Alkass Digital
The General Assembly of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) convened to elect His Excellency Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain as the President of the QFA for the 2023-2027 term. The newly formed Executive Committee for the upcoming term includes 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. Mr. Abdullah Hamed Al-Mulla, the Chairman of the Election Committee, and the committee members were also present.
Distinguished guests, including representatives from FIFA (Mr. Hany Abu Reda and Mr. Essam Al-Sahebani) and the Asian Football Confederation (Mr. Karim Haidar Al-Zain), were invited to oversee the electoral process of the QFA. Representatives from various media outlets were also in attendance.
Following the first-ever electronic voting process in the elections, the votes were counted. Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, the President of the Qatar Football Association, received 16 votes, securing the presidency. As for the members, Mr. Mohammed Khalifa Al Suwaidi received 18 votes, Mr. Hani Talib Ballan received 17 votes, Mr. Hassan Juma Al Muhannadi received 16, and Mr. Khalid Abdullah 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 Qatar Football Association, 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 of the Qatar Football Association on Thursday afternoon 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, His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani welcomed the attendees and paid tribute to the late Mr. Saoud Al Muhannadi, a brother, friend, and one of the most important figures in Qatari football. He thanked the General Assembly members, Qatari football officials, clubs, media, QFA employees, the Qatar Stars League Management, and Qatari fans for their immense support in previous periods. He also welcomed Al-Waab, Lusail, and Al-Bidda clubs, emphasizing the unity of the Qatari football family and commitment to the benefit of Qatari football.
He added, “After Jassim Al- Buainain 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- Buainain 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.”
Mr. 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 27th last year, were approved. Additionally, there was a vote on the Executive Committee’s proposal to grant the title of honorary president of the Qatar Football Association to His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani.
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.
The elections commenced with Mr. Abdullah Hamed Al Mulla, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, expressing his gratitude to the General Assembly members for their attendance and cooperation in managing the affairs. He also thanked the Qatar Football Association, represented by the President and the General Secretariat, for facilitating the electoral process. He extended appreciation to his colleagues in the Electoral Committee for their significant efforts and thanked the candidates whose documents met the requirements. He expressed gratitude to all supporting departments as well.
In conclusion, Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, the President of the Qatar Football Association, expressed his gratitude to the outgoing President, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, 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 bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani will continue to support and endorse the Qatar Football Association through his membership in the FIFA Council, leveraging his extensive expertise to benefit the QFA at regional and international levels.
Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain 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 bin Abdulaziz Al Muhannadi across all levels in the past period.
Furthermore, Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain addressed the esteemed members of the General Assembly, including clubs and the Qatar Stars League, extending his sincere greetings and appreciation for their tremendous support to the Executive Committee. He expressed his wish for the new Committee to succeed, emphasising club support’s indispensability. He highlighted the unity of purpose among all stakeholders, aiming for the benefit of Qatari football and its continuous growth to the highest levels. Lastly, he expressed gratitude to the Election Committee and extended thanks and appreciation to the various media outlets for their continuous support.