1. The Establishment of the Qatar National Olympic Committee: shaping a national sport identity
By Luis Henrique Rolim Silva
Head of Research, Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum
PhD candidate, German Sports University
Sport & Society Symposium – Qatar University, 11-May-2016

2. Presentation structure
Introduction: contextualizing the research topic
The context of the QOC establishment ( )
The establishment of the QOC
The conflict governance
Inventing a tradition for national identity
Final remarks 02

3. Introduction To understand the process of establishment of the
Qatar National Olympic Committee (QOC):
role of sport in an nation-building process ( ) 03

4. Contextualizing the research topic
State of Qatar = Doha: political and socio-cultural capital
Major sport events and developments 04

5. The context of the QOC establishment (1970-1980)
Nationalization process (differentiation), distinction between the country’s social groups, empower the ‘new’ leader and consequently, the lineage group of the ruler (Bourdieu, 1993)
Announce the Qatar independency
Act of popularity.
Nationalization of the oil company.
Invested in infrastructure
1968 Britain withdraw - Qatar independency 1971
Amir: Sheikh Ahmad bin Ali Al-Thani (r )
Heir Apparent: Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Thani (r ) 05

6. The context of the QOC establishment (1970-1980)
Stadium as place of collective memories to construct an imagined community; invention of a sport tradition and ideal of sport identity (Smith, 1991; Halbwachs, 1991; Anderson, 1991; Hobsbawm, 1983; Nora, 1997)
Doha Stadium = received new infrastructure
Football match: Santos FC, Brazil (Pelé) vs. Al-Ahli SC (the oldest sport club)
Open-air fight: Muhammad Ali (boxer converted to Islam) 05

7. The context of the QOC establishment (1970-1980)
4th Gulf Cup 1976: attempt to express national identity, Saudi fraternity, new place of memory (Nora, 1997)
New sport facilities = Khalifa Sport City (stadium)
National stadium: celebrations and training
National sport: ‘under the Amir’ 05

8. The context of the QOC establishment (1970-1980)
“[…] in order to build the Qatari citizen physically, Mentally and Socially to be virtuous member of the society and to improve his standard of living and social position, as well as developing his patriotic and national morale, to protect himself from corruption and exploitation [sic][emphasis mine]” (QATAR, n/d, p. 24).
Council: sport, cultural and social activities related to the youth
Widespread the Olympic spirit in the country: QOC establishment
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
Decree 1977: Heir Apparent and Minister of Defense
Decree 1979: Youth Welfare Supreme Council (president) 05

9. The establishment of the QOC
The conflict of governance:
Qatar and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) expressed in the QOC constitution
The establishment of the QOC as an institution to express the country’s national identity in a global stage 02

10. The conflict governance: QOC and IOC
1st President:
Sheikh Abdallah Bin Khalifa Al-Thani
[…] this national organization to take part in improvement of the understanding of the young people in the field of, Sports, relationship between each other in the community and moral, adhering the ideal objectives of the IOC and its ideal principles to gather the young people on this Spot in the world [sic][emphasis mine]
Aware of IOC rules:
Six Qatar’s sports federations affiliated to the International Federations
Eight QOC members
Council: sport, cultural and social activities related to the youth
Widespread the Olympic spirit in the country: QOC establishment 05

11. The conflict governance: QOC and IOC
Aware of IOC rules:
Six Qatar’s sports federations affiliated to the International Federations
Eight QOC members
Presidents NF appointed by the Council president to reproduce the power; act of social differentiation sport field – Olympic vs. non-Olympic sports federation (Bourdieu, 1993)
Council: sport, cultural and social activities related to the youth
Widespread the Olympic spirit in the country: QOC establishment 05

12. The conflict governance: QOC and IOC
Constitution and regulations: not accepted
A fundamental principle of the IOC is that all National Olympic Committees should be autonomous, free of any State interference and should not represent the State. From this principle flow several amendments which will have to be made to your constitution [...] all reference to the State, Youth Welfare Supreme Council and Youth Council should be deleted as the autonomy of the QOC must be complete [emphasis mine] (Berlioux: “Letter to Mr. Abdallah bin Khalifa Al-Thani, 26 November 1979” p.01)
IOC model imposed:
International social status
NOCs may co-operate, Olympic Charter
Autonomy to aid funds, Olympic Solidarity 05

13. The conflict governance: QOC and IOC
Excluding or re-writing any reference to the State of Qatar and the Council
11 points
Article number/section
First Constitution statement
Second Constitution statement
Article 2 –
QOC composition, objectives and competencies
It is the sole Authority that may represent the State in the Olympic and Regional Games either within the country or abroad
[…] It shall be the sole organization that represents the national amateur sports in the Olympic and regional competitions held inside or outside Qatar […]
Article 51 –
General provisions
[…] the YOUTH WELFARE SUPREME COUNCIL has the right to issue a resolution including the reasons to dissolve the Board of Directors and to appoint a temporary Board of Directors at least for one year […]
[article complete deleted] 05

14. The conflict governance: QOC and IOC
IOC adaptations:
Interfere in the country’s sport structure?
Council:
“widespread the Olympic spirit in the country” 1977
Official Gazette (Law 1 and 2 of 1979):
QOC creation under council umbrella
QOC: “organize the current and the future sports events”
Appointment of federations leaders, member of QOC 05

15. Inventing tradition: QOC for national identity
Affiliation of the sport federations to IFs:
Process of ‘internationalization’ of the Qatari sport
1978
1978
1979
1970
1972
1973
1973
‘Olympic Review’ as a reference of ‘sport tradition’ of IOC members 05

16. Inventing tradition: QOC for national identity
The idea of have Qatar in the opening ceremony of an Olympic Games, carrying the flag of the country and after participating on it, can be seeing as strategy of the authorities to assert their national autonomy on global stage (Tomlinson and Young, 2006)
First flag bearer:
Qatar: already part of the international sport field
National representation: Los Angeles 1984 Olympics
IOC recognition:
Provisional on April, 21st 1980
Full on June, 9th 1980
Moscow 1980 Olympics, Los Angeles 1984 05

17. Final remarks Investment on high-performance sport:
To establish a the country’s national representation and to differentiate themselves among the countries of the region
The characteristic of ‘spectacle’ helped to create ‘collective memories’ and to established the social field of the country
Further investigation:
Did the changing of the QOC constitution with the IOC amends change the QOC way of governance?
Did these changes affect the established social sport field of the country? 02

18. Shukran! Thank you! Obrigado!
Luis Henrique Rolim Silva
Sport & Society Symposium – Qatar University, 11-May-2016