DOHA: The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and organising committee of Schools Olympic Program (SOP) will organise the seventh edition of SOP under the theme ‘Sports and Integrity’, it was announced yesterday.
The QOC and the SOP organising committee later confirmed that shooting had been added to the calendar of activities.
Accordingly the total SOP sport events have been increased to 11 disciplines namely volleyball, basketball, football, handball, athletics, tennis, gymnastics, swimming, fencing, table tennis and shooting.
Mohammed Issa Al Fadallah, the Executive Director of SOP, said the new SOP edition, in cooperation with a new partner, has tangible responsibilities that aim to enhance the integrity concept among young generation and schoolchildren.
“Over the seven past years, a number of glorious achievements have been made through SOP in different fields,” Al Fadallah said in a statement released yesterday.
“Firstly, the number of participating schools and students have gradually increased year after year,” Al Faddallah added.
“The overwhelming response from the participating authorities towards SOP events has motivated the organisers to develop the SOP competitions and activities.
“Also, IOC is always keen to evaluate Qatar’s pioneering experience in SOP in an attempt to circulate the program among other NOCs across the world,” Al Faddallah explained.
Mohammed Hajaj Al Shahawani, Deputy Chairman of International Centre For Sport Security (ICSS), acknowledged the role played by QOC in promoting the series around the country.
The ICSS Deputy Chairman yesterday said the strategic partnership between QOC and its permanent supporters - which includes the ICSS as a constructive partnership - ‘will yield positive results’.
Mohammed Al Shahawani made remarks that the main objective behind the SOP’s new logo ‘is to educate Qatari young generation about the literature of integrity and fight against all kinds of corruption’ since early years of their life.
The seventh edition will be held in cooperation with permanent partners including the Supreme Education Council, Qatar School Sport Association, Qatar Paralympic Committee besides the ICSS as strategic partner for the latest edition, QOC said in a statement yesterday.
THE PENINSULA
