Doha: The Organizing 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 First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee Mohamed bin Yousef Al Mana; Second Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari; Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain; and Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al Thani, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of SOP, 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.
Al Mana emphasized that the School Olympic Program represents one of the fundamental pathways in building a strong sporting base to support national teams in the future. He added that the inclusion of several players in the national squads is the result of joint efforts between sports and educational institutions.
He also stressed the importance of providing an appropriate environment and continuous technical and administrative support to enable these athletes to continue their sporting journeys with confidence and stability, and to achieve further success that elevates Qatar’s name at regional and international competitions.
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.
He added that honouring these players serves as a significant motivation for them to continue working diligently, while reinforcing a culture of structured progression within the sporting pathway, contributing to the development of a sustainable sports system that serves the future of Qatari sport.
In his address during the ceremony, Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al Thani 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. He noted that the School Olympic Program then structures the discovery process, unifies procedures, and ensures a systematic transition of talented athletes from the school environment to the competitive pathway within an approved technical and administrative framework.
He further emphasized that sports federations form the core technical pillar of this system, assuming responsibility for nurturing, training, and specialized development, and providing talented athletes with qualified coaches and technical programs to enable their progression from potential to tangible achievement in competitions.
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.
He concluded that honouring these promising athletes enhances their motivation, reinforces a culture of commitment and discipline, and encourages other students to engage in a structured sporting pathway in line with the country’s direction toward investing in young talent.
