With an intent of finding new talent and promoting the sport, Doha Open amateur boxing championship has undergone a rebranding exercise.
The Qatar Boxing and Wrestling Federation (QBWF) has rechristened the tournament as Katara Boxing Championship, and the same will be held from April 12-14 at Katara Beach, next to the amphitheatre, allowing the fans to have a unique experience.
The three-day event, which will be held across various weight categories in the junior and adults divisions, is likely to attract over 60 boxers from different clubs and communities in Qatar. The bouts will be held in the evening.
The boxing event, which was skipped in 2017, returns to Katara after a gap of two years and QBWF president Yousef al-Kazim hopes the new venue will not only give the sport a boost in popularity but also in terms of finding new talent in the country.
“The first year, we held it at a club but the crowd response was not that good. So we talked to Katara authorities and we agreed to hold the event in Katara for many reasons. First of all, it is a very popular place and every day many visitors come here, which will add value to our championship,” al-Kazim said while addressing a press conference yesterday.
“Next year, we plan to organise the same competition inside the amphitheatre and we have got the consent for it.
“Another reason is that we’ve made it open for all nationalities and communities in Qatar. You know, two years back we identified Abdul Hadi al-Marri in this event and he delivered by winning a bronze medal in the Arab Youth Championship in Egypt this year.
“Our target is to identify new talent from the tournament,” he said.
The QBWF aims not only to continue the local championship in Katara but also plans to host an international event here. “We’re thinking about holding an international event on the invitation basis as we have many communities in Qatar which have very strong boxing traditions back home,” he said.
“We’ll try to invite boxers from India, Pakistan, Egypt, Nepal, Kazakhstan and Australia. But we’ve to plan it well, keeping in mind the factors like weather and dates.”
Speaking on the occasion, Katara – the Cultural Village Foundation general manager Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti also expressed his happiness to organise the event.
“We’re happy that the QBWF decided to host the championship which has Katara in its name,” Dr Sulaiti said.
“We’re very proud that Katara has become such a popular place in Qatar and outside. It is a hub of cultural and traditions. Each year millions visit this place. In 2016, we received as many as 24 million visitors.
“We’ve been hosting about 400 events every year. Our team is quite experienced and able to provide all kinds of logistics to any event,” he said.
Talking about hosting sports activities, he said, “We have successfully organised basketball, volleyball and boxing events. This year, we hosted the Katara Beach Volleyball Cup in which players from 28 countries contested. We are really proud that the Qatar team won the bronze medal for the first time in the FIVB 4-Star beach volleyball tournament. We are taking it as a challenge,” he said.
Qatar Boxing and Wrestling Federation president Yousef al-Kazim and Katara u2013 the Cultural Village Foundation general manager Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti address a press conference. PICTURE: Jayan Orma
