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Overview

The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) is the National Olympic Committee of Qatar and is the overall supervising body for the Olympic movement in Qatar. It is one of 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) currently recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The QOC was founded on 14th March 1979. It was officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee in 1980, the Olympic Council of Asia in 1981 and the Arab Sports Games Federation in 1982.

The QOC strives to use innovation to advance sports development and many of its programs, initiatives and events are the first of their kind in the Middle East. These include National Sport Day, the Qatar Olympic Academy, the Qatar Women’s Sports Committee, the Schools Olympic Program, and the Qatar Athlete Development Pathway.

The QOC works closely with its 23 National Federations to provide support to athletes, coaches and officials at every level of the sporting pathway, as well as in the bidding for and organisation of world-class sports events. It aims to use its hosting of world-class sports events to inspire and engage young people through sport, raise awareness about the importance of sport in everyday life, increase tourism, business and employment opportunities, and forge global friendships.

Vision

To Become a Leading Nation in Bringing The World Together Through Sustainable Sport Development

 

Mission

To spread sports and physical activities in the country
To sponsor and improve Olympic Movemen​t in accordance with principles of Olympic Charter
To supp​ort and improve sports performance within the context of the Olympic spirit

 

Leadership

H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani

President of Qatar Olympic Committee
Shiekh joan

 

Overview

H.E. Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al-Thani has been the President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) since 2015. His visionary leadership is distinguished by impactful roles both locally and within the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

International Roles:

Sheikh Joaan is an active member of the Olympism365 Commission since 2022 and served on the Public Affairs and Social Development through Sport Commission from 2018 to 2022. He is a board member of the Olympic Refuge Foundation since 2017 and currently holds significant positions as the Senior Vice President and Vice President for Asia of the Association of National Olympic Committees since 2022. Additionally, he serves as an OCA Executive Board Member.

National Contributions:

Under his guidance, Qatar successfully won the bid to host the Doha 2030 Asian Games as President of the Bid Committee. His leadership has been instrumental in bringing and organizing numerous prestigious international events to Qatar, including the World Aquatics Championships (2024), World Judo Championships (2023), ANOC World Beach Games (2019), World Athletics Championships (2019), FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships (2018), and the Men’s Handball World Championship (2015). Under his leadership, Doha successfully hosted the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships and the 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships.

Passion for Sports:

Sheikh Joaan's passion for equestrian sports is evident as he has chaired the board of Al-Shaqab and has been the head of the Al-Shaqab steering committee since March 2021, where he has been working to develop this field significantly. He also contributed significantly to football as the Vice-President of Al-Sadd Sports Club from 2012 to 2015. He has been a member of the board of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, which played a key role in the successful organization of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Additionally, Sheikh Joaan founded the Al-Shaqab Racing in 2014, further demonstrating his deep passion for sports in general and equestrian sports in particular.

Academic Achievements:

Sheikh Joaan pursued an Executive MBA from HEC Paris in Qatar, graduating in 2021, and holds a Bachelor’s degree from the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, France (2007). His academic pursuits continued with a Post-Graduation degree from the Royal College of Defence Studies, UK (2015), and a Professional Development Diploma from the London School of Public Relations (2020).

Leadership Development & Recognition:

As the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Leadership Academy, he plays a pivotal role in nurturing leadership qualities among the youth of Qatar.

Sheikh Joaan's dedication to the Olympic Movement has earned him prestigious accolades such as the Contribution to the Olympic Movement award (2019) from the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and the Corporate Social Responsibility Person of the Year award (2015) from Qatar University.

 

H.E. Jassim bin Rashid Al-Buenain

Secretary General Of Qatar Olympic Committee 

Milestones

1976

  • The first participation in the Arab Games in Syria, in two disciplines Athletics and Football.
  • First participation in Olympic Games as an Administrative Delegation in Montreal Games.

1978

  • First participation in the Asian Games in Bangkok in Athletics.

1979

  • The Qatar Olympic Committee was officially founded on March 14 and H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al-Thani was elected President.

1980

  • The Qatar Olympic Committee was recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

1981

  • The Qatar Olympic Committee joined the Olympic Council of Asia (OCASIA).

1982

  • The Qatar Olympic Committee joined the Arab Sports Games Federation.

1984

  • First participation in the Olympic games at Los Angeles with Athletics and football teams.

1993

  • H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Fahad Al-Thani was appointed President of the Qatar Olympic Committee.

1995

  • H.E. Sheikh Saoud Bin Khalid Al-Thani was appointed President of the Qatar Olympic Committee.

2000

  • H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani was elected President of the Qatar Olympic Committee.
  • Said Saad Asaad won the bronze medal in Weightlifting in the Men's 105kg with a result of 420 kg in Sydney Olympic Games.