Qatar mourns death of former sports chief

Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Thani served his country in different sporting roles, including as head of its Football Association and its Olympic Committee.

People across Qatar have been mourning the death of prominent figure Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani who passed away on Monday.

During his life, Al Thani had a huge influence on the development of sports in Qatar, and served his country in different official capacities.

News of his death was announced by the Amiri Diwan, which gave details of the former local chess champion’s funeral in a statement released on Monday evening.

“May God have mercy on the deceased, place him in Jannah (paradise), and give his family and loved ones patience and solace. We belong to God and to Him, we shall return,” the Diwan said in its statement.

Accomplishments

Among the his roles, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid served as the President of Qatar’s Olympic Committee, President of the country’s Football Association, and President of the Qatar Chess Federation.

Al Thani assumed the presidency of the Qatar Olympic Committee in 1991, and under his leadership Qatar obtained its first ever Olympic medal during the 1992 games in Barcelona. It was also the first time a Gulf athlete made it to the podium.

“We first offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and the Olympic and sports family on the death of the second president in the history of the Qatar Olympic Committee, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani,” Qatar Olympic Committee said in a tweet.

Read also: Relief and congratulations, reactions to Qatari activist Noof Al Maadeed’s return to social media.

In another tweet, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, current President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, offered his sincere condolences to the deceased’s family.

“The Qatari Olympic and sports family lost one of its founding figures with the death of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani, the former president of the Qatar Olympic Committee. May God have mercy,” he stated.

During his tenure as President of the Football Association which began in 1988, Qatar won the eleventh Arabian Gulf Cup. This victory paved the way for team Al-Annabi to achieve future titled and build on their success, under Sheikh Mohammed’s leadership, Qatar came agonisingly close to qualifying for the 1990 World Cup, narrowly missing out after failing to beat North Korea in the final qualifying game.

The Qatar Football Association expressed its condolences through its Twitter account in memory of its former president.

https://twitter.com/QFA/status/1480592309502844929

“The Qatar Football Association extends its sincere condolences and sympathy to the family and relatives of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, former President of the Qatar Football Association, who passed away,” the tweet read.

“We ask God Almighty to accept the deceased with the vastness of his mercy and take him to heaven.”

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