Qatar Sport

Doha, Qatar: The second round of the HH The Father Amir's Equestrian Prix will begin on Thursday at the Longines Arena in Al Shaqab, with the participation of more than 240 riders, as part of the Doha Equestrian Tour 2026. The first day of competition will begin with a three-star class at a height of 135 cm, followed by a three-star class at 140 cm. The five-star class competitions will then take place at 140 cm, followed by another five-star class at 150 cm, all held on the main Longines outdoor arena. On the second outdoor arena, a three-star class competition will be held at a height of 125 cm, followed by a one-star class competition at 110 cm. Meanwhile, the Longines indoor arena will host a one-star class competition at 120 cm, followed by a local class competition at 60 cm. The competitions continue on Friday at the Longines Main Outdoor Arena, with the 3-star class competitions at a height of 130 cm, followed by a 3-star class at 145 cm, then the 5-star class at 145 cm, and finally a 5-star class at 155 cm with a jump-off. Friday will also see the 5-star class (6 obstacles) at 150 cm, a first for an international championship. At the Outdoor Arena (2), the 3-star class competitions will take place at 140 cm with a jump-off, while the Longines Indoor Arena will host the 1-star class competitions at 115 cm, followed by an international junior class at 125 cm, then another 1-star class at 125 cm. The day will conclude with a local class at 80 cm. The second round of competition concludes next Saturday with the Grand Prix events in three categories. The main outdoor arena will host the 3-star Grand Prix at a height of 150 cm with a jump-off, as well as the 5-star Grand Prix at a height of 160 cm with a jump-off. The Longines Indoor arena will host the 1-star Grand Prix at a height of 130 cm with a jump-off. The outdoor arena (2) will also feature a 3-star class at a height of 130 cm and a local class at a height of 100 cm. Meanwhile, the Longines Indoor arena will host the 1-star class at a height of 115 cm and the Junior class at a height of 130 cm with a jump-off, both qualifying for Group 7. Finally, the main outdoor arena will host a 3-star class at a height of 140 cm, followed by a 5-star class at a height of 150 cm, consisting of two rounds. The first round of the HH The Father Amir's Equestrian Prix saw British rider Harry Charles crowned with the Grand Prix title for the 4-star category at a height of 155 cm, while his compatriot Oliver Fletcher won the Grand Prix title for the 2-star category at a height of 145 cm. Qatari riders dominated the top three positions in the Grand Prix for the 1-star category at a height of 130 cm, with rider Hussein Saeed Haidan winning the title, rider Saad Ahmed Al Saad coming in second, and rider Ghanem Nasser Al Qadi in third place.

Football

London: Liverpool manager Arne Slot insists his reigning English champions can still do "special things" this season as they prepare to face Premier League leaders Arsenal following a faltering start to their title defence. Slot's men head to the Emirates for Thursday's clash in fourth place in the table, but 14 points adrift of the Gunners. However, following on from a run of nine defeats in 12 games in all competitions, Liverpool are unbeaten in their last nine -- although that sequence includes four draws. Those draws include a goalless stalemate against Leeds and a 2-2 share of the spoils with Fulham in their first two Premier League fixtures of 2026. "It is nine games unbeaten but we have definitely had two draws too many," Slot told a pre-match press conference on Wednesday. Slot, who guided Liverpool to an impressive title triumph in his first season in charge at Anfield after succeeding Jurgen Klopp, added: "Where are we? I think I've said so many times that the answer to that question is we aren't where we want to be, but I feel we have a very talented squad. "If everyone's available and ready, then I think we can do special things." 'A lot to play for' They certainly gave that impression earlier in the season when Liverpool beat Arsenal 1-0 at Anfield in August. "I think we've also shown that this season because we've got quite a lot of impressive wins, but we've also had unimpressive draws and losses," said Slot. "We haven't had the consistency but we've already beaten some very good teams, so that tells you the talent is definitely there but the consistency isn't." Those impressive victories included home successes against Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid and a 5-1 romp away to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League. But on the flip side, they have suffered three-goal defeats at home three times this season, against Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven. "This club has shown so many times that when they don't have the greatest form in the league, they are still able to win other trophies," said Slot. "We just haven't had consistency against the clubs where we would usually win which adds to the fact that we are now 14 points behind Arsenal." They now face a renewed test of their form against the Gunners, with Arsenal bidding to be crowned champions of England for the first time in more than 20 years. "There's a lot of importance on this match because we still have a lot to play for in the Premier League," said Slot. "We are also in the FA Cup and the Champions League, which are knockout games and games where you face teams like Arsenal, so it will be a chance for us to see where we are in a one-off game. "We are going up against a very, very good Arsenal team." The Dutchman said the daunting things for his side is Arsenal are the "complete package". "For that reason, in my opinion, they deserve to be on top this season."

Qatar Sport

Doha, Qatar: The Board of Directors of the Organising Committee for the 21st Asian Games – Doha 2030 held its first meeting today, chaired by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Organising Committee’s Board. The meeting comes as part of the ongoing preparations to host this major continental sporting event in the State of Qatar. During the meeting, HE Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Member of the Board of Directors of the Organising Committee for the Doha 2030 Asian Games, reviewed the main master plan for the Games and its key pillars, and highlighted the latest updates related to the organisational and preparatory aspects, supporting the integrated preparation process for this major continental sporting event. The Board also appointed Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Al Buainain as Chief Executive Officer of the Doha 2030 Asian Games Organising Committee. In his new role, he will play a central part in overseeing the executive operations of the Organising Committee and ensuring the effective implementation of approved plans and strategies, in line with the highest organisational standards and the objectives set for delivering this major continental sporting event. The meeting also addressed ways to enhance coordination and integration among relevant stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, with the aim of unifying efforts and ensuring close cooperation to deliver a successful edition of the Games that reflects Qatar’s standing and organisational capabilities in hosting major continental and international sporting events. Discussions further covered several themes related to the sustainable legacy of the Games, optimal utilisation of existing sports infrastructure, and leveraging accumulated national expertise in organising major championships. Emphasis was also placed on the importance of adopting best practices in innovation, sustainability, and governance. The first meeting of the Organising Committee’s Board of Directors marks a key foundational step in the preparations for the Doha 2030 Asian Games, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, and reinforces the country’s leading role and growing influence in the development of sport across the Asian continent.