Health and wellbeing are the cornerstones of both a happy and fulfilling life, and a strong and vibrant society. Qatar is celebrating National Sport Day today in a limited format and through virtual events this year to prevent and halt the spread of COVID-19 cases in the country.
Qatar is one of the few countries which give strong impetus on the importance of sport. In the year 2012, Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani decreed the second Tuesday of February as an annual celebration of sports and active lifestyle, with the hope of instilling sport and exercise as a part of residents’ daily routine.
Promoting sports as an important part of daily life is also part of the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 as it helps in the sustainable development of human capital.
Qatar Foundation is helping people get into the National Sport Day spirit – without leaving their homes. An array of virtual activities hosted by QF will be available for all members of the community, opening up opportunities to stay active and embrace a healthy lifestyle while still adhering to health guidelines amid the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic. QF’s virtual National Sport Day offering reflects its commitment to encouraging, empowering, and enabling people to make sport and physical activity a central part of their lives, and to providing opportunities for them to maintain and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. With public safety remaining paramount as Qatar continues to combat the pandemic, this year’s activities are being taken online, while still providing something for everyone to enjoy – for free.
In the interest of community safety amid the ongoing pandemic, the National Sport Day Committee, after coordination with the Ministry of Public Health, decided that all sports activities will be individual only, such as running, swimming, and cycling. Sports that require physical contact are not allowed and sports in which several teams compete in a limited space are also not permitted. The Committee called on all members of society to commit to taking several preventive measures, such as wearing masks and washing hands.
The Advisor to the Minister of Public Health for Sports Affairs, Dr. Abdul Wahab Al Musleh, said commitment by everyone in Qatar, the government and its people, is the real secret to controlling the coronavirus. He said the Ministry of Public Health is striving with all its efforts to control the spread of virus adding that according to the Ministry’s plan, all residents of Qatar will be vaccinated so that the State of Qatar will reach comprehensive immunity.
