Rugby in Qatar has seen a fillip in the last year or so. The local Sevens league has seen increased interest, not only from the players but also from the audiences. The Qatar Sevens team impressed many in Dubai 7s.
Qatar played host to Asian Division III Championship last year and in less than two weeks, the Qatar Rugby Federation (QRF) will host the Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy (ARST) with as many as 11 countries participating for a shot at making it to the 2018 Rugby World Cup 7s.
While QRF, under President Yousef al-Kuwari, has achieved a lot in the short span of time, there is still a lot on the federation’s to-do list. And Omran al-Sherawi, who was recently appointed director at the federation, hopes to tick quite a few of those boxes.
Having spent part of his academic career in Australia, al-Sherawi took to rugby, and even playing Australian Rules Football briefly while there.
“Rugby has been a passion for long,” he tells Gulf Times. “I have been following the sport for long now, Rugby World Cup, etc. It’s a sport I will always love to watch and follow,” he says.
Al-Sherawi, who studied chemical engineering before making a move into the banking sector — he is currently working with Commercial Bank as head of Assets and Liabilities Management — found himself very interested to join the Qatar Rugby Federation.
“Having played Aussie Rules and then even following the sport, I was very keen to contribute,” he says.
With ARST around the corner, al-Sherawi, in the thick of rugby administration, got the opportunity of putting his money where his heart is.
One of Strategic Partner Alliance (SPA) brands, The Coffee Brewer, came on board with the federation as a sponsor. Al-Sherawi is SPA’s managing director.
“Rugby is picking up in Qatar. We are trying to bring the right audience and also the right players to play here. We are working the league, there are other areas that we are working on, and I think the Asian tournament now is also grabbing eyeballs. The association between The Coffee Brewer and the ARST, it should work for both,” he says.
“We are golden sponsor for the national team too. We will move forward and support the game in the country.”
Elaborating on his short time with the federation so far, he says, “After I first associated with the Rugby Federation, a week later I had seen progress. The smaller things. The game is moving forward. The team is working very well.
“I am glad that I have come at a good time for the sport in the country. The foundation that has been laid, the President has done a very good job. I am happy to join him now and I hope to continue with the same in the future.”
Asked to elaborate on his plans, al-Sherawi said, “I am still new to the federation, but yes, I have three different plans — three, five and ten years.
“Our three-year short term plan is to work with the media closely, figure out ways to attract people to play rugby and also attract audiences to see rugby.
“Five-year plan is to target the youth teams, for instance at school level.
“Ten-year plan is about having a good team that can compete at the sevens and the 15s level internationally,” he says, while catching up on the West Asia Premiership rugby game between Doha RFC and Abu Dhabi Harlequins.
Even as Doha handed Harlequins their only defeat this season at the Fortress, as Doha RFC likes to call their home ground, importance of clubs in taking the sport forward in Qatar is not lost on al-Sherawi.
“As a federation our plan is to continue to support the clubs in the country. I am happy to see more clubs taking up the sport.”