Al Rayyan have decided not to take part in the Arab football Club Championship, scheduled to be held in August. The decision was made due to clash of dates with the club’s local and continental fixtures.
Al Rayyan’s Director of football, Ali Salem Afifah said in a statement: “The start of the Arab Championship clashes with local and continental matches. August is when Al Rayyan prepares for the new local football season, which means the club won’t be in full readiness to compete in the championship.”
Qatar Football Association (QFA) had contacted Al Rayyan to participate in the tournament after receiving an invitation from the Union of Arab Football Associations. QFA also unofficially contacted other clubs to participate in the tournament after Al Rayyan’s apology, however, those clubs too declined the offer due to busy schedule. The Arab Championship matches will be played with the knockout system and the final will be held on 28 or 29 April next year.

Qatar SC’s al-Hashimi out for a month
Qatar SC player Jassim al-Hashimi will be out of action for a month after undergoing a knee surgery at Aspetar. That means The Kings will be without his services when they face Al Gharafa in Week 22 of the QNB Stars League on 8th April and also in some matches of the HH The Emir’s Cup.
Al-Hashimi has been one of the key performers for Qatar SC this season. They are currently placed ninth with 22 points. Qatar SC players tested their match fitness by playing a friendly against Umm Salal on Thursday.

Sadd players back from international duty
Al Sadd got back the services of their players who did international duty as they prepare for their home match in the fifth round of AFC Champions League against the UAE’s Al Wasl on 2nd April.
Goalkeeper Saad al-Dossari, Hassan al-Haydous, Pedro Miguel, Abdulkarim Hassan, Salem ak-Hajri and Akram Afif, who represented Qatar at the tri-nation friendly tournament which Qatar won in Iraq, trained with the squad on Wednesday evening. So did Meshaal Barsham, Hatem Kamal, Hussein Behzad, Meshaal Ibrahim, Hassan Ahmed, Ahmed Suhail, Bahaa Leithi, Mohammed Waed and Yusuf Abdul Razak, who were on Olympic and youth team duty for Qatar.
Algerian striker Baghdad Bounedjah and Iranian defender Morteza Mohammed too joined the squad after honouring their countries’ commitments. Meanwhile, Boualem Khoukhi, who injured his foot during their QNB Stars League Week 21 match against Al Khor which they lost 0-1, went through his paces having successfully completed his rehabilitation programme.

Saad, Fathi join Al Arabi training
Ahmed Fathi and Saad Natiq are back in Al Arabi fold after doing duty for Qatar and Iraq respectively at the recent International Friendship tournament, which Qatar won in Iraq. Syria were the other team in the fray.
Al Arabi players are continuing their training and will play a friendly against Al Markhiya today, ahead of their QNB Stars League Week 22 game against Al Khor on 8th April. Al Arabi coach Luka Bonacic will be keen that his players sustain the momentum and build on their four consecutive victories, something unheard of The Dream Team in recent times. Al Arabi are seventh with 24 points.

HH The Emir Table Tennis Cup to begin on April 20
The HH The Emir Table Tennis Cup will begin on April 20. The draw of the event was held at Ras Abu Aboud hallin the presence of Mohammad Abdullah Saleh, Secretary-General of the Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA), Naji al-Aji, the QTTA Board Member, Mohammad al-Rumaihi, the QTTA Executive Director and Thani al-Zaraa, the QTTA Board Member. Al Gharafa will take on Al Shamal in the opening match. The final match will be staged on April 26.