Doha: The Ministry of Culture and Sports urged all entities participating in the Qatar Sports Day to commit to the standards and regulations issued by the Emiri Decision No. 80 of 2011 and to raise awareness about the importance of playing sports for all ages during the Sports Day which will fall on February 12 this year.

The ministry said that the events must focus on awareness programmes and avoid performances. It should focus on activities that will promote exercising as a daily healthy behaviour. It also said that the events must promote awareness among participants of the importance of sport and its role in the lives of individuals and communities. The proposed sporting events should be suited for the age group and health conditions of the participants, in terms of intensity and duration, in order to avoid physical stress and injury.

In its statement, the ministry also called for avoiding constructing temporary sports tents or buildings for the day, taking into account the requirements of security and safety during the organization of the events, and urged to use sports facilities, parks and public places.

The entities must also commit to offering healthy food and avoid fast food. They should also refrain from distributing gifts to the public.

The Ministry recommended moving away from organising performances and instead asked to hold sporting events. They stressed that all entities should provide the Sports Day committee with its programmes and planned activities along with the estimated number of participants no later than January 20. The committee will review the application sent to nsdmcs.gov.qa and approve it.

In order to achieve the goals of Sports Day, the ministry urged everyone to avoid long hours of exercise, which may cause physical stress and muscle injuries in some participants.

The ministry also asked to hold activities in one place to avoid traffic congestion and disruption.

Source: The Peninsula Qatar