The newly elected Qatar Football Association (QFA) President Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain (left) and QFA Honorary President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani during the QFA General Assembly, yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: The General Assembly of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) yesterday elected Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain as the President of the Qatar football governing body for the 2023-2027 term.
The newly formed Executive Committee for the upcoming term consists of Hani Talib Ballan (Qatar Sports Club), Mohammed Khalifa Al Suwaidi (Al Rayyan Club), Hassan Juma Al Muhannadi (Al Khor Club), and Khalid Abdullah Al Sulaiti (Al Arabi Club).
The Ordinary General Assembly meeting was attended by the President and members of the Executive Committee, as well as the General Assembly members from the 18 clubs, the Qatar Stars League Management, and representatives from Lusail, Al Bidda, and Al Waab clubs. Abdullah Hamed Al Mulla, the Chairman of the Election Committee, and the committee members were also present. Distinguished guests, including representatives from FIFA (Hany Abu Reda and Essam Al Sahebani) and the Asian Football Confederation (Karim Haidar Al Zain), were invited to oversee the electoral process of the QFA. Representatives from various media outlets were also in attendance.
A general view during the Qatar Football Association General Assembly at Sheraton Doha Hotel, yesterday.
Following the first-ever electronic voting process in the elections, the votes were counted. Al Buenain received 16 votes. As for the Board members, Al Suwaidi received 18 votes, Ballan received 17 votes, Al Muhannadi received 16, and Al Sulaiti received 15.
This composition of the new Executive Committee aligns with the amended articles of the QFA regulations, approved by the members in the previous General Assembly meeting.
The Executive Committee, serving as the executive body of the QFA, consists of a president and four members, with one member appointed as the vice president, in accordance with the statutory provisions.
The meeting took place during the Ordinary General Assembly at the Al Majlis hall in the Sheraton Doha Hotel. It was attended by General Assembly members, Association directors and heads of departments, and representatives from various media outlets.
At the beginning of the meeting, the outgoing President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani welcomed the attendees and paid tribute to the late Saoud Al Muhannadi.
He thanked the General Assembly members, Qatari football officials, clubs, media, QFA employees, the Qatar Stars League Management, and Qatar fans for their immense support in previous terms. He also welcomed Al Waab, Lusail and Al Bidda clubs, emphasising the unity of the Qatari football family and commitment to the benefit of Qatari football.
He added, “After Jassim Al Buenain learned about my non-candidacy in the elections, he expressed his desire to run, and he was appointed as the Vice President of the Qatar Football Association on February 22, 2023. He was also entrusted by the QFA to manage the Qatar Stars League on February 27, 2023. Since then, I have decided that my brother Jassim Al Buenain should take on a greater leadership role within the Association. Therefore, he has prepared well in the past period, and I have been by his side in the past, and I will continue to be so in the future.”
Mansour Mohamed Al Ansari, the Secretary-General, then took over to present the assembly’s agenda.
The meeting began with a quick presentation showcasing the major milestones from 2018 to 2022 through a short film. Al Rayyan, Al Arabi, and Al Shahania clubs were appointed to review the meeting minutes, while Al Gharafa, Al Khor, and Muaither were assigned as vote auditors. The minutes of the previous General Assembly meeting, held on March 27 last year, were approved. Additionally, there was a vote on the Executive Committee’s proposal to grant the title of QFA Honorary President to Sheikh Hamad.
The membership of Lusail, Al Bidaa, and Al Waab clubs was then voted upon and accepted. This was followed by the approval of the President’s report, the presentation of the unified, audited, and consolidated budget, the statement of profit and loss, and the approval of financial data and the budget.
In conclusion, President Al Buenain expressed his gratitude to the outgoing President, Sheikh Hamad for his immense contributions to the QFA and Qatari football during his successive presidential terms.
These terms witnessed numerous achievements, championship victories, and the successful hosting of international tournaments. He affirmed that Sheikh Hamad will continue to support and endorse the QFA through his membership in the FIFA Council, leveraging his extensive expertise to benefit the QFA at regional and international levels.
Al Buenain also extended his gratitude and appreciation to the former members of the Executive Committee for their significant contributions and unlimited support to Qatari football during their tenure.
He acknowledged the dedicated work of the late Saoud Al Muhannadi across all levels in the past period.
