Sports Wednesday, June 16, 2021 15 QFA Executive Committee approves new Stars League strategy QNA

The Executive Committee of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) approved the new Qatar Stars League strategy which was submitted by the Qatar Stars League Management to provide competitive and high- quality football and elevate to competitive technical high quality football, starting from the 2023-2024 season. as adopting a new mechanism The mechanism for imple- This came during the Strategy aimed at providing competitive and high-quali- for playing the national team menting the strategy is based meeting held today under the ty football and elevation to competitive technical high players with their respective on holding workshops with chairmanship of QFA Presi- quality football starting from the 2023-2024 season. clubs according to criteria de- clubs, and partnering with dent HE Sheikh Hamad bin termined by the QFA after world football experts and Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, ing in the Qatar Stars League criteria necessary to enhance consulting with the relevant specialists. Qatar Olympic Committee Secretary-General HE Jassim bin Rashid in the presence of all members to 10 clubs to elevate to com- the level of professionalism for authorities and departments; The meeting’s agenda also Al Buenain with President of Hungarian Olympic Committee Krisztian of the Executive Committee. petitive technical high qual- clubs and competitions starting and the Central Scouting Team included the briefing ofHE the Kulcsar in Budapest. The meeting discussed all ity football, starting from the from the 2022-2023 season; (CST) will include experts and President and members of the the details related to the pro- 2023-2024 season; continua- distribution of central finan- specialists to support clubs Executive Committee on the ject to develop the QNB Stars tion of the promotion and rele- cial revenues from commercial identify international players reports submitted by the vari- QOC Secretary-General League. gation system, with the play-off rights and TV broadcasts for and coaches in accordance to ous committees of the QFA The strategy included sev- match; clubs will commit to the clubs per the new mechanisms their actual value and quality regarding the work mecha- meets Hungarian Olympic eral points, including: reducing new club participation agree- and standards, starting from starting from the 2021-2022 nism and uniformity, and oth- the number of clubs participat- ment (CPA), which includes the the 2023-2024 season; as well season. er related matters. Committee President Tribune News Network them in the future. Doha The meeting was also at- tended by Balint Vekassy, The Qatar Olympic Commit- Secretary-General, Hungarian WTC Final: Siraj included in India’s tee Secretary-General HE Jas- Olympic Committee. sim bin Rashid Al Buenain on The QOC Secretary-Gen- Monday met with Krisztian eral was visiting the Hungari- Kulcsar, President of Hungar- an capital to attend the World starting 15, Mayank misses out ian Olympic Committee, in Judo Championships which Hungary’s capital Budapest. concluded on Sunday after ANI During the meeting, the bringing together 661 athletes Southampton India squad QOC Secretary-General ex- (men and women) represent- tended greetings of the QOC ing 118 countries. Mohammed Siraj has been Rohit Sharma, Shubman President HE Sheikh Joaan It is worth mentioning included in India’s 15-member Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, bin Hamad Al Thani to his that Qatar will be the host squad for the upcoming World Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Hungarian counterpart. In the nation for IJF 2023 Judo Test Championship (WTC) Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, meeting both officials reviewed World Championships which final against New Zealand, Rishabh Pant, Wriddhi- the bilateral sport cooperation is also a qualifying event to the starting on Friday. man Saha, Ravichandran between the two organizations Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Mayank Agarwal has been Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and methods of strengthening Games. left out and this means Shub- Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant man Gill and Rohit Sharma Sharma, Mohammad will be opening the batting for Shami, Umesh Yadav, the Virat Kohli-led side. Ravi- Mohammed Siraj. chandran Ashwin and Ravin- Qatar athletics team departs dra Jadeja have been chosen as the spinners, while Wrid- incredible,” he smiled. for Arab Games in Tunisia dhiman Saha has also been Asked if Kohli can do a named in the squad along with Tendulkar and cut out the Rishabh Pant. The Kiwis have drive as the Master Blaster had already entered the bio-bubble against Australia at the Sydney for the summit clash having India cricket captain Virat Kohli (left) with his New Zealand counterpart Ken Williamson. Cricket Ground in 2004, the defeated England in the two- maestro said such calls need to match Test series. England, India head coach Kohli and boys playing for “I am thrilled. This is the be taken at the crease and can- Prior to the WTC final, the Ravi Shastri had said that go- ultimate glory. Speaking to World Test Championship and not be planned beforehand. Indian team played an intra- ing ahead, the International ANI, Tendulkar revealed that to be able to get there in the “I am sure a batsman of his squad game where the likes of Cricket Council (ICC) should for him, it was the series win top two, speaks volumes about calibre understands the game Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh look to make the final of the in Australia which was testi- how the team has performed. as he is a good student. He Pant impressed with the bat in WTC a best-of-three contest mony to the fighting spirit of It is simply outstanding and will have his plans. It need not hand. At the Hampshire Bowl, and it could be played like a this Indian unit. He also threw the icing on the cake has to be that ‘okay I am not going Qatar’s athletics team departed on Monday for Tunisia to participate the players were tested again three-match series. light on how he expects Rohit be the Australian trip. There to play this shot’. Sometimes in the Arab Games -- a qualifying event to the Tokyo Olympics 2020. A before commencing a period Sharma to start cautiously be- were so many injuries, there you know, you adjust your total of 420 athletes from 20 countries will take part in the competi- of managed isolation. Regular Kohli will figure out fore pressing on the accelera- were like 10-11 players miss- stance and do a lot of things at tion. The Qatari team is headed by Secretary-General of Qatar Athlet- tests will be conducted during things, says Tendulkar tor and how he is confident of ing on that tour and in spite the crease which the bowlers ics Federation Mohammed Eissa Al Fadala. the period of isolation. India legend Sachin Ten- skipper Kohli taking the Kiwi of that we were able to deliver sometimes don’t pick. All those Prior to departing for dulkar is thrilled to see Virat bowlers by surprise. the knockout punch which was minor tweaks one can do.” Qatar to host GCC Aquatics TOKYO OLYMPICS Championships in August Tough sanctions for hygiene violations

DPA regardless of the pandemic, Tokyo widespread opposition among his country’s population and a Participants at the To- slow start into vaccination. kyo Olympics face sanctions Coates has said the Games including exclusion from the could also be held under a Games if they don’t comply state of emergency. with the extensive coronavirus Coates arrived for the final countermeasures in place. preparations and along with The International Olympic his delegation members the Committee (IOC) published Games’ coordination commit- the measures on Tuesday in tee chairman will be in quar- the third and final version of antine with his delegation for Tribune Network the 2021 GCC Aquatics Cham- their playbooks for all stake- the next three days. Doha pionships after the Gulf Coop- holders at the July 23-August For the following 11 days eration Council (GCC) swim- 8 Games which take place their activities will be limited The Qatar Swimming Asso- ming organizing committee amid the pandemic. due to the pandemic, Japanese ciation (QSA) announced on postponed the tournament Also on Tuesday, IOC vice- organizers said. Monday that Doha will be that was scheduled for 2020 president John Coates arrived Ahead of Coates’s arrival, the host city for the 8th GCC to 2021 due to the COVID-19 in Tokyo and Japan said it had some three dozen people with Aquatics Championships to be pandemic. Qatar will also be secured another 20,000 vacci- placards protested against the held from August 19-22 at the hosting the 5th round of the nation doses for its workforce Games and called on him not Hamad Aquatics Centre. FINA World Cup in October at the Games which were post- to come. Qatar was chosen to host this year. poned last year. Olympic Minister Tamayo With less than six weeks IOC’s Executive Director Christophe Dubi speaks on-screen as Tokyo 2020 Main Operation Marukawa said on Tuesday until the opening ceremony Chief Hidemasa Nakamura (R) looks on during a press briefing for the presentation of the version three of that the government will be the IOC continued its fine- Tokyo 2020 Playbook in Tokyo on Tuesday. (AFP) receiving 20,000 vaccination tuning through the playbooks, doses from US company Pfizer Quick read and it said that details on com- “In this updated version, rary or permanent exclusion and secure Games. which doubles the amount of Great to see India women’s team in Tests: Jadeja pliance were among the key the range of potential conse- from the Games; withdrawal Tokyo is under a state of jabs for the Olympic workforce. added content. quences that the IOC (for the of accreditation; disqualifica- emergency until at least Sun- The IOC had earlier agreed Southampton: India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on Tuesday said that “While the emphasis re- Olympic Games) and IPC (for tion (with the consequences day, and the government is re- with Pfizer over the same it would be a great moment when the women’s team steps out on the mains on education, pre- the Paralympic Games) may set forth in the Olympic Char- portedly considering to place amount of doses. field to play a Test after a gap of seven years. India and England women vention and relying on all impose have been included in ter); and financial sanctions.” Tokyo under a quasi state of The latest agreement al- will be locking horns in the one-off Test, beginning Wednesday at Bristol. stakeholders and Games par- order to provide some trans- The IOC and Japanese organ- emergency during the Games. lows to offer vaccination to “Playing Test cricket for the country is always a special feeling. It feels ticipants to follow the rules, parency to stakeholders and izers have insisted that the At the recent G7 summit, volunteers in the athletes’ vil- great that we will be able to witness our women’s team competing in tools and processes will be in Games participants. Examples playbooks and vaccination of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshi- lage, members of the organiz- Test cricket after seven years. I would like to wish the girls good luck in place for situations of non- of such potential consequenc- around 80 per cent of the ath- hide Suga reaffirmed his de- ing committee and Japanese their game against England,” tweeted Jadeja. (ANI) compliance,” the IOC said. es include: warnings; tempo- letes would help to stage safe termination to hold the Games media representatives.