Saadoun Al Kuwari (left), Executive Director of Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) and Tournament Director for FIBA 3x3 All Stars tournament, Mohammed Ali Al Hobash (second left), Secretary-General of QBF, Dr Christian Wacker (centre), Director of Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum (QOSM), and Qatari basketball player Yaseen Musa (right)pose for a picture after a press conference at Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC ) headquarters in Doha yesterday.
DOHA: Ahead of the FIBA 3x3 All Stars competition, Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) have lined up fun activities for children starting with teams visiting schools in Doha tomorrow.
The competition which will be held on Thursday at Katara Beach, will see top FIBA 3x3 teams such as FC Barcelona, Brezovica, Caracas, Doha Team, Nagoya and Novi Sad taking part in the one-day event.
Saadoun Al Kuwari, the Tournament Director, confirmed fun activities have been planned for children during a press conference yesterday.
Spectators including children also have the opportunity to visit an exhibition that will showcase the history of the sport, after QBF signed a deal with Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum (QOSM).
Al Kuwari said: “On Wednesday (tomorrow), as part of a social contribution for this tournament, we will start with school activities. We will accompany the teams along with QBF officials. First we will visit Newton School with Doha Team and FC Barcelona who will showcase some skills of basketball and give away gifts.”
He added: “We will then go to Al Maha Academy with Novi Sad of Serbia. A team will also go to Birla Public School. Nagoya will also take part, but will arrive on Wednesday at 5am in the morning. We will do one activity with them to visit a Japanese school.”
The QBF official added there will be a programme for children for those under the age of 12-years-old, after the exhibition match between Doha Team and FC Barcelona at 4pm on Wednesday.
Al Kuwari said the programme will act like a festival which will end at 7.30pm.
The format of the sport is growing fast around the world, with the aim of being included in the Olympic Games programme in the future.
The one-day event will feature six teams who will be battling for the top prize of $120,000.
The hosts will be represented by Doha Team and will attract the highest ranked players in Americas, Europe and the rest of the world.
The hosts will be represented by Khalid Suliman Abdi, Mohammed Seleem Abdulla, Yaseen Musa and Boney Watson.
The venue should be ready today according to Al Kuwari, who also stated that VIP invititations have been sent to international and local people. Also, QBF signed a deal with Al Watan newspaper.
Speaking of the exhibition that will showcase the basketball sport, which will be available on the day of the tournament, Dr Christian Wacker, QOSM Director, said: “We will be hosting an exhibition on site in Katara. It will be on the history of basketball. Our contribution to the event will be the exhibtion of the sidelines of the event.”
Dr Wacker added: “It is a high performance sport but at the same time it’s a sport for everybody. As a opportunity as a sports museum we can show it and look at the history of the sport which is a big honour.”
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