Basketball: Qatar ramp up Asian Games preparations

DOHA: Qatar’s men’s basketball team is stepping up preparations for the upcoming Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026, with the team aiming for a strong showing in one of the continent’s biggest sporting events.

The Games will be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4, but the men’s 5×5 basketball competition will begin earlier at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya. Qatar will open its Group B campaign against Iran on Thursday, September 10, at 4:00 a.m. Doha time.

Qatar will then face Jordan on September 12 at 7:00 a.m. before taking on Chinese Taipei at the same time on September 13. Group A features Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, while Group C comprises China, the Philippines, Bahrain and Kazakhstan. ipl-cricket.in

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The quarter-finals are scheduled for September 16, followed by the semifinals on September 18. The competition will conclude on September 20 with the third-place playoff and final.

Barcelona are considering improved contract terms for Hamza Abdelkarim, potentially raising his release clause to €150 million.

Spanish outlet Jijantes has reported that Barcelona want to reward the 18-year-old’s progress after his performances with Hansi Flick’s first team by raising his release clause from €15 million to €150 million. Abdelkarim finished preseason as Barcelona’s leading scorer, finding the net four times in three first-team friendlies.

The Egypt international scored twice on his senior debut in a 2-2 draw with Birmingham City. He then added another goal as Barcelona beat Basel 5-2. Abdelkarim completed his preseason run by scoring against former club Al Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy.

He started alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha before opening the scoring in the 29th minute. Barcelona went on to win 2-1 at Camp Nou.

Abdelkarim is expected to begin the season with Barça Atlètic. However, his preseason form could earn him opportunities with the first team, particularly if Barcelona do not sign another striker.

Flick had already opened the door to a senior role before preseason. At the time, the German coach said Barcelona would assess whether Abdelkarim could become a first-team option after his return from the World Cup.

Barcelona initially signed Abdelkarim on loan from Al Ahly in February. He scored six goals in 11 appearances for the club’s under-19 side.

Barcelona then exercised their €1.5 million purchase option, and Abdelkarim signed a permanent three-year contract running until June 30, 2029.

The post Barcelona Consider €150m Hamza Abdelkarim Release Clause appeared first on KingFut.

يدشن منتخبنا الوطني مشواره في نهائيات كأس العالم 2026 عندما يواجه المنتخب السويسري مساء اليوم السبت، في افتتاح مباريات الجولة الأولى للمجموعة الثانية، وذلك على استاد “سان فرانسيسكو باي أرينا” بداية من الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت الدوحة، الساعة الثانية عشرة ظهرا بتوقيت سان فرانسيسكو في مواجهة يترقبها الشارع الرياضي القطري باعتبارها نقطة الانطلاق الحقيقية للعنابي في المونديال الثاني بتاريخه.
قطر تلعب ضمن المجموعة الثانية ببطولة كأس العالم 2026، رفقة منتخبات سويسرا، البوسنة والهرسك، وكندا.
ويبدأ منتخب قطر مشوار المنتخبات العربية في البطولة، وعددها ثمانية منتخبات، وستكون المهمة صعبة في مواجهة المنتخب السويسري المتمرس في المونديال، وسيكون المنتخب السويسري هو ثاني منافس أوروبي يواجهه المنتخب القطري في المونديال، وذلك بعدما واجه منتخب هولندا في النسخة الماضية التي أقيمت على أرضه، وخسر بهدفين دون مقابل.
ويأمل منتخب قطر تحقيق أول نتيجة إيجابية في تاريخه بالمونديال، وذلك بعدما خسر المباريات الثلاث في مونديال قطر 2022، أمام الإكوادور والسنغال وهولندا على الترتيب، في أول ظهور قطري في المونديال.



طموحات كبيرة وآمال واسعة

يدخل العنابي اللقاء بطموحات كبيرة وآمال واسعة في تقديم صورة مغايرة عن المشاركة الأولى في مونديال 2022، حيث يسعى المنتخب الوطني إلى الظهور بصورة قوية وتحقيق نتيجة إيجابية تمنحه دفعة معنوية كبيرة في بداية المشوار، خاصة أن الجهاز الفني بقيادة المدرب الإسباني جولين لوبيتيغي عمل خلال الفترة الماضية على تجهيز اللاعبين بأفضل صورة ممكنة من كافة الجوانب الفنية والبدنية والذهنية.



الاعتماد على عناصر المباراتين الوديتين

حسب المؤشرات الفنية، فإن المدرب جولين لوبيتيغي يتجه بنسبة كبيرة للاعتماد على نفس العناصر التي شاركت في مباراتي أيرلندا والسلفادور، حيث تضم التشكيلة المتوقعة كلًا من محمود أبوندى في حراسة المرمى، وأمامه بيدرو ميجيل، عيسى لاي، جاسم جابر، وأدميلسون جونيور، وفي الوسط بوعلام خوخي، أيوب العلوي، وأحمد فتحي، بينما يقود الخط الأمامي الثلاثي أكرم عفيف، يوسف عبدالرزاق، وهمام الأمين، مع احتمالية إجراء بعض التعديلات البسيطة وفقًا لرؤية الجهاز الفني وطبيعة المنافس.

سويسرا ورغبة الفوز

على الجانب الآخر، يدخل منتخب سويسرا المباراة وهو يأمل في تحقيق فوز يساعده على بلوغ هدفه في تصدر المجموعة والتأهل لدور الـ32 من البطولة قبل مواجهتي البوسنة والهرسك وكندا على الترتيب.
ويعتمد المدير الفني للمنتخب السويسري، مورات ياكين، على النجم جرانيت شاكا، قائد الفريق، إلى جانب المهاجم بريل إيمبولو، الذي كان بطل أزمة قبل أسبوع واحد حينما تم منعه من دخول الولايات المتحدة بسبب سابقة جنائية في بلاده تعود إلى عام 2018، لكن تم حل المشكلة فيما بعد لينضم اللاعب إلى معسكر بلاده استعداداً للبطولة.
كما يبرز اسم مانويل أكانجي، مدافع مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي الذي أعير إلى إنتر ميلان الإيطالي منتصف الموسم الماضي، كأحد اللاعبين البارزين في تشكيل ياكين للبطولة
وكان المنتخب السويسري قد خرج من دور الستة عشر في النسخة الماضية في قطر 2022، وذلك بعدما خسر بنتيجة قاسية 1/ 6 أمام البرتغال، ليودع البطولة، وتأمل الجماهير السويسرية في أن ينجح الفريق في محو تلك الصورة السيئة عن الفريق في المونديال.

معسكر تحضيري

وكان المنتخب القطري قد خاض معسكرًا تحضيريًا مكثفًا في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية تخلله مباراتان وديتان أمام منتخبي أيرلندا والسلفادور، وقف خلالهما الجهاز الفني على جاهزية اللاعبين، واستقر بشكل كبير على ملامح التشكيلة الأساسية وأسلوب اللعب الذي سيعتمد عليه خلال البطولة، كما منحت المباراتان فرصة للمدرب لوبيتيغي لتجربة العديد من الحلول الفنية والتكتيكية قبل ضربة البداية الرسمية.

تجاوز المجموعات

سيكون الهدف الأول لمنتخبنا الوطني هو تجاوز دور المجموعات وبلوغ الدور الثاني “دور الـ32” للمرة الأولى في تاريخه، وهو الإنجاز الذي سيشكل خطوة تاريخية جديدة لكرة القدم القطرية، خاصة في ظل الدعم الجماهيري الكبير المنتظر من الجماهير القطرية التي توافدت بأعداد كبيرة إلى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية لمساندة الأدعم في هذا الحدث العالمي الكبير.

LE MANS, France: Team Qatar’s preparations for its historic debut entry in the 24 Hours of Le Mans continued at the Circuit de la Sarthe yesterday with a further two practice sessions and Hyperpole qualifying.

In an extremely competitive session, Team Qatar just missed out on advancing to Hyperpole 2 by fractions of a second and will line up 12th on the grid in the LMGT3 class for the 94th running of the world’s most famous endurance race.

Missing out on the top ten by just 0.072 seconds around the 13.6km lap underlined just how ultra-competitive the LMGT3 class is.

At the wheel of the Qatar-liveried Mercedes-AMG, German Silver-rated driver Julian Hanses took to the track for qualifying at 20:00 last night. He delivered the fastest lap the team has achieved all week, recording a time of 3m54.771s at an average speed of 208.9km/h.

“It’s been a special moment for me. Not many people can say that they have qualified at Le Mans, and to do it in a Hyperpole session makes it even more special,” said Hanses. “I didn’t manage to achieve Hyperpole 2 in the end, but I was happy with my performance.

“This is the highest level of motorsport and a few hundredths of a second can make the difference, with multiple cars covered by a tenth. We need to push to the absolute limit and this is what we are here for.”

The day’s on-track running started with the third Free Practice session, with three hours available to prepare the car for the weekend’s twice-round-the-clock race. Qatar’s Abdulla Al-Khelaifi was first behind the wheel.

Hanses then took over and, towards the end of his stint, began to push. He set Team Qatar’s best time of the session, recording a 3m55.232s lap before Giuliano Alesi took over, bringing the team’s total to 38 laps and securing 14th place on the timesheets.

Following the excitement of qualifying, the final one-hour practice session took place after sunset, allowing drivers to become acclimatised to the nighttime conditions. Al-Khelaifi headed out first before Hanses and Alesi also enjoyed time behind the wheel. Between the three of them, they completed 12 laps, with the best time placing them 20th in class with a 3m57.866s lap.

“It’s been another strong and encouraging day for the Team Qatar by Iron Lynx outfit as we continue our preparations for our historic first entry into the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Latif Al Mannai, President of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and Lusail International Circuit (LIC).

“Yesterday’s Hyperpole 1 qualifying session demonstrated just how fiercely competitive the LMGT3 class is at Le Mans. To miss out on progression by such a small margin highlights the extraordinary level of competition in this field.

“I am immensely proud of the progress this team has made in such a short period of time and now our focus shifts to the race itself, as we look forward with great anticipation to taking our place on the grid in this historic moment for Qatari motorsport.”

Furthermore, Abdulrahman bin Abdul Latif Al Mannai, President of the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation and Lusail International Circuit, met with international media during a specially arranged press conference in the Team Qatar Hospitality, where he outlined the vision behind this historic entry.

He was joined on the panel by Iron Lynx Team Principal Andrea Piccini, Mercedes-AMG Head of Customer Racing Stefan Wendl, and all three Team Qatar drivers as they discussed the team’s landmark participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time.

In addition, a series of media interviews and meet-and-greet sessions were conducted throughout the afternoon, ensuring that Team Qatar’s presence was felt across the paddock and throughout the day.

The crews will return to the track for a brief 15-minute warm-up at 12:00 local time on Saturday before the 94th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans gets underway at 16:00.

How fitness improves employee productivity is a question every HR manager weighing a workplace wellness investment eventually has to answer with real evidence, not just good intentions. Understanding exactly how fitness improves employee productivity matters more than ever as Doha businesses compete harder for talent and grapple with rising healthcare costs. This guide breaks down the research, the practical benefits, and how to design a program that genuinely moves the needle.

The Real Connection Between Fitness and Workplace Performance

Understanding how fitness improves employee productivity starts with recognizing that physical activity isn’t separate from cognitive performance — it’s directly linked to it. Regular exercise increases blood flow to the brain, supports better sleep quality, and reduces the chronic stress that quietly erodes focus and decision-making over time.

Employees who exercise regularly consistently report higher energy levels throughout the workday, fewer sick days, and better ability to manage high-pressure situations without burning out. For HR leaders building a business case, this isn’t a soft benefit — it’s a measurable driver of output.

The Business Case: Fitness ROI Workplace Programs Deliver

Building a fitness ROI workplace case starts with understanding where the returns actually show up. This is really the practical heart of how fitness improves employee productivity for most organizations — a well-designed employee fitness program typically delivers value across several concrete areas:

Reduced absenteeism — Physically active employees generally take fewer sick days, since regular exercise supports stronger immune function and better stress management, both of which reduce illness-related absences.

Lower healthcare costs — Companies investing in employee wellness often see reduced long-term healthcare expenditure, since preventive fitness reduces the likelihood of costly chronic conditions developing over time.

Higher retention — In competitive labor markets like Doha, workplace wellness benefits genuinely influence where skilled employees choose to work and how long they stay.

Improved focus and output — Employees who take movement breaks or exercise regularly report sharper concentration and better task completion compared to sedentary counterparts, further illustrating how fitness improves employee productivity on a day-to-day basis.

Employee Wellness Program Benefits Beyond the Bottom Line

While cost savings matter for the business case, employee wellness program benefits extend into culture and morale in ways that are harder to quantify but equally important. A visible investment in employee health signals genuine care from leadership, which tends to strengthen loyalty and workplace satisfaction beyond what compensation alone achieves.

Team-based fitness activities also build stronger interpersonal relationships across departments — shared physical challenges create camaraderie that translates into better collaboration on actual work projects.

Corporate Fitness Programs: What Actually Works

Not every corporate fitness program delivers equal results. The programs that genuinely move productivity metrics tend to share a few characteristics:

• Accessibility — On-site or nearby facilities remove the biggest barrier to consistent participation: time and travel friction
• Variety — Options spanning strength training, cardio, and flexibility work accommodate different fitness levels and preferences across a diverse workforce
• Flexibility — Programs that fit around work schedules, rather than demanding rigid attendance, see meaningfully higher long-term engagement
• Leadership participation — When managers and executives visibly participate, employee buy-in increases significantly

Workplace Wellness Doha: Local Context Matters

Designing workplace wellness Doha businesses can rely on means factoring in Qatar’s specific climate and lifestyle realities. Extreme summer heat makes outdoor fitness impractical for much of the year, which is exactly why indoor, climate-controlled office fitness spaces carry outsized value in this market compared to more temperate regions.

Companies in Doha increasingly recognize this — investing in dedicated indoor fitness spaces rather than relying on outdoor activity options that simply aren’t usable for several months annually. This local reality shapes how fitness improves employee productivity differently in Qatar than in cooler climates.

Employee Fitness Program Design: A Practical Framework

Designing an effective employee fitness program design doesn’t require an enormous budget or a full-scale gym from day one. A practical, phased approach works well for most organizations:

1. Start with a needs assessment. Survey employees about interest levels, preferred activity types, and realistic time availability before investing in equipment or space.

2. Choose accessible, low-barrier options first. A modest office fitness corner with basic cardio and strength equipment often drives higher participation than an ambitious but underused full gym.

3. Build in scheduling flexibility. Allow employees to use facilities during breaks or flexible windows rather than forcing rigid class times that conflict with work demands.

4. Track participation and outcomes. Simple metrics — attendance, self-reported energy levels, sick day trends — help demonstrate how fitness improves employee productivity in your specific organization over time.

5. Scale based on actual usage. Expand equipment or programming based on what employees genuinely use, rather than guessing at demand upfront.

Office Fitness Space: What to Include

For companies ready to invest in a dedicated office fitness space, a well-planned setup typically balances a few core elements without overcomplicating the design:

• A compact cardio zone — treadmills or bikes suited to shorter, break-time sessions
• Basic strength equipment — a multi-gym machine or free weights accommodate a range of fitness levels in limited space
• Proper flooring and ventilation — especially important in Qatar’s climate, where indoor comfort directly affects usage
• Simple, functional layout — over-designing early often wastes budget on features employees don’t actually use

Corporate Wellness Investment: Making the Case to Leadership

When presenting a corporate wellness investment proposal, HR leaders get the strongest traction by pairing the human benefits with concrete business metrics. Framing the investment around reduced absenteeism, improved retention in a competitive Doha job market, and measurable productivity gains resonates far more with decision-makers than wellness framed purely as a perk — and demonstrating how fitness improves employee productivity with real internal data strengthens that case considerably.

The Bottom Line

How fitness improves employee productivity comes down to a straightforward chain: physical activity supports better sleep, lower stress, and sharper cognitive function, which together translate into fewer sick days, stronger retention, and measurably better day-to-day output. For HR leaders in Doha building the case for a workplace fitness program, the evidence supports treating this as a genuine business investment, not just an employee perk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How much does an employee fitness program typically cost?
Costs vary widely based on scope — a basic office fitness corner with essential equipment costs significantly less than a full-scale gym, and many companies start small and scale based on employee usage.

Q2: Does employee fitness actually reduce healthcare costs?
Yes — companies with active wellness programs often see reduced long-term healthcare expenditure, since regular exercise supports better immune function and reduces the likelihood of costly chronic health conditions. This is one of the clearest data points showing how fitness improves employee productivity translates into real savings.

Q3: What’s the easiest way to start a corporate fitness program?
Start with an employee needs assessment, then invest in a modest, accessible setup — basic cardio and strength equipment often drives stronger participation than an ambitious but underused facility.

Q4: How does Qatar’s climate affect workplace wellness planning?
Extreme summer heat makes outdoor fitness impractical for much of the year, making indoor, climate-controlled office fitness spaces particularly valuable in the Doha market.

Q5: How do I measure the ROI of an employee fitness program?
Track absenteeism trends, participation rates, and employee retention over time — these metrics, alongside self-reported energy and focus improvements, help demonstrate ongoing business value to leadership.

Ready to design a workplace fitness space your team will actually use? Explore our office gym design guide or browse our corporate gym equipment range with Sports Village Qatar — trusted for corporate and institutional projects across Doha since 2006.

Get a Free Consultation →

Sports Village Qatar
+974 4450 1166 | [email protected]
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