Qatar is observing its first National Sports Day February 14, following an official decree by the Heir Apparent and President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
The QOC is overseeing preparations to include the participation of every government and non-government institution.
The Sheikh said, “we are organizing a wide range of events including public marathons and walkathons, and every sports club in Qatar will open their doors to the public from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. for free so people can try a range of sports for the first time. This important initiation will help to further embed sporting values into the nation’s culture and inspire local people to participate in sports activities”.
Noora Al Mannai, CEO of Doha 2020 said, “Qatar is one of the very few countries in the world to dedicate a specific day as a public holiday for the practice and promotion of sport. This important initiative reflects the national vision to bring communities together through sport and encourage them to live more physically”.
Doha and the other cities bidding for the 2020 Summer Games must submit their plans to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by February 15.
