P 6 | FOOTBALL P 24 | FENCING PERFEcT 10 FOR RAYYAN POWER OF THE SWORD Playmaker Rodrigo Tabata’s late goal stuns The Qatar Fencing Federation is all geared up El Jaish as Al Rayyan register their 10th to host the 12th Epee Grand Prix for men successive win in the Qatar Stars League. and Eighth World Cup for women. WEDNESDAY, DEcEmBER 2, 2015 | Vol X | No.44 | QR 2.00 www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com Follow us on , RIOHERE WE cOmE! Qatari handballers create history by making the Olympic cut for the first time as they defeat Iran in the Asian Qualification Tournament final.PAGES 18-19 DSP/Mohan UK ...................................... £1 UAE ...............................Dh 5 Europe ............................. €2 Yemen..................75 Riyals P 26 | MOTORSPORT Oman ...............200 Baisas Sudan ...................1 Pound P 20 | POSTER Bahrain ..................200 Fils KSA .......................... 2 Riyals Egypt .............................LE 2 Jordan ....................500 Fils Lebanon ..........3,000 Livre Iraq .................................... $1 Bennani drives GREAT BRITAIN Kuwait ....................250 Fils Palestine ......................... $1 SPECIAL Morocco ......................Dh 6 Syria .............................LS 20 STORY home a point! DAVIS CUP CHAMPS www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 2, 2015 3 EXCITEMENT NOW OPINION » The writer can be contacted at: JUST A TOUCH AWAY Editor-in-Chief Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi [email protected] Managing Editor Kumar Ravi Senior Editor/Writer Aswin Abraham Senior Sports Writer N Ganesh Sports Writers Sajith B Warrier Aju George Chris Mohammad Amin-ul Islam Sarath Pookkat Handball team’s Olympic berth Photographers Mohan Vinod Divakaran Fadi Al Assaad Mohammed Dabboos a defining moment for Qatar A K BijuRaj Graphic Designers Abhilash Chacko HE handball team’s qualification for next year’sr io prevailed over the same opponents in the last-four stage Gopakumar K Olympics could very well be a defining moment of Asian Olympic qualifiers. Joice Michael Tin Qatar’s sports saga. After the footballers made it The QHA had reposed faith in rivera’s abilities by Technical support Shaheen Mohammed to the 1984 Los Angeles and ’92 barcelona Games, we’ll extending his contract until after the ’20 Tokyo Olympics. Abdul Naser M once again have representation in a ball game at the I feel this is something Qatar’s other sports federations quadrennial event. can learn from. Giving coaches long-term contracts and Qatar had narrowly lost the chance to make necessary freedom to work will only enhance a team’s the cut when they went down to France in the efficiency in the long run. P.O. box: 24598, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 44138065, Fax: +974 44138597 World championship final in Doha early this year. It’s vital to choose the best names and stick with www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com Notwithstanding the fact that it was our best-ever them through thick and thin. The policy of hiring and Editorial: Tel: +974 44138522, Fax: +974 44138593 show on the global stage, the Olympic dream remained firing coaches at the drop of a hat will only prove e-mail: [email protected] unfulfilled. counter-productive. Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 At the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament which The QHA should now focus on converting the national e-mail: [email protected] Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 concluded last week, Qatar proved to be unstoppable. team’s feel-good factor into developments at the e-mail: [email protected] What pleased me even more was the unbeaten march grass-roots level. The side’s achievements will definitely towards the title. inspire a whole new generation of players to take up In hindsight, several factors contributed to the success. the sport. Nothing can motivate youngsters and their www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus The Qatar Handball Association (QHA) made the right parents more than success at the international level. www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar choice by handing over the team’s reins to Spaniard I wish our players good luck at rio. Let them reach Valero rivera, who had guided his country to the ’13 IHF greater heights. www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar Worlds triumph. He was then given a free hand in the selection of players as well as planning and execution. The result is there for all to see. For the first time in Publishers: ASPIrE Printing, Publishing and Distribution history, Qatar won gold at the Asian championship and Printed at ASPIrE Printing Press Incheon Asian Games last year, defeating formidable Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi South Korea in both finals. Incidentally, our players Editor-in-chief © Stories and photographs appearing in this publication may not be reproduced without the permission of ASPIrE Printing, Publishing and Distribution. INSIDE P 17 | FOOTBALL P 22 | TENNIS P 31 | MOTORSPORT Time to ponder Well Serbed! Three in a row The recent revelations that The Qatar Exxonmobil Open maintains its Nico rosberg wraps up the michel Platini, and presumably tradition of attracting the best in the business Formula One season on a high Sepp blatter too, faces a as world No.1 Novak Djokovic and rafael at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix possible lifetime ban opens up Nadal confirm their participation. with his third victory in a row. a whole new can of worms. P 28 | MODERN P 29 | CRICKET PENTATHLON Publishers: ASPIRE Printing, Publishing and Distribution Glowing under lights P O Box: 24598, Doha, Qatar. Champion stuff The region’s best players are Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 e-mail: [email protected] South Korea’s Jun Woongtae literally glowing under the lights at the Second Gcc Women’s Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 wins the men’s title at the UIPm e-mail: [email protected] champion of champions event Twenty20 tournament. at the Al Shaqab Arena. www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com | WEDNESDAY, DEcEmbEr 2, 2015 3 OPINION » The writer can be contacted at: Editor-in-Chief Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi [email protected] Managing Editor Kumar Ravi Senior Editor/Writer Aswin Abraham Senior Sports Writer N Ganesh Sports Writers Sajith B Warrier Aju George Chris Mohammad Amin-ul Islam Sarath Pookkat Handball team’s Olympic berth Photographers Mohan Vinod Divakaran Fadi Al Assaad Mohammed Dabboos a defining moment for Qatar A K BijuRaj Graphic Designers Abhilash Chacko HE handball team’s qualification for next year’sr io prevailed over the same opponents in the last-four stage Gopakumar K Olympics could very well be a defining moment of Asian Olympic qualifiers. Joice Michael Tin Qatar’s sports saga. After the footballers made it The QHA had reposed faith in rivera’s abilities by Technical support Shaheen Mohammed to the 1984 Los Angeles and ’92 barcelona Games, we’ll extending his contract until after the ’20 Tokyo Olympics. Abdul Naser M once again have representation in a ball game at the I feel this is something Qatar’s other sports federations quadrennial event. can learn from. Giving coaches long-term contracts and Qatar had narrowly lost the chance to make necessary freedom to work will only enhance a team’s the cut when they went down to France in the efficiency in the long run. P.O. box: 24598, Doha, Qatar Tel: +974 44138065, Fax: +974 44138597 World championship final in Doha early this year. It’s vital to choose the best names and stick with www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com Notwithstanding the fact that it was our best-ever them through thick and thin. The policy of hiring and Editorial: Tel: +974 44138522, Fax: +974 44138593 show on the global stage, the Olympic dream remained firing coaches at the drop of a hat will only prove e-mail: [email protected] unfulfilled. counter-productive. Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 At the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament which The QHA should now focus on converting the national e-mail: [email protected] Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 concluded last week, Qatar proved to be unstoppable. team’s feel-good factor into developments at the e-mail: [email protected] What pleased me even more was the unbeaten march grass-roots level. The side’s achievements will definitely towards the title. inspire a whole new generation of players to take up In hindsight, several factors contributed to the success. the sport. Nothing can motivate youngsters and their www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus The Qatar Handball Association (QHA) made the right parents more than success at the international level. www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar choice by handing over the team’s reins to Spaniard I wish our players good luck at rio. Let them reach Valero rivera, who had guided his country to the ’13 IHF greater heights. www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar Worlds triumph. He was then given a free hand in the selection of players as well as planning and execution. The result is there for all to see. For the first time in Publishers: ASPIrE Printing, Publishing and Distribution history, Qatar won gold at the Asian championship and Printed at ASPIrE Printing Press Incheon Asian Games last year, defeating formidable Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi South Korea in both finals. Incidentally, our players Editor-in-chief © Stories and photographs appearing in this publication may not be reproduced without the permission of ASPIrE Printing, Publishing and Distribution. INSIDE P 17 | FOOTBALL P 22 | TENNIS P 31 | MOTORSPORT Time to ponder Well Serbed! Three in a row The recent revelations that The Qatar Exxonmobil Open maintains its Nico rosberg wraps up the michel Platini, and presumably tradition of attracting the best in the business Formula One season on a high Sepp blatter too, faces a as world No.1 Novak Djokovic and rafael at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix possible lifetime ban opens up Nadal confirm their participation.