Qatar National Olympic Committee (QNOC)
QNOC is responsible for the administrative and technical supervision over Qatar's sports federations and sports establishments numbering 24 federations and sporting establishments, 10 premier league clubs and 6 second league clubs, for which the Committee has provided all human and material support in order to further their ability to carry out their missions. It also supervises the all-girls sports committee and is preparing to host in Doha in 2006 the 15th Asian games tournament, the world second largest sporting gathering.

The objectives of the Committee
QNOC aims to spread sports and pastime sporting activities in the country, sponsor and develop the Olympic movement in accordance with the basics of the Olympic convention and support and develop the Olympic sporting practice within the tenets of Olympic spirit.

The Responsibilities of the Committee:
1. Sponsoring and developing the Olympic movement in the country in accordance with the Olympic convention.
2. Working to spread and promote the basic Olympic principles locally within the context of various sporting activities.
3. Ensuring the abidance by the provisions of the Olympic convention in the country.
4. Helping to train sports administrators through organizing training courses and ensuring that these courses contribute to the efforts intended to highten the awareness and promotion of Olympic principles.
5. Forming, organizing and preparing the country's teams that participate in Olympic games and regional, continental and international championships and training camps.
6. Supporting the organization of regional and international sporting events held in the country.
7. Estimating the requirements for and working to provide sporting installations and facilities in accordance with the international standards.

The committee comprises a number of departments, including the following:

Sports Affairs Department
This department is responsible for the general supervision over all sporting-related matters concerning the normal, handicapped and gifted in various fields through Sports For All program and contests in coordination and collaboration with QNOC, sports federations, sports clubs, Qatar University and the Ministry of Education, which are considered to be the main practice fields for children.

Department of Public Relations and Information
This department is responsible for strengthening the relations of the committee with government departments and private establishments locally and overseas, highlighting the role of the committee, following the directions of the public opinion and gathering the information from similar apparatuses.

Sports Installations Department
This department conducts economic feasibility studies on installation projects, endorses installation designs according to the international standards, prepares maintenance programs, carries out periodical inspection on and manages the affairs and usage of buildings, playgrounds and sporting installations.

Administrative and Financial Affairs Department
This department discharges all administrative, financial, accounting, inspection, archives, warehousing, transportation and general services affairs.

Planning and Training Department
This department is responsible for preparing and following up the implementation of the committee's general plan in collaboration with the concerned bodies; compiling and analyzing the data on the committee's activities and capabilities to use as performance indicators which to publish in periodical reports; documenting the information on youth and sports activities and preparing the training plan as per training requirements, which it predetermines in cooperation with concerned bodies.

Khalifa Sports City Department
This department supervises sports installations, facilities and playgrounds at khalifa Olympic sports city. Its duties include managing, maintaining, developing and providing technical support for these facilities.

Information Systems Center
The center is responsible for managing and supervising the committee's computer network, besides developing the administrative, financial and technical performance at the committee.

Sports installations and facilities

Khalifa Olympic City
Built in 1976 to the highest specifications, this facility comprises a main football stadium with seating for 40 thousand spectators, an Olympic-size athletic track, an indoor sports hall with a capacity of 1800 spectators, a number of multipurpose courts for basketball volleyball, handball and tennis and a sports medical center.

Khalifa International Complex for Tennis and Squash
Established in 1992 to the international standards, this complex hosts international tennis and squash events on annual basis. Foremost of these is the international Qatar Open championship.

Sports medical center
This center was established in 1995 within the perimeters of Khalifa Sports City.

Doha Golf Club
Founded by Qatar National Hotels Company in 1997, this club hosts all the activities of Qatar Golf Federation. It has an international standard course on which the prestigious Qatar Masters tournament is held annually since 1998.

Hamad International Complex for Water Sports
Situated next to khalifa Olympic Stadium, this complex is designed to the Olympic and international standard technologies and specifications. It has the required most advanced equipment and installations that qualify it to host all local and world-class tournaments.

Ladies Tennis Hall
With two new courts and terraces, this facility is one of the most modern sports installations in Qatar where ladies can practice tennis.

Al-Wajbah Center for Girls Sports
This facility is equipped with advanced training systems to coach girls in various sports.

Women Sports in Qatar
Qatar Women Sports Committee (QWSC) was established in accordance with the decision No (3) for 2000 taken by Her Highness Sheikha Mouza Bint Naser Abdullah Al Misnad the President of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs. It was proclaimed by His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani the President of Qatar National Olympic Committee (QNOC) in the year 2001 under the chair of Dr. Anisa Al-Hitmi.
QWSC was a major milestone in women's sports movement in Qatar. It heralded the opening of several women sports centers where women sporting talent can be discovered and developed under the guidance of specialized female coaches in all fields of sports.
QWSC started to participate in sporting competitions abroad; and made a landmark accomplishment by the election of Dr. Anisa Al-Hitmi as Vice-President of the Islamic Women Union (Asia region).
Under the precious care of QNOC, the committee is looking forward to participating in the 15th Asian Games to be hosted by Qatar in 2006.

Aims of QWSC
QWSC works to push forward women sports and raise sports performance in Qatar through the following objectives:
- To support women sports and reinforce women participation in sports activities.
- To emphasize Qatari women participation in sports activities, seminars, conferences and specialized studies locally and internationally.
- To elevate the technical and administrative standards of the women's sports activities in Qatar within the general plan designed by QNOC.
- To create a common awareness of the necessity for women to practice sports.
- To open communication channels with local and international sports federations to develop local women sports activities.
- To exchange experiences and information plus reinforcing the collaboration with women's sports developing points.
- To assist the concerned women sports bodies in the country and remove the obstacles that might hinder their progress so that they can carry out their missions.

QWSC Centers
- Al-Wajba Sports Center.
- Asmaa' Bint Abi Bakr Sports Center.
- Aamna Mahmoud Al-Jaida Sports Center.
- Jou'aan Sports Center.
- Al-Risala Sports Center.

Sport Centers Statistics
- There are 233 players of various sports in all age groups.
- There are 26 Qatari female coaches in various sports fields in addition to coaches from other countries.

Sports and Games
Handball - basketball - Volleyball - Table Tennis - Chess - Athletics - Gymnastics - Shooting - Archery.

QWSC Membership in Regional and International Bodies
- Islamic Women Union (Tehran).
- Arab Women Sports League (Cairo).
- Asian Work Group For Women and Sports (Japan).
- The International Council for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sports (Virginia).

TRADITIONAL SPORTS IN QATAR

Traditional Boat Race:
This annual event reflects the traditional way of life in Qatar, as traditional boats have and will always remain an integral part of the sense of being of the people, who used to depend on the sea for their livelihood. This race turns this very peculiar and traditional side of the Qatari character into an enjoyable sporting contest dominated by sportsmanship and spirit of the team.

Camel Race:
Race competitions for Arabian-bred camels are held annually in Qatar. They mainly include the race of His Highness the Emir, the race of His Highness the Heir Apparent, the race of His Highness the Prime Minister and the Challenge Race.


Challenge Race:
Challenge race, or "dirham at-tahaddi' as it is popularly named, is the brain child of Qatar. In this race, which is expected to be one of the most outstanding sports events in the whole world, the champions of the major camel races in the GCC countries compete for the title of the champion of the champions.


Falconry:
Falconry, (gans) as called in Arabic, is one of the most favorite pastimes among the residents of Qatar. Falconry season in the Gulf region starts usually in the beginning of winter and continues till the end of it. Specialized fairs are held to display different varieties of falcons. Al-hur, ash-shahain, al-wakri and al-sinyari are some of the most popular falcon varieties. However, only two types are used now, al-hur and ash-shahain; and some of the most popular falcon's games are the curlew, bustards, pigeons, partridges, rabbits and sometimes deer.


Horse Racing:
Horse racing is one of the old sports most favored in this country. There are a number of seasonal horse race meetings, in which competition becomes more intense with hefty financial prizes offered for winners. The Equestrian Club organizes these events. International Horse beauty contests held in the country are the focus of attention and appreciation locally, regionally and internationally.

MODERN SPORTS
Modern sports have seen during the last decades a substantial evolution and made wide forward strides. The massive Khalifa International Stadium has 45 thousand seats and Khalifa International Complex for Tennis and Squash is a world icon, while the new 18-hole Doha Golf Course represents another spot of admiration and a destination for the golfers and spectators alike.

While soccer is the first game and the most popular in the country with the national team proving its competence in the regional, Arab and international levels, tennis is rapidly gaining popularity especially after the inauguration of the tennis complex, which contains 17 grounds, a gym, a swimming pool, and other most advanced facilities.

Undoubtedly, the developed sports installations have at least partly contributed to making Qatar able to host some of the most exciting sporting events such as:

Golf:
Qatar Golf Club, where Qatar Masters Tournament was held, has turned that desolate and arid piece of land extending across the West Bay area into what can be rated as the best golf course in the Gulf area. It will undisputedly leave a lasting impression and happy memories with popular international golf stars who practiced in it. Doha Golf Club boasts international fame and state of the art equipment and installations. Based on this, the Club is on the threshold of a bright future as a regular venue for international championships.

Tennis:
Qatar Open Tennis Tournament is a prestigious international event, annually attracting scores of the world first class players such as Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Michael Stich, Thomas Muster and others, all of whom boast having participated in this renowned tournament.

Squash:
Qatar Tennis and Squash Federation organizes Qatar Squash International Tournament every year. This tournament attracts the best world well-known players, of whom Jahangir Khan, Rodney Eyles and Mack Cairns are just examples.

Qatar Rally:
Qatar International Rally is one of the best well-known events of its kind in the Middle East, by virtue of the highest level participation it gets from all over the world. Competitors, who represent the elite of their class, use the best of their skills and dash off with their vehicles to win this rally.

International Regatta:
The Arabian Gulf water with its cadet blue color and the region's deep blue sky with its warm provide the most favorable conditions for boat sailing. The International Regatta, nicknamed "Sail the Gulf", attracts the participation of competitors from many countries including China, Russia, Singapore, Thailand and others, and entries from other countries are increasing every year.

Athletics:
Among the best world well known sporting event is Qatar International Athletics Championship, which is listed in the annual program of, and supervised by the International Amateur Athletics Federation. Qatar is distinguished by being the only Middle Eastern country to organize and host world athletics events on annual basis, and the only Arab country to allow the participation of women in athletics competitions.

Desert Horseracing Marathon:
Qatar International Desert Marathon is a real test for both man and beast, where competitors do the standard marathon distance of 42 km and 200 meters. The event attracts media people from all over the world to participate in the excitement and the suspense.

All these events and many more other activities won Qatar its deserved name as "the sporting capital of the Gulf".

Swimming:
The State pays a lot of attention for swimming. The Swimming Committee, which was formed in accordance with the 1992 decision of General Authority for Youth, formed the nucleus for Qatar Swimming Federation, established in 1993.

The Swimming School was opened in 1993. Qatar national swimming team participated in all Gulf, Arab, Asian and international swimming competitions.

In the year 2000, Hamad International Complex for Water Sports was established. It contains training, instruction and competition programs and facilities for swimming and diving.

Qatar Swimming Federation organized the 12th GCC Swimming Championship in Doha in 2000 for the first time in Qatar.


The State's preparations for the Asian Tournament

Qatar is preparing to organize the 15th Asian Games Tournament in December 2006. It will be the first Arab Gulf country and the second Western Asian country (after Iran) to host this prestigious international event. Doha Asian Games will feature for the first time in the tournament's history 423 competitions in 39 sports for over 10000 athletes coming from 45 Asian countries.

The Supreme Organizing Committee for the Asian Games
A high-level committee chaired by His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani the Heir Apparent was formed to organize the forthcoming Asian Games Tournament - Doha 2006. The committee meets extensively with the representatives of the consultancy to draft and finalize the tournament's general plan in preparation to submit the same to the Olympic Asian Council for endorsement as a work schedule for the event. The organizing committee is mandated to manage all the requirements of the tournament including installations; infrastructure; listed competitions; technical services; IT programs, systems and data; information services including information centers, TV transmission, marketing, advertisement, expected financial sources and all relevant administrative and financial issues pertaining to the information field; human resources including staff and volunteers; the organization of the opening and closing ceremonies and the accompanying cultural functions; accommodation, transportation and security affairs; health and environmental services besides other organizational and administrative aspects of the games.

Asiad's Installations
Within Qatar's preparations to host the Asian 2006, work is underway to construct the sports village in the heart of Doha to accommodate 12 thousand persons and provide accommodation, restaurants, entertainment, spa and training facilities for the athletes and officials participating the Asian games tournament. The village enjoys its an edge as an impressive facility for sporting events due to its close proximity of the tournament's events and its easy accessibility of 10 to 20 minutes drive from all installations.
The football stadium of Al Gharraffa sports club is one of the modern sports installations that had been prepared for the Asian Games tournament Doha - 2006. With no athletics track, the stadium will be exclusively used for football matches. It has a 25 thousand seating capacity, 22 hotel-class rooms to be used in training camps, 4 changing rooms that can accommodate up to 4 teams at the same time, training halls, a live TV transmission studio, a modern lighting system, an advanced electronic live video display screen.
Preparations are underway to inaugurate a number of 3, 4 and 5- star hotels alongside with several hotel-class and 5-star residential compounds that can be successfully utilized for accommodation during the tournament.


International, Regional and Championships Held in Qatar
Qatar hosts several international championships that have given it a prominent place on the Gulf, Arabic and international sports map that has drawn world's attention.

Championships:

1. HH The Emir Camels Race Final Cup regional- organized by the Camel Race Committee on Shihania Camel Race Track.
2. HH Heir Apparent Football Final Cup- local- organized by Football Association.
3. Qatar Masters Squash Championship-international- organized by Squash Association.
4. HH Heir Apparent Volleyball Final Cup-local- organized by The Volleyball Association.
5. Qatar Gymnastics Grand Prize-international- organized by Gymnastics Federation.
6. HH The Emir Football Final Cup-local- organized by Football Association.
7. Qatar International Bowling Championship- international- organized by Bowling Association
8. HH The Emir Basketball Final Cup- local- organized by the Basketball Association.
9. Qatar Cycling Tour - international- organized by The Cycling Association
10.Qatar Car Rally- international- organized by Car Rally Association
11.Qatar International Sailing Regatta- international- organized by Sea Games Association.
12. Qatar Masters Golf Championship-international- organized by The Golf Association.
13. Qatar International Equestrian Festival- international- organized by The Equestrian Association.

Qatar's Academy of Sports Excellence (Aspire)
One of the world's most advanced sports institutions and the first of its kind in the middle east, Aspire is built around turning young sporting hopefuls into winners at the highest levels of international competition. Presently it has 92 students of whom 25 are non-Qataris.
The Academy offers state-of-the-art and world-class educational and sporting installations and technologies; and comprises an integrated array of facilities either on the academic side including study halls and advanced sports science labs; or on the sporting side including training fields and courts, a physiotherapy and medical center, fitness halls and recreation facilities.
It has a spacious 290 thousand sq. meters sports dome comprising a football training field, an international standard athletics track, an Olympic swimming and diving pool, a gymnastics hall, a sports games hall, contact sports mats, fencing strips and squash courts.
The Academy is composed of two main administrative units: the academic unit, which is concerned with developing the intellectual capacities of the students; and the sports unit, which adopts modern expertise and scientific techniques in physical training, talent development and nutrition to achieve international excellence in psychological preparedness and sports performance.