The latest edition of Sports Day is held under the slogan “The Choice is Yours” with 250 events organised by governmental and non-governmental bodies taking place across Qatar.
Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has participated in this year’s National Sports Day activities on Tuesday by rowing at the Bin Ghannam Island, popularly known as Purple Island, on the eastern coast of the country.
Images shared by the Amiri Diwan showed the Qatari leader rowing through the island, located an hour away from the capital, Doha.
Sheikha Moza bint Nasser also marked National Sports Day at Education City, where she engaged with the public and witnessed the sporting activities set up at the vibrant area in Doha.
The Gulf state has dedicated the second Tuesday of February every year as the National Sports Day, where the nation takes a day off to participate in sporting activities organised by local entities.
Sheikh Tamim had declared the first National Sports Day in 2012, before becoming the Gulf country’s leader on June 25, 2013.
Apart from the physical health factor of sports, the Qatar National Sports Day further showcases the country’s identity as a vibrant sports capital.
The Gulf state had already cemented its position as a sports hub by hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022 as the first Arab and Muslim country to host the major tournament.
This year’s National Sports Day also came just three days after the AFC Asian Cup 2023 in Doha wrapped up with the host country’s team declaring their second consecutive victory at the tournament after defeating Jordan on Saturday.
The latest edition of Sports Day is held under the slogan “The Choice is Yours” with 250 events organised by governmental and non-governmental bodies taking place across Qatar.
The events are available for the public and kicked off in the morning, with the population flocking to the Doha Corniche, Aspire, The Pearl, Qatar Foundation, Lusail, Msheireb and Katara.
The slogan aimed to highlight the crucial role of sports as part of one’s daily lifestyle to prevent chronic physical diseases, namely obesity.
A 2023 study from the medical school of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) warned of an alarming increase in local cases of diabetes.
The researchers said the rate is projected to go from 17.8 percent (37,179 persons) in 2023 to 29.5 percent (84,516 persons) by 2050 among adult Qataris aged 20-79 years.
A total of 57.5 percent of the local diabetes cases are primarily caused by obesity, the study found. Data by the International Diabetes Federation, last updated in 2021, found that Qatar has a 16.4 percent prevalence of diabetes among adults, with 394,900 cases among the population.
The World Health Organization also recommends that adults aged 18 and above participate in 150-300 minutes of physical activity per week.
