming collaboration.   Ms. Haya Al-Ghanim, RDI Program Director at QRDI, said: “We are very proud at QRDI with the role played by the QOI in helping local entities make qualitativ...

  AFC  Asian Cup Qatar 2023 TM  logo revealed   The Asian Football Confederation ( AFC ) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the upcoming  AFC  Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ have launched today the Official Logo of the competition. The logo was revealed to audiences at the Final Draw at the Katara Opera House in Doha, Qatar on 11 May.   The newly launched logo combines the silhouette of the famous  AFC  Asian Cup™ trophy with unique cultural elements that embody the competition’s spirit. The lines of the trophy draw inspiration from the feathers of the majestic falcon, a bird with historical significance to the nation of Qatar, and the petals of Asia’s indigenous lotus flower. The two native symbols are united by one trait: their ability to rise above, as the lotus flower floats above water and the falcon soars in the sky.   The top of the logo is adorned with the iconic maroon, or  ennabi,  Qatar’s national color. The typ...

  The 4th  AFC  Coach Education Conference officially drew to an end on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where over 100 coach tutors and Technical Directors from all over Asia convened to discuss the latest developments and best practices in coach education.  With the theme of “Educating Tomorrow’s Coaches”, the event was marked by insightful lectures, workshops, interactive dialogues – all aimed towards achieving the collective goal of making football the number one sport on the Continent and ensuring the success of Asian teams at all levels on the biggest stages in the world. Inaugurated by the  AFC  General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John, the Conference proved to be an excellent platform for coaches to not only exchange ideas with their peers, but also provided an opportunity to raise awareness on the challenges faced in their respective Member Associations (MAs). With the welfare of the future generations of footballers and coaches forming the cen...

  SAMF TO HOST SAUDI TOYOTA CHAMPIONSHIP ANNUAL PRIZE GIVING AWARDS’ CEREMONY ON SATURDAY IN RIYADH   RIYADH (SAUDI ARABIA): The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) holds its annual prize giving ceremony for each of its national motor sporting championships on Saturday (May 13 th ).   Running under the chairmanship of H.R.H. Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, the President of the SAMF, the federation organised six Saudi Toyota Championships in 2022, with competitors set to receive awards in rallying, autocross, drift, time attack, drag and hill climb racing.   Attendees at the prize giving will include H.R.H. Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, senior officials of the SAMF, officials from title sponsor Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) Motors and strategic sponsor Saudi Investment Bank (SAIB), members of the Ministry of Sport, Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committees, social media influencers and representatives from partners of success. ...

  SAMF ANNOUNCES TABUK-NEOM ROUND OF THE SAUDI TOYOTA RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP   Three-day desert event is based in Tabuk for first time and runs from May 18 th -20 th   RIYADH (SAUDI ARABIA): The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) has announced initial details of the Tabuk-Neom Rally, the second round of the 2023 Saudi Toyota Rally Championship, which takes place on May 18 th -20 th .   Running under the chairmanship of H.R.H. Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, the President of the SAMF, the event will run over three days, with a traditional Qualifying stage and two demanding desert stages. This is the first time a rally has ever run out of the city of Tabuk.   The event is open to cars complying to FIA regulations and bikes running under the auspices of the FIM. In addition, there will be a National event running at the rear of the field.   Administration and scrutineering checks will take place at the service park at the Grand Mille...

  QATAR’S NASSER SALEH AL-ATTIYAH LEADS INTERNATIONAL JORDAN RALLY ENTRY   AMMAN (JORDAN): Twenty-five crews and competitors from seven nations grace the entry list for the Jordan Rally, round three of the 2023 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), which takes place on May 18 th -20 th .     Multiple regional champion Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah heads the field in his Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. He faces competition from Oman’s Abdullah Al-Rawahi in a  Š koda Fabia R5, 16 crews competing in a variety of Mitsubishis and Subarus in the MERC2 category and seven local teams running at the rear of the field.   Al-Attiyah again teams up with Andorra-based co-driver Mathieu Baumel, as the Qatari chases a record-breaking 16 th  win in the Hashemite Kingdom and his partner aims for personal win number eight.   Al-Rawahi and local co-driver Ata Al-Hmoud will offer the closest realistic challenge on an event where 15-time Rally of Lebanon winner Roger Feghali h...

  JORDAN MOTORSPORT ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF 2023 JORDAN RALLY   AMMAN (JORDAN): Jordan Motorsport has announced details of the forthcoming Jordan Rally, round three of the 2023 FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC), which takes place on May 18 th -20 th .     One of the most famous motorsport events in the Middle East and three-times a round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), the Jordan Rally is one of the most challenging events in the region and the 2023 event will be no exception. Officials have again laid on 12 special stages and 205.22km competitive kilometres in a total route of 588.88km.   After the pre-event press conference and ceremonial start on Thursday, May 18 th , attention switches to the competitive action in the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley areas of the Hashemite Kingdom over the weekend.   Friday’s (May 19 th ) three timed tests will be used in the morning and the afternoon and are centred around the Jordan Valley area to the north ...