AL-SUWAIDI AND AL-KUWARI LOOKING TO UPSET THE FORMBOOK IN QATAR

 AL-SUWAIDI AND AL-KUWARI LOOKING TO UPSET THE FORMBOOK IN QATAR

 

·       German driver Edith Weiss celebrates 30-year association with Qatar Rally

 

LOSAIL (Qatar): Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari and Khaled Al-Suwaidi return to competitive action this weekend at the Qatar International Rally. Both local drivers will represent the QMMF Rally Team in a pair of Škoda Fabia R2 evos and would dearly love to shine brightly on their home round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship.

 

Their careers have often been overshadowed by the successes achieved on the international stage by Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, but both are formidable competitors in their own right and have achieved success on the global stage away from the mass media spotlight

 

Al-Kuwari has actually been competing for nearly 20 years and was a regular in the regional rally series as far back as 2003, when he finished fourth in Qatar, seventh in Jordan, ninth in Syria and sixth at the Troodos Rally in Cyprus.

 

After competing in the region until 2011, the Qatari embarked on a massive programme of events in 2012 that saw him claim a maiden MERC win in Qatar at the helm of a Mini Cooper S2000 that catapulted the Qatari into the FIA World Rally Championship. He then finished 10^th at the Acropolis that year and 14^th in Spain.

 

The following season saw WRC2 victories in Mexico, Argentina and Australia and the runner-up position in the prestigious feeder series. Abdulaziz continued to tackle WRC2 events for the following three years, before finishing second to Al-Attiyah in the 2019 MERC. The pandemic put paid to any action in 2020, but the 42-year-old bounced back to finish second overall in Qatar last year and returns to challenge for honours in a Škoda Fabia R2 evo.

 

“I am very happy, as always, to be in a rally car and to be able to compete,” said Al-Kuwari. “I would like to thank QMMF for this chance again. Of course, one rally per year is not enough at all but it’s a chance to show my speed and talent, even when I’m out of it for a long time.

 

“There is a very strong entry list with some of the best rally drivers around the world and the best drivers in the Middle East. Testing went very well and the car felt really good and competitive. I’d love to see a lot of spectators at the stages, because it’s a really good chance for them to see some of the best rally drivers around the world competing here in Qatar.”

 

Al-Suwaidi’s first top 10 result came alongside Jassim Al-Ali at the 2006 Qatar International Rally and the Qatari made rapid progress over the coming seasons. He finished fifth in the 2009 MERC, after securing top 10 finishes in Syria, Lebanon and Dubai, and reached the podium for the first time in Kuwait the following year.

 

His first and only MERC win came with co-driver Nicky Beech in Kuwait in 2012 with a Ford Fiesta RRC. Al-Suwaidi, 35, also ventured into the WRC in 2016 and registered useful finishes in Portugal, Poland, Wales and Australia.

 

Since then, stage time has been restricted to annual challenges for honours in Qatar. He rolled out of contention in 2017, but finished fifth in 2018 and third overall last season in a Škoda Fabia R5. The Qatari teams up with Portugal’s Hugo Magalhães for the third time in Qatar this weekend and a podium is again the target.

 

Female driver Edith Weiss rounds off the international field for the weekend’s action. The event will be a milestone rally for the German veteran, who will be celebrating her 30^th anniversary as an entrant in the Qatar International Rally when she takes the start in an RS Team Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X alongside Italian co-driver Serena Mattivi.

 

Mattivi is making her first appearance in the region but has been a regular on the national scene in Italy and tackled numerous rallies in recent years alongside the likes of Alessio Bellan, Mariano Simoni, Armando Betta and Luca Manera.

 

Tomorrow (Wednesday), crews will be permitted to carry out a full recce of the gravel special stages that lie await on Friday and Saturday.

David Beckham attends opening of Generation Amazing Community Club in Lusail

 

David Beckham attends opening of Generation Amazing Community Club in Lusail

New facility will utilise the power of football to teach key life skills to young people

 Football legend David Beckham attended the launch of a newGeneration Amazing Community Club on Qatar National Sports Day 2022.Located in Lusail – the city that will host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ final on 18 December – the club will provide sporting and educational activities for young people. It will also teach key life skills like communication, organisation, teamwork and leadership while aiming to promote gender equality and inclusiveness.

 

Former England captain Beckham, who represented his country at three FIFA World Cup™ tournaments, was the special guest at the opening and took part in a host of football activities and observed literacy classes and art workshops.

 

“Community clubs like this one have the potential to change young people’s lives,” said Beckham. “It is great to be here today to see the valuable work that Generation Amazing are doing. I have no doubt that this facility will help young people achieve their goals.”

 

Generation Amazing is a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™legacy programme active in countries around the world, including Qatar, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Rwanda and Uganda.It has built more than 30 football pitches in under-privileged communities, with those facilities now being turned into community clubs. Generation Amazing has positively impacted more than 725,000 people since its launch in 2010.

 

Located at the Al Egla Training Facility, the new club will provide various football, educational and art programmes designed to positively impact the Lusail community. Some of the activities will be for females only while others will focus on improving people’s mental health. Lusail Sports Club will support the delivery of some programmes. The opening of the clubwas attended by a host of famous people, including Qatar Legacy Ambassadors Khalid Salman, Adel Khamis and Mohammed Sadoon.

 

“Our community clubs will ensure a positive legacy for generations to come in relation to Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup,” said Generation Amazing Programmes Director, Nasser Al Khori.

 

“This new facility in Lusail is based on our model of social cohesion. It will welcome everyone and help them learn, be creative and work towards building a more inclusive community. In line with our goals, the club will act as a catalyst towards gender equality and inclusiveness, using football to teach key life skills such as communication, organisation, teamwork and leadership.”

 

Ciaran Kelly, Technical Director of Lusail Sports Club, said:“Together, Lusail Sports Club and Generation Amazing’s synergy will create development programmes, expanding further opportunities for all ages, both male and female, in the Lusail community. Understanding the needs of our youth is vitally important when delivering our growth development programmes. Our vision and strong partnership with Generation Amazing will ensure the highest standard deliverables possible in Qatar.”

 

While the club will cater for all ages, its activities will be focused on young people. Generation Amazing youth delegates – a group of young people trained in topics related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – will play a key role in setting the agenda for activities.

 

Noora Al Kuwari, a Qatari Generation Amazing youth delegate, and a senior student at Qatar Academy Doha,said: “I am so excited to have a space in the city that is built around the principles of community building, and one that uses football to empower members of our community to lead better lives. I am really looking forward to watching the club develop and be a part of its success.”

 

Generation Amazing plans to launch more community clubs in Qatar and around the world as it edges closer to its goal of positively impacting 1 million people by the end of the year.

 

Click here to learn more about Generation Amazing. For the latest updates, follow @GA4Good on Twitter and Instagram.

Fans apply for 17 million FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ tickets during first sales period

 

Fansapply for 17 million FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ tickets during first sales period

·         Qatari residents represent largest number of applicants as 20-day period concludes

·         FIFA World Cup final at Lusail Stadium attracts 1.8 million ticket requests

·         Fans will be notified of the outcome of their applications as of Tuesday, 8 March

Fans across the globe have proven their enthusiasm ahead of football’s biggest celebration as 17 million ticket requests were received in the first sales period of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, which lasted just 20 days.The largest number of applicants came from the host country.

During the opening random selection draw sales period, FIFA was also inundated by applications from football hotbeds and key markets, such as Argentina, Brazil, England, France, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the USA.

The most sought-after ticketswere for the final on 18 December at Lusail Stadium, with 1.8 million requests for that match alone.

Following this first sales period, which started on 19 January and finishedtoday at 13:00 Doha time (11:00 CET), FIFA Ticketing will verify that ticket requests meet the sales and household restrictions prior to allocating tickets.All successful, partially successful and unsuccessful applicants will be duly notified of the outcome of their applications as of Tuesday, 8 March 2022, along with the steps to follow and the payment deadline for allocated tickets.

By then and subject to availability, FIFA Ticketing will advise on the timing of the upcoming firstcome, first served sales phase.

For more information on ticket sales phases, products, prices, and categories, visit FIFA.com/tickets.