By Rizwan Rehmat
DOHA: Veteran Qatar basketball player Yaseen Ismail has announced retirement from the sport that he played for 23 seasons.
The national team star and Al Rayyan stalwart made the announcement at a packed news conference held inside the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) headquarters.
“I had been thinking about it for the last two years,” Ismail said.
“So it was a tough decision to make but I am happy about this announcement,” the 35-year-old forward said.
“It is the right time to go. This is life. You have to make a decision like that if you are a professional sports person. Today or tomorrow, you have to make up your mind.
“Twenty three years - it’s a long time. I was the captain of the Qatar national team and my Al Rayyan side. It has been a great show to be part of the national team for 20 years and be part of the Al Rayyan side.
“I feel it is the time to leave. That’s why I took the decision to create room for the younger generation to step forward,” said Ismail who stands 6 feet 8 inches tall.
“Great players are coming up at Al Rayyan and at the national level also. I took the decision after tinkering about the idea to retire for almost two years,” Ismail said.
Ismail said Qatar’s basketball ‘future is bright’.
“Of course, Qatar is heading in the right direction. The future is bright,” Ismail said.
“The national team and even the clubs are moving in the right direction. A few days ago the Qatar juniors (U-19) won the 3x3 World title.
“Al Rayyan have a nice group of players who can take the team forward. For my side, I am available to give the young players advice, tips. I want to pass on the knowledge that I have gained over the last two decades.
Ismail said he had no regrets. “No. Thank God I have achieved all that I could. What I have done for the last 20 years has been great,” Ismail said.
“When we started basketball more than 20 years ago, we almost started from zero. We never won titles at any level. Then we started, we started wining.
“We won the first GCC title for juniors in 1995. Then we went on to build the team that won titles in region and the world. It has been a great journey. I won 46 titles for Al Rayyan. I was part of the national team that won 16 tiles.
“Twenty years ... it has been a great journey,” he said. QBF President Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrehman Al Thani thanked Ismail for his services.
“What we have seen is a great career. He has accomplished a lot with the national team and his Al Rayyan boys,” Sheiikh Saoud said.
“They (Al Rayyan) have won the GCC titles, the Asian trophies and the first one was won in 2002,” he said.
“That was our first title in Asia. Then we won the Arab Championships two years ago in Morocco. We are very proud of his role in our wins,” Sheikh Saoud said.
Rashid Nasser al Khalifa, Vice-Chairman of the Al Rayyan Club Board, said: “There is no greater role model in basketball. Yaseen has been a great professional, who has played the game with a lot of commitment.”
Ajlan Eid Alenazi, Al Rayyan Club Board Member and Head of Basketball, said: “We will honour Yaseen’s great career with a send-off to remember.”
“The future generation can look up to him and feel proud the way he has represented country and club,” he added.
The Peninsula
