14 Monday, August 31, 2020 Sports Afif wins QFA Player of the Year award a second straight time

Tribune News Network

Akram Afif has been named the QFA Player of the Year, becoming the first player to win the award for two straight years. The Al Sadd forward also won the Mansour Muftah Award alongside Al Rayyan’s for the top goalscorer after both players finished the 2019-20 QNB Stars League season with 15 goals each. This year’s award winners were announced via social me- dia on Sunday after the usual award gala was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Board of Trustees of Football Association Awards approved the voting process after completing the screening where 50 out of 52 ries (Football for All Award, to organisations, groups or in- forms sent to the participants Best Referees Award and dividuals making a significant The List for voting were approved. Mansour Muftah Award for contribution towards football Best Player: of Al Sadd. He centage (64.6%) in the final voting in the league. And the final results in each the Top Scorer), where vot- in the local community. The obtained the highest percentage process. Best Referees’ Award: The quartet category (Best Player Award, ing was not held, were also winners are: Ministry of Pub- (60.91%) in the final voting process. Best Under-23 Player: Tarek of Abdulrahman al Jassim, Taleb Salem Best Coach Award and Best announced. lic Health, Ministry of Interi- Mansour Muftah Award for Top- Salman of Al Sadd. He obtained the (first assistant), Faisal Eid (second Under-23 Player Award), or, Aspetar Hospital and Qatar Best Coach: Diego Aguirre of Al Scorer: Akram Afif & Yacine Brahimi. highest percentage (53.9%) in the final assistant) and Abdullah Al Athba (Video where voting happened, was Football For All Award Red Crescent. For their efforts also approved. This award is given by the and contribution towards Rayyan. He received the highest per- They shared the award with 15 goals each voting process. Assistant Referee). Winners of other catego- QFA Award Board of Trustees football resumption.

Quick read Hathab organisers to chart strategic QSL technical committee meeting held

The (QSL) held a technical meeting ahead of the start of 2020-21 season QNB Stars League on Sunday at the Al Sadd club, as part of the arrangements and preparations being plan for forthcoming new season made by the QSL for the new season. The meeting was attended by Ahmed Al Adsani, Director of Competitions Department at the QSL, representative of the Referees Department of Qatar Football Tribune News Network Association and representatives of QNB Stars League clubs. The following topics were discussed: Doha organisational instructions, guidelines and match-day procedures; emphasis on the continuation of pre- cautionary measures and approved protocol to complete the third phase, and the need to adhere to all The supreme organising com- specified procedures; importance of commitment to come to the stadium on the dates scheduled for mittee of the Longines Qatar the matches; emphasis on the clothing sets (home and away) for each team, and specifying the sets Equestrian Tour Hathab, con- and colours of clothing that each team will wear in its match. (QSL) sisting of members of Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF) and Al Shaqab, will soon be holding a meeting this week to chart a strategic plan for the new season ‘Hathab 2020-21’ for the fourth edition of the Veteran Nasser Al annual championship which begins in October. The plan to further en- hance the domestic equestrian series – which was launched Attiya to participate three seasons ago under the guidance of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, Presi- dent, Qatar Olympic Commit- Badr Al Darwish, Organising Committee Member – Longines Hathab, and Secretary-General of Qatar tee with the aim of increasing Equestrian Federation, honoured main partners of the 2019/2020 Longines Hathab Qatar Equestrian Tour the number of riders and to Saleh Al Mana, Vice-President Government and Public Affairs, ExxonMobil Qatar Limited, and AbdulSalam in WRC in Turkey form a wider base of trained Abu-Issa, Chief Executive Officer, Salam International at the conclusion of Longines Hathab 2019-20 horses and to enhance riders’ season at the Qatar Euestrian Federation on Saturday. Tribune News Network interest in dressage to partici- Doha pate in the international and International and Longines (COVID-19) pandemic. Equestrian Federation who par- Olympic equestrian events – for their generous support for He added that with the end ticipate in the refereeing and Veteran driver Nasser bin aims at studying the setting of the equestrian event. of the season, there will be a training courses for showjump- Khalifa Al Attiya, who made calendar for the twelve rounds “I hope to increase the comprehensive technical and ing and dressage is in indication a comeback to car rallying in of the fourth edition of Lon- riders’ base in the future so administrative evaluation of of the same, he stressed. Qatar last year, will participate gines Hathab. that the championship will be the tournament. He pointed The Hathab series in the World Rally Champion- The request submitted by placed on the regional and in- to the increase in number of launched in 2017 carries a to- ship (WRC) in Turkey from several friendly federations to ternational map after the three sponsors and horse-owners tal prize of QR1.2mn. Hathab September 18 to 20. participate with their riders editions have contributed to has led to an increase in the meaning ‘Canter’ in Arabic, is in some of the next rounds of achieving a significant and re- base of riders and horses par- aimed at improving the stand- the championship will also be markable development in the ticipating in Hathab rather ard of horse riding among studied. The new edition may performance of the riders,” than relying solely on the fed- Qatari youths while encourag- also see the opening of doors said Omar Al Mannai. eration alone to provide riders ing the involvement of private for fans. He also mentioned the and horses. stables and individual horse The third edition of Hathab good performance of Qatari Badr Al Darwish, Secretary- owners to grow awareness of concluded successfully at the rider Maryam Al Boinin, who General of QEF and the Asian horsemanship as part of Qa- QEF’s indoor arena on Sat- won the Small Tour title in the Equestrian Federation, and tar’s history and tradition. urday and Omar bin Khalid 12th and final round. a member of the Organising The vision for Hathab is to Al Mannai, Vice-Chairman of On his part, Ali Al Rumaihi, Committee, said that the tour- inspire Qatar’s next generation the Organising Committee, a former Olympian himself, and nament highlighted Qatar’s of international champions. thanked HE Sheikh Joaan, for Director of Longines Hathab, role on the international eques- Longines, ExxonMobil his support for sports in general thanked all participants and the trian map thanks to Al Shaqab’s and Salam World are the of- Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiya’s car being unloaded in Turkey. He will and for equestrian in particular. media for their role in making facilities and the QEF. ficial partners of Hathab and be driving a Ford Fiesta R5 at the World Rally Championship from The organisers also the third edition a big success The participation of many it is open to all Qataris and Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiya. September 18 to 20. thanked the official sponsors despite a four-month forced judges from International Fed- residents of Qatar who wish to ExxonMobil Qatar, Al Salam break due to the coronavirus eration of Equestrian and Asian participate. A former Middle East Rally tionale de l’Automobile (FIA) by promoting many drivers Championship (MERC) series and Federation Internationale and riders to compete world- runner-up in 1993, Al Attiya de Motocyclisme (FIM). He wide. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah returned to track at last year’s has started in over 50 rallies achieved many sterling per- Qatar International Rally af- and has gone on to win many formances during that time. I ter a gap of 22 years. And that international rallies and is a was with FIA and FIM in high experience has only made him five-time winner of the Qatar positions. Now I just want to continue competing in rallies. Rally Championship. show that I am following my “I have already registered In Turkey, Al Attiya will passion and that I am also a to take part in the Turkey get technical support from rally driver,” he added. Rally. I will be driving a Ford Lebanon-based Motortune Al Attiya has already laid Fiesta R5 with my Italian co- Racing garage, who are pro- out his future plans, as he driver Bernacchini Giovanni,” viding him with mechanics aims to participate in the ral- said Al Attiya, who has been and engineers. The veteran lies across Europe. “My future camping in Turkey for the last Qatari rider felt age is just a plans are that I am willing to one month. number and said he wants to compete in Europe next year. “I am getting stronger with pursue his passion for motor- Maybe I will do a round in Cy- my practice with the car. My sports for a long time. prus or in other countries like physical fitness is good too as “I want to be strong at my Latvia or the Czech Repub- I am training in the gym. I do age. My age is only a number lic this year so that I gather my swimming sessions as well. for me. I need to show the enough data for next season. I have been here in Turkey for veteran motorsport enthusi- Next year I will do a full cham- a month and I will continue asts that you can enjoy your pionship,” he said. here until the rally,” he added. life and compete well too. “It was my dream to race Al Attiya has extensive ex- Most of the participants have in Turkey, especially since Qa- perience in motorsports, hav- good data on every race, they tar and Turkey have good re- ing also been an administrator have more mileage than me. lationship at all levels. I need for more than two decades. He This is my first time in Tur- to put a message out that both was a former president of the key. I will never give up my countries enjoy great relation- Qatar Motor and Motorcycle passion.” he said. ship. Also, at the same time I Federation (QMMF) and has “I want to do some records. want to put Qatar on the map Winners of the annual Longines Hathab Qatar Equestrian Tour 2019-20 Hamad Nasser Al Qadi (Big Tour), Mohammed Khalifa Al Baker also served as the vice-pres- I did many things for Qatar with another driver competing (Medium Tour), Mohammed Al Ghazali (Small Tour), Fahed Abdulkareem (Future Riders), Ghanim Nasser Al Qadi (Dressage Level 2), and ident of Federation Interna- by building a racing circuit, at top races,” Al Attiya added. Jessica Waldon (Dressage Level 1) with their prizes at the Qatar Equestrian Federation’s indoor arena on Saturday.