Sporting world

  Cuncolim bamboo craft artisans carry on trade despite all odds Face scarcity of raw material and social stigma of being called Mhars but strive on The art of making baskets from bamboo and cane is dwindling in Goa. There are today just a handful of artisans in a few villages who mainly make baskets out of cane. Though there is a good market for these products, there are not many artisans or basket weavers in Goa. The Jadhavs and Manes at Cuncolim are among the select few who still make these baskets of cane and bamboo that are in huge demand by people for everyday functional purposes. Traditionally, the bamboo products are made by the Mhar community. But they face difficulties. Bamboo trees are becoming scare in Goa and there is social stigma of being called a Mhar. “Mhars, today is a scheduled tribe, which sacrificed buffaloes to propitiate spirits of their ancestors and their demon deities. They ate the flesh, even bones, hence regarded ‘untouchable’ – just as cobblers, who worked

  Germany Fans in Qatar to miss super fan Zeman as they launch logo Armstrong Vaz Doha, Qatar: Long-time FC Bayern fan late Michael Zeman, better known as Buschmann to the record champions from Germany knew Qatar like the back of his hand. He was looking forward to the November-December FIFA World Cup in Qatar with all the enthusiasm and was hoping that Germany would win the World Cup. Having travelled to the Middle East country at the invitation of Supreme Committee, the body entrusted with hosting the World Cup, multiple times and having enjoyed the hospitality of the organizers Zeman was all pumped to for the mega event until death snatched him away. He died in Qatar on March 31 ahead of the April 1 FIFA World Cup draw held in Doha. He suffered a massive heart attack on the way from the airport to the hotel. No one can replace him or take his place and take over the number one status which he enjoyed for decades as Bayern fan. "Buschi" travelled the world with FC

  Kuwait off to an emphatic 7-wicket win over hosts Qatar in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Asia Qualifier A   Doha, Qatar: Kuwait coasted to an emphatic 7-wicket win over hosts Qatar in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Asia Qualifier A 2023 match at the West End Cricket stadium in Doha on Thursday.   In the match between the two regional rivals, Kuwait had sweet revenge of their 1-run defeat suffered at the hands of Qatar in the recently concluded Gulf Cricket T20i tournament which took place at the same venue which Oman won defeating UAE.   Chasing a modest target of 124 in the allotted 20 0vers Kuwait were never in doubt of achieving the target and cruised towards the target thanks to a terrific start from the openers Ravija Sandaruwan and Meet Bhavsar. The duo put on 75 runs for the opening wicket with Ravija, who was adjudged the man-of-the match award falling for his individual score of 29-ball 42, laced with three hits to the fence and two

 The ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the State of Qatar, H.E. Mr. Ferdinand Lahnstein, recently inaugurated the second fit20 studio in Qatar. fit20 is changing lives and improving health across the world due to its research-based innovative approach, and promises to produce positive changes to your strength, fitness and wellbeing with just one weekly 20 minute session. Centrally located at Tower 121 the Pearl, fit20 is an innovative approach to fitness as it provides busy individuals with a unique workout. The workouts are held under the expert guidance of personal trainers, and consist of slow and controlled high intensity training. Furthermore, the fitness sessions are held in a precision cooled studio. The carefully regulated temperature allows health conscious individuals to work out without perspiring, leading to a more comfortable fitness experience. The Ambassador H.E. Mr. Ferdinand Lahnstein said:  “ I am proud that the Dutch fitness franchise opened it

  Sports Online, 28 September 2023 08:00 AM New York Time; 14:00 PM Madrid Time; 21:00 PM Tokyo Time Concept Note Background and rationale In 1981 the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) established 21st September as the International Day of Peace to commemorate a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace. In 2011 the UNGA voted unanimously for this date to be a period of non-violence and cease-fire. Each year, on the International Day of Peace, a different theme and planned series of events is celebrated accordingly. Sports go beyond borders defined by nations, cultures, socioeconomic statuses, and politics. They serve as a means of social cohesion, bridging gaps, and as a tool to tackle a wide array of societal and economic issues. This contribution extends to supporting the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030 recognizes the “growing contribution of sport and culture to the realization of development and peace

  AFC Member Associations & Regional Associations Presidents' and General Secretaries' Conference 2023 set to kick off   The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will conduct the inaugural AFC Member Associations (MAs) & Regional Associations (RAs) Presidents’ and General Secretaries’ Conference 2023, from October 7 to 8 in Uzbekistan’s capital city, Tashkent. With the preceding editions of the event exclusively attended by the General Secretaries of the AFC’s Members, the upcoming assembly will see the Presidents of the respective MAs and RAs participating for the first time, thereby marking a significant milestone in the collaborative efforts of the AFC and its MAs and RAs. The two-day Conference will see key leaders, experts and spokespersons present, discuss and exchange ideas and insights to drive Continental football forward. The Conference will set the stage for the leaders of Asian football to engage in meaningful dialogue and facilitate knowledge exchange, which

    The Football Association of Thailand (FA Thailand) has been selected as the Host Association of the  AFC  Futsal Asian Cup™ 2024 by the Asian Football Confederation ( AFC ) Futsal & Beach Soccer Committee for the 2023 to 2027 term at its first meeting held virtually today. After carefully reviewing the Bidding Process and Evaluation, the Committee, led by Chairperson Mehdi Taj, recommended FA Thailand as the host of the 17 th  edition of the competition for its stellar track record and ability to meet the best possible hosting conditions ahead of other commendable bids. Scheduled to be held from April 17 to 28, the decision will see the Southeast Asian nation equal Uzbekistan’s record of staging the Continental showpiece on three occasions, having previously hosted the 2000 and 2008 editions. As many as 31 contenders are expected to battle for the 15 spots to join Thailand ahead of next year’s Finals in the qualification campaign to be held across eight centralised venues from

  Saudi Arabian FF and FFIRI matches to be played home-and-away   The Asian Football Confederation ( AFC ) is pleased to confirm that all matches between the national teams and clubs of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) and Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) will take place on a home-and-away basis.   The positive development follows a groundbreaking agreement between the SAFF and FFIRI today, which has been duly communicated to the  AFC .   Prior to today’s agreement between the two  AFC  Member Associations, all matches between the SAFF and FFIRI at the national and club levels were mandated to be played in neutral venues in accordance with the  2016 decision  of the  AFC  Competitions Committee and  AFC  Executive Committee.   The  AFC  welcomes the historic move as it reflects the commitment of both the SAFF and FFIRI towards fostering closer ties between their respective footballing communities, allowing clubs to host matches on their home turf and vis

    The stage will be set for the return of Asia’s premier women's football club competition when eight club champions from as many Member Associations (MAs) discover their battle lines at the official draw ceremony of the  AFC  Women’s Club Championship™ 2023 - Invitational Tournament on Thursday.  Taking place from November 6 to 12, the tournament will give way to the  AFC  Women’s Champions League  from the 2024/25 season.  The eight participants, three more than the previous edition, will be divided into two groups of four teams who will play in centralised venues in Uzbekistan and Thailand.  The seeding is based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Ranking of their respective MAs, and following the Nadeshiko’s commendable performance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, WE League champions Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies of Japan will be the top seed, securing a spot in Pot 1.  With Australia’s Semi-final finish at the FIFA Women’s World Cup earning them the s

 All set for thrilling #AFCU23 Qatar 2024 qualifying battle The quest to reach the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Qatar 2024 begins for 42 teams next week as they aim to join the hosts at the tournament proper next year. Over the course of a three-matchday week between September 6 to 12, 11 groups – nine of four and two of three – in the Qualifiers will each be played at a centralised venue in a single round-robin format. All the group winners, together with the four best second-placed teams overall, will form the final cast of 16 alongside automatically-qualified hosts Qatar at the sixth edition of the competition, set to be played between April 15 to May 3, 2024. Eight teams – Australia, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan – have been present at every edition to date, while 19 sides are seeking a maiden appearance in 2024. The Qualifiers will get underway on the southeastern coast of the Korea Republic, where the Changwon Football Center hosts Group B. Myanmar, w

  ASPIRE ACADEMY WELCOMES 60 NEW STUDENT-ATHLETES FOR THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR Doha Tuesday 05 September 2023 A total of 60 new student-athletes have joined Aspire Academy at the start of the 2023-24 academic year which officially began on Sunday 3 September. The new intake is set to train in seven different sports, with padel the latest sport adopted by the Academy with a total of six student-athletes joining various grades for the new year. Grade 7 welcomes 35 newcomers, with 11 joining Grade 8, there are 4 additions to Grade 9 and a further 5 each in Grades 10 and 11. As well as the six padel players there are 27 footballers, 5 referees, 14 in athletics, 3 squash players, 4 swimmers and one table tennis player. The new academic year is the first since 2020 that will be free of all Covid-19 restrictions something that Aspire Academy’s school principal Jassem Al Jaber is looking forward to. “Let me congratulate all of the students for the new coming year, welcome the newcomers and congra

 The Asian Basketball Confederation has announced the groupings of the sixteen teams participating in the seventh edition of the U16 Asian Basketball Championship taking place in Doha from September 17 to 24. The Championship serves as a qualification platform for next year’s U17 World Cup to be held in Turkiye and  teams have been divided into four groups (A, B, C, and D) of four teams per group. Qatar national basketball team have been placed in Group B, alongside Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Japan. The seventh edition of the championship will witness the participation of 16 teams, namely: Qatar (the host), Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, New Zealand, Iran, Malaysia, South Korea, Kazakhstan, China, Japan, the Philippines, Australia, India, and Sri Lanka. The organizing committee of the tournament has revealed that the matches of the seventh edition will be held in Al-Gharrafa and Al-Rayyan halls. The committee has also issued the schedule of matches, where the Qatari team will fac

  AFC Associations Committee reinforces commitment to elevate MAs and RAs   The Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s ambitions to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and good governance through closer collaboration with its Member Associations (MAs) and Regional Associations (RAs) was further reiterated at the 1 st  AFC Associations Committee meeting for the 2023 to 2027 term held virtually today. While the Committee, led by Chairperson Hachem Haidar, acknowledged the commendable progress made by the AFC’s MAs and RAs in the areas of governance and administration, members also lauded the pivotal role of the AFC’s tailor-made initiatives in uplifting the Asian game across all levels. The Committee noted the ever-strengthening spirit of partnership between the AFC and its members, which was emphasised by the 28 physical MAs’ and RAs’ Congresses attended by the AFC since September last year. Additionally, the AFC also attended a total of 27 MAs’ and RAs’ Congresses via video c

  QBF reviews preparations for Arab Clubs Basketball Championship   The forthcoming Arab Clubs Basketball Championship, which is the 35th edition of the tournament, will be organized by the Qatar Sports Club and is scheduled to take place in Doha from October 1 to October 12. The Organizing Committee, chaired by Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, Secretary General of the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF), convened a meeting to review the latest preparations for the tournament. The event will feature 18 teams divided into groups, with the Qatari basketball club representing the tournament organizer alongside Al Ahli Club. During the meeting, which was held in the meeting room of QBF, the committees responsible for marketing, transportation, media, tournament facilities, public relations, and ceremonies presented their latest progress reports and proposed plans for implementation. The meeting was attended by Mohammed Al Shuraim, Director of the Tournament, representatives of Qatar Club,

 Aspire Academy squash graduate Abdulla Al Tamimi targets Asian Games Gold Qatar Squash star and Aspire Academy Graduate Abdulla Al Tamimi says that he is targeting gold at September’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, China as he prepares for the Paris Squash 2023 event that began on Sunday 27 August. The Asian games, which were postponed from last year due to Covid-19 restrictions, are due to start on 23 September, with the squash events starting three days later. As well as the Professional Squash Association (PSA) event in France Al Tamimi will also compete on home soil at the Q-Terminals Qatar Classic from 9 September. The events are the latest after his recovery from hip surgery in March that saw him miss the last few months of the squash season. “All the focus this year is on the Asian games at the end of September,” he said, after competing at a PSA tournament in Canada, which was his first in almost 6 months. “My summer training and the Professional Squash Association (PSA) tournaments

  Key principles of landmark  AFC  Women’s Champions League approved by  AFC  Women’s Football Committee   The  AFC  Women’s Football Committee underlined its determination to transform the Continent’s women’s club game at its first meeting today after it confirmed the entry principles, competition format and season calendar of the  AFC  Women’s Champions League, which will be introduced from the 2024-25 season. Chaired by Kanya Keomany, members of the Committee, who met in Sydney, Australia just hours before the Final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, were unanimous in praising FIFA, Football Australia, and New Zealand Football for staging a truly spectacular global showpiece. The Committee also hailed the performances of Asia’s teams, which once again showcased the world-class standards of the Continent’s traditional powerhouses as well as the commendable progress of newcomers Vietnam and Philippines. Turning their attention to the launch of the  AFC  Wo

  The Asian Football Confederation ( AFC ) today celebrated the completion of its fifth edition of the Football Management Certificate (FMC) programme, which equips participants with the skills required to impact the game across all levels as future leaders. This edition saw 41 participants graduate from the game-changing initiative after going through a six-month curriculum that focuses on core areas of management and uses bespoke modules to share knowledge and strengthen individual capabilities to undertake daily management operations. To date, 180 individuals from  AFC  Member Associations (MAs), Regional Associations (RAs) and independent stakeholders have graduated since the first edition of the programme in October 2021. Distinguished students have since embarked on careers in the  AFC , while others have made great strides within their respective MAs, RAs and the global football ecosystem. Crucially, every participant has come away from the programme with the know-how that will

  The Asian Football Confederation ( AFC ) and the  AFC  Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ Local Organising Committee (LOC) today confirmed that the opening match and eagerly anticipated Final of the upcoming edition of Asia’s crown jewel are set to be played at one of the largest match venues ever in tournament history.   The iconic Lusail Stadium, which most recently staged the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final, will rise to the fore again by hosting the first match between defending champions Qatar and Lebanon in Group A on Friday, 12 January, 2024. The kick-off will now be at 7pm local time.   The  AFC  Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ will return to the Lusail Stadium when it culminates in the Final on Saturday, 10 February, 2024 at 6pm.   With a capacity of 88,000, the Lusail Stadium will be one of the largest match venues in  AFC  Asian Cup™ history behind Tehran’s Aryamehr Stadium, which seated 100,000 spectators during the 1976 final between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Kuwait, and the 88,083-capa

  The ever-growing affinity between the passionate fans of Asian football and the Asian Football Confederation ( AFC )’s brand and competitions were the key focus at the 1 st   AFC  Marketing Committee meeting held virtually on Thursday. Led by Chairperson Dasho Ugen Tsechup, the Committee recognised the positive findings of the Audience Research Data, which was conducted by Turnstile between December 2021 and May 2022. This was aimed at assessing the health of football and the  AFC ’s assets following a similar research initiative undertaken in 2018 and 2019. The survey polled more than 10,000 respondents, aged between 16 to 64, across 10 major markets in Asia, namely Australia, China PR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. The Committee noted that the total number of Football Fanatics, who are defined as the most important consumers of the sporting ecosystem representing approximately 80% of the revenues for all major