The event was attended by QOC’s First Vice President Mohamed bin Yousef Al Mana, Second Vice President Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, Secretary-General Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the School Olympic Program Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al Thani along with several presidents and representatives of sports federations.
Doha: The Organising Committee of the School Olympic Program (SOP) held a ceremony yesterday to honour promising athletes who joined Qatar’s national teams through the program.
The event was attended by Mohamed bin Yousef Al Mana, First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee; Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, Second Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee; Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee; and Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al Thani, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the School Olympic Program, along with several presidents and representatives of sports federations.
A total of 24 male and female athletes were honoured during the ceremony.
These talents were identified and developed through the School Olympic Program and have successfully represented Qatar’s national teams across seven sports: football, hockey, rugby, volleyball, shooting, and tennis.
On this occasion, Al Mana expressed his appreciation to
H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, for his continued support of the School Olympic Program.
He noted that this backing reflects a clear vision and a sustainable investment in the development of Qatari sport by focusing on identifying and nurturing young talent within an integrated institutional framework.
For his part, Al Buenain affirmed that the School Olympic Program has become a cornerstone in discovering sporting talent across various disciplines.
He noted that the athletes honoured have demonstrated distinguished technical levels and proved their readiness to transition to higher competitive stages in the coming period.
He highlighted that sports federations increasingly rely on the program’s outputs to supply national teams with promising talents, stressing that integration between schools, federations, and national teams constitutes a successful model in preparing a new generation of athletes capable of representing Qatar in future events.
In his address during the ceremony, Sheikh Khalifa stated: “This gathering is not merely a recognition ceremony; it represents a milestone in evaluating and acknowledging the success of the Talent Identification Project, one of the executive initiatives within the School Olympic Program.
The project was designed to serve as an organized link between the school, the sports federation, and the national team, within a clear and integrated pathway for champion development.”
He added that the Ministry of Education has played a pivotal role in this system by empowering the school environment, supporting program implementation, and enhancing the role of schools and physical education teachers in the early identification and nomination of talent according to clear standards.
In the same context, Abdulrahman Al Muftah, Executive Director of the School Olympic Program, affirmed that the program has become a key pillar in Qatar’s talent identification system. He noted that the achievement of 23 athletes joining national teams reflects the success of the adopted mechanisms in scouting, development, and follow-up.
He explained that the program goes beyond identifying talent, operating through an integrated methodology that includes continuous technical evaluation, coordination with sports federations, and ensuring a structured transition from the school environment to the competitive pathway, thereby contributing to building a sustainable sports base that supports the future of national teams.
