Staff Reporter
Nagoya: Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee Jassim bin Rashid Al-Buainain yesterday visited the Qatari delegation’s headquarters at the Athletes’ Village in Japan ahead of the 20th Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya 2026).
Upon arrival, the Secretary-General was welcomed by Ahmed Al-Darwish, Head of the Qatari Administrative Delegation, and several members of the team. He toured the facilities and reviewed the administrative arrangements in place to support the athletes and technical staff throughout the Games.
Al-Buainain praised the efforts of the administrative team and stressed the need for continued coordination to provide optimal conditions, enabling Team Qatar athletes to focus fully on their competitions and deliver their best performances.
The Games officially open on Saturday and continue until October 4, with 45 Asian nations competing. Qatar is represented by a 427-strong delegation comprising 243 athletes (184 men and 59 women), 142 technical and administrative staff, 23 members of the administrative mission, and 16 media personnel. Athletes will compete in 26 sports and 32 disciplines across 18 federations, including athletics, football, basketball, 3x3 basketball, handball, volleyball, beach volleyball, squash, padel, taekwondo, judo, artistic gymnastics, golf, shooting, swimming, jiu-jitsu, esports, sailing, equestrian, karate, fencing, archery, wrestling, boxing, weightlifting, and table tennis.
Athletics squad packed with elite talent
Athletics forms a key pillar of Qatar’s campaign. The national team features several continental standouts aiming to add to the sport’s strong Asian Games record.
In the 400m, Ammar Ismail and Ashraf Osman will compete, while Abderrahman Samba and Bassem Mohamed line up in the 400m hurdles. Hatem Hameed and Abubaker Haydar contest the 800m, Mohamed Waheed and Ibrahim Abbas the 1500m, and Zakaria Ibrahim the 3000m steeplechase.
In the throws, Moaaz Ibrahim competes in the discus, Ashraf El-Seify and Abderrahman Ibrahim in the hammer, and Ahmed Jebrin in the shot put. Olympic champion Mutaz Barshim will take part in the high jump, with Saif Mohamed in the pole vault.
At the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, Qatari athletes claimed six medals: three golds through Mutaz Barshim (high jump), Mohamed Al-Garni (1500m), and Abderrahman Samba (400m hurdles), plus three silvers via the 4x400m relay, Ashraf El-Seify (hammer), and Bassem Hemeida (400m). The squad hopes to build on that success in Japan.
Women’s volleyball eyes positive finish
Qatar’s women’s volleyball team faces Hong Kong today in the third and final Group D match. The side is looking to end the group stage on a high after consecutive straight-sets defeats to Vietnam and South Korea (25-6, 25-6, 25-10).
Fourteen teams are competing in four groups, with the top two from each advancing to the quarter-finals. The tournament offers valuable competitive experience for the developing squad.
Distributed accommodation model
Organisers have adopted a non-traditional accommodation approach, distributing athletes and officials across multiple sites rather than a single central village. Facilities include a temporary village at Nagoya Port Park housing around 2,000 participants, the cruise ship Costa Serena docked at Kinjo Pier accommodating approximately 4,000 athletes and officials from 18 sports, and approved hotels in Aichi Prefecture and nearby cities.
The temporary wooden housing units are designed for post-Games reuse, including emergency and disaster relief, reflecting a commitment to sustainability. This is the first time a cruise ship has been used in Japan for a major multi-sport event of this scale. The shift followed the cancellation of plans for a dedicated village at the former Nagoya Racecourse site due to rising construction costs.
Media team fully prepared
Abdullah Al-Marri, Head of the Media Delegation, confirmed that media and logistical preparations are largely complete following the arrival of teams in Nagoya. He said a comprehensive plan was developed early to cover every aspect of Qatar’s participation.
“From the outset, we were committed to ensuring our preparations matched the significance of this major Asian event,” Al-Marri stated. “We aimed to provide the delegation with all necessary media support to accurately convey the true picture of Qatar’s participation.”
The Media Committee will operate across competition venues to deliver continuous coverage of results, athlete performances, and delegation activities.
3x3 basketball ambitions
The men’s 3x3 basketball team, featuring Mohammed Hashim, Hamad Yassin, Nizar, and Mubarak Jama, opens its campaign on September 21 against Indonesia and Chinese Taipei. The women’s side begins a day later against Sri Lanka and China. Both teams are targeting strong performances and a potential medal challenge.
Qatar’s athletes and officials remain focused on delivering results that reflect the nation’s sporting ambitions on the Asian stage.