Qatar Football Association (QFA) and Qatar Shell yesterday said more than 8,000 participants burned over 200 calories each on average by participating in activities that were part of L’Batak - a hi-tech football-themed touring Fan Zone that was launched during HH the Emir Cup.
Attended by thousands of participants since its launch, the L’Batak activities were designed to burn the maximum number of calories, as indicated by an automated and integrated system known as Score Totem & Master Calorie Counter. This was used to calculate scores and display the total number of calories burned by each participant in Al Khor and Doha.
L’Batak toured key locations across Qatar, including Al Khor, Khalifa Stadium and Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. It is a flexible version of a modern-day fitness centre, featuring a variety of games recreating cardio-based physical movements that would occur in a traditional gym environment - such as running, lunges and squats - within a football-themed space.
“As the numbers indicate, the L’Batak Fan Zones were met with great participation from youth all over Doha, including Al Khor and Al Shamal. Together with Qatar Shell, we were able to once again facilitate access to more physical activity through different football-themed games, ultimately achieving the main goal of L’Batak and the Koora Time initiative - which is encouraging Qatar’s youth to be healthy and active while burning the maximum number of calories,” said Ahmed Abdulaziz al-Buainain, treasurer of QFA.
“We are proud to continue rolling out football-related fitness opportunities under Koora Time to evoke real behavioural change and help maintain a healthy and active lifestyle among Qatar’s youth. This initiative is designed to support Qatar National Vision 2030 by providing children and young adults with access to more football, while at the same time setting the foundation for a healthier youth and a better future for this country,” said Wael Sawan, managing director and chairman of Qatar Shell Companies.
Augmented reality activities at L’Batak Fan Zones included freestyle kicks, goal scoring and a “dance dance revolution”- style simulation game known as Taffanan, which allows participants to control a player on the screen as he performs tricks with a football.
Ibrahim Mohamed al-Saeid, a Sixth Grade student at Al Khor School, said: “I was working out, moving, running and kicking the ball. My scoreboard showed I had burned 213 calories.”
The L’Batak venue at Khalifa International Stadium additionally served as a Fan Zone for the final of HH the Emir Cup - of which Qatar Shell has been the Lead Partner for eight consecutive years - with more than 4,000 fans watching the match on the giant screen.