Browsing 'workers cup' News

byShabina S. Khatri
Sports
byShabina S. Khatri
Sports
Photo for illustrative purposes only.
Teams file out during the Workers Cup 2016
Photo for illustrative purposes only.

All photos by Baba Tamim

The Qatar Sports Club was abuzz with activity yesterday as teams faced off during the first day of the fourth annual Workers’ Cup.

Nakheel Landscapes dominated last night’s game against AALCO Group, defeating them 5-0.

The Workers Cup, which is organized by the Qatar Stars League, consists of 24 teams of blue-collar workers who are involved in building 2022 World Cup stadiums and different infrastructure projects around the country.

Ten other teams competed at the Qatar Football Association’s technical pitch yesterday.

According to the event’s website, “prizes in excess of QR100,000 will be distributed to players and fans alike” over the course of the tournament.

Love of the game

Speaking to Doha News, many players said the seven-week tournament has given them a chance to revive their love of football and is something to look forward to on weekends.

Workers Cup 2016

Baba Tamim / Doha News

Workers Cup 2016

Some, like AALCO team captain Mohammed Sharief, used to play professionally. The 28-year-old told Doha News after last night’s game:

“When I came to Qatar there was no football for us. I used to play national level football in Pakistan than I had to leave, to work and help my family.”

Meanwhile, Nakheel’s team captain Ahmad Abdul Haleem said:

“I am proud for this moment, by the grace of Almighty we will win. I have great hopes and expectation from this team and myself.”

The 31-year-old Egyptian added: “The game of football should be played with love and we will continue to the play with love at the highest level and pay tribute to our Nakheel.”

See the full schedule of the games and find out more information about the tournament on its website here.

Thoughts?

byOmar Chatriwala
Life
byOmar Chatriwala
Life
Al Sadd match

All photos courtesy of Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy

With reporting from Ankita Menon

It was a rough weekend for several teams competing in the second annual Workers’ Cup, as the playing field was narrowed from eight to four teams.

Gulf Contracting Co. and Out Look will face off in the semi-finals on Friday, as will Amana and Tanzifco Co WLL. The matches will most likely take place at the Al Wakra Sports Club, and are free and open to the public.

So far, thousands of people have turned out to support the teams, which are comprised of workers from several companies around Qatar. The finals, which will be held on Friday, May 2, may be played at a stadium, organizers told Doha News.

A spokesman for the QSports League, which is overseeing the tournament, said the motivation for holding such an event is to help the nation (host of the 2022 World Cup) become a “sports hub.”

“We are building the momentum for Fifa 2022 by engaging the working communities in sports activities,” he said.

Recreation

According to a different QSL organizer who spoke to Doha News during the inaugural season last year, the goal is also to integrate a large segment of Qatar’s population with the rest of the community.

The tournament also addresses a common complaint among Qatar’s hundreds of thousands of working class residents about a lack of recreational options here. These men, who are usually here without their families, are often turned away from malls and other public areas on Fridays, their one day off a week.

Holding sports tournaments for this demographic are a relatively novel concept, According to James Dorsey, who writes for MidEast Soccer. Last year, he said the idea of such a tournament could be seen as a “small but not insignificant” step forward in terms of improving human rights for this vulnerable group.

Thoughts?

byDoha News Team
News
byDoha News Team
News

image

By Mai Akkad

Following a successful trial sports tournament for low-income expats in earlier this year, QSports League has announced the details of three more “Workers’ Cup” competitions, to be held through the summer.

The move comes as Qatar faces mounting criticism over its treatment of migrant workers, one of the largest and most vulnerable segments of the population.

In March, 16 teams of 18 workers competed for a total of QR36,000 in prize money during the first tournament, football. Though the competition was criticized by some as a publicity stunt, it nonetheless proved to a popular attraction for many of Qatar’s “bachelors,” drawing more than 1,500 spectators.

Tournament details

This month, a basketball tournament is already underway. The semifinals and finals for that competition will be held at the Al Gharafa Sports Club-QBF Indoor Hall at 10am on May 31.

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Cricket kicks off tomorrow, May 24, at 1pm, at Al Wakra Sports Club. The semifinals and finals will be held at the same venue on May 31.

Indoor volleyball will start June 7.

Ben Panton, QSports League spokesman, previously told Doha News:

“Qatar Stars League are hoping to organize it so that the final can be played directly after one of the QSL league games. After all, we wanted the players to have the opportunity to play in the stadiums they are often helping build!”

Another motivation for holding such events is to promote a healthy lifestyle among all sections of the community, Ghanim Al-Mohannadi, the chairman and founder of QSports League, told journalists yesterday.

Only company teams can register to play. The fee to enroll is QR6,000 per team. The winning team for each tournament will be awarded QR18,000; second place gets QR9,000; and third-place wins QR6,000.

Thoughts?

Credit: Photos courtesy of QWorkers Cups on Facebook