Qatar Airways is the Official Airline Partner for three of Oman’s Ministry of Education sports programmes, in addition to the Oman International Youth Cup (OIYC), it was announced on Tuesday.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive, HE Akbar al-Baker, signed an official sponsorship agreement with Sabco Sports chairman, Sayyid Khalid bin Hamad bin Hamoud al-Busaidi.
Each programme offers Omani youth an opportunity to join different sports leagues, held throughout the year in Oman. The partnership is undertaken in association with Sabco Sports, who are the commercial partner for the Oman Ministry of Education.
The Olympic Programme runs from October to March of each year and enables children from different regions across Oman to compete in a variety of sports, including athletics, chess, sailing and volleyball, with the qualifying players of each sport advancing to the finals. Similarly, the Football Programme also runs from October to March of each year and the qualifying teams from each region compete at the finals that traditionally take place in Muscat.
Furthermore, the new National Obstacle Series (NOS), runs year-round and invites students from public and private schools to take part in the challenge. The NOS Programme is a new scheme that was launched by Sabco Sports in Oman, and advocates for a healthier lifestyle for youth. The Oman International Youth Cup is a football tournament for Under 9s, Under 11s, Under 13s and Under 15s, from across the globe, who have the opportunity to showcase their football skills from the heart of the Middle East. The three sports Programmes offered by the Ministry of Education in Oman are open to both boys and girls that are enrolled in public schools across the country, and who are aged under 18.
HE al-Baker, said: “Qatar Airways is delighted to be partnering for the first time with the Omani Ministry of Education for their three youth sports programmes, in addition to the Oman International Youth Cup. These sponsorships strengthen the airline’s extensive global sporting partnership portfolio and demonstrate the strength of our commitment to Oman, a destination always popular with our customers.
“By sponsoring these Programmes and the Youth Cup, we hope to further inspire future generations in sports and specifically football, a sport that has been on the rise in Qatar and the Middle East as a whole.”
Al-Busaidi, said: “Qatar Airways is a key organisation in the region, and they are well known for their support of sport and the community. This is an important initiative that will greatly benefit the children of Oman.”
Qatar Airways sponsors premier sporting clubs around the world. The airline recently revealed multi-year sponsorship agreements with several global sports entities, including leading German football team FC Bayern Munchen AG, Italian football club AS Roma and Argentinian club Boca Juniors. In addition, Qatar Airways is the official airline sponsor of CONMEBOL professional football competitions across South America, including the Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores, Copa CONMEBOL Sudamericana and the CONMEBOL Recopa.
In May 2017, Qatar Airways announced a groundbreaking sponsorship deal with Fifa, which saw the award-winning airline become the Official Partner and Official Airline of Fifa until 2022.
