Chapecoense president thanks people of Qatar for support following tragedy

The president of Chapecoense, Pl?nio David de Nes Filho, has thanked the people of Qatar and the country’s football community for the outpouring of support in the aftermath of the terrible tragedy which struck the Brazilian side in 2016, when the team lost most of its squad in a plane crash in Colombia last year.Speaking during a visit to the offices of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) in Doha, Filho said: “I would like to thank the Qatari government and the people for their support, as well as thanking the QFA president for the invitation to come to Qatar. We’ve got a lot of friends here in Qatar and we appreciate their gesture of support at such a difficult time for us.”The president of Chapecoense met SC Assistant Secretary General for Tournament Affairs, Nasser al-Khater, and said his team would be back in Doha soon for a youth tournament at the Aspire Academy. “This is my second visit to Qatar, after I first came here in 1988. The country has changed a lot since then. Qatar 2022 is already a success. We also wish good luck to the Chapecoense Under-17s team which will take part in matches at the Al Kass Cup this year. I look forward to further ways of cooperation in the future,” he said.Talking during the meeting, al-Khater personally conveyed sincere condolences to the president of Chapecoense and wished the club well in their efforts to rebuild the team.“On behalf of the SC and the Qatar 2022 LOC, we share our deepest condolences with the club, the families and friends of those affected by this tragedy. Our hearts and prayers are with the families at this very difficult time, and we hope and believe that you can overcome this terrible adversity,” al-Khater said.“We also look forward to seeing the club’s Under-17s, the future generation of stars who will represent the team, playing at the Al Kass International Cup this month in Doha,” he added. The Al Kass International Cup begins in Doha on Jan 21 and runs through until Jan 31. (sc.qa)