Qatar Prepares for the Celebration of National Sport Day 2014

Doha, Qatar – February 10th, 2014: The people of Qatar will be celebrating the National Sport Day on February 11th, 2014. The full program of sporting events will promote healthy living for the whole population, as Qatar celebrates sport on this dedicated public holiday.

From cycling to swimming, football to basketball, tennis to taekwondo, countless free sporting sessions & social competitions, accessible to all, will be taking place throughout Qatar. Building on the successes of previous years, Qatar National Sport Day 2014 is set to bring the country even closer together through activity, leaving a lasting legacy for the local community. Based on the sporting principles of team building, inclusion and unity, participation and fun, fitness and health, National Sport Day has cemented its status as one of the highlights of Qatar’s community, sporting and national calendars.

Along with the extensive sporting events across the country, National Sport Day will also focus on Qatari culture with a traditional Al Shawahef rowing championship. The event will act as a reminder of Qatar’s ancient sporting heritage and the role it has played in the country’s most recent developments.

His Excellency Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani - the Secretary General of Qatar Olympic Committee, stated:

"This is one of the most exciting days of the year. Every effort is being made towards ensuring that every single person in the country can have the opportunity to adopt a healthy lifestyle."

"The generous initiative adopted by HH the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to allocate Tuesday in the second week of February every year as National Sport Day reflects the great interest given by the wise leadership to making sport is one of the strategic tools for achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030 objectives," added H.E.

The 2014 National Sport Day celebrations have commenced in Qatar on February 6th, 2014 with the opening of the QOC Sport Village. Encouraging the next generation of sport stars to learn new skills are Olympic shooter Bahiya Al Mansour and most-capped Qatari footballer, Adel Khamis.

Speaking from the QOC Sport Village Adel Khamis said:

"It’s been a privilege to be involved in this campaign and the most exciting thing is that the day itself is just getting started. Qatar has a proud sporting heritage and through National Sport Day and facilities such as this one, we are most definitely moving in a positive direction. My hope is the people of Qatar seize this day to take that step towards healthy living, while the younger generation stay adventurous and try new sports as we look to unearth new talent."

Alongside the Qatar Olympic Committee, ExxonMobil has supported the community to get active, healthy and take part in the wide range of free sporting events planned across the country, as official sponsor for a third successive year.

"We see the Qatar Olympic Committee and ExxonMobil Qatar’s engagement in Qatar’s National Sports Day as an opportunity not only to promote the importance of sports in Qatar, but also to help discover young talents and encourage youth in cultivating their interest in sports," said Bart Cahir, President and General Manager of ExxonMobil Qatar Inc.

Featuring the traditional boat race and the Corniche sport walk, along with the biggest ever line up of free events, February 11th , 2014 is set to be an exciting and widely celebrated day of sport by the entire people in Qatar.

For more information, contact Hassan Abdullah Al Mohammadi at +974 449 44646.

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