Doha – February 17, 2026:
Under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Qatar Olympic Academy, the Academy celebrated this morning the graduation of students from its postgraduate programs at the headquarters of the Qatar Olympic Committee.

The ceremony marked the graduation of students from the Master’s Program in Sports Law, a unique program in the region offered in collaboration with the University of Lleida in Spain. It is accredited by the International Olympic Committee, the Olympic Council of Asia, the International Olympic Academy, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and the Qatar Olympic Committee, in addition to recognition by Qatar’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

The Advanced Diploma in Sports and Olympic Institutions Management is considered one of the pillars of the Academy’s annual agenda. It was first launched in 2008 by the Qatar Olympic Committee through the Academy, making Qatar among the first twenty Olympic committees worldwide—and the first in the Gulf and Arab world—to implement such a program. Students in the diploma program study a wide range of subjects that support their careers in sports and administration, including Olympic institutional structures, strategic planning, and major event management, across six semesters.

The fifteenth cohort of 2025 included forty-five students from Qatar and abroad, representing diverse disciplines and professional sectors. This class was distinguished by the presence of prominent Qatari, Gulf, and Arab athletes.

The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Youssef Al Mana, First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee; His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, Second Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee; and His Excellency Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Vice Chairman of the Qatar Olympic Academy.

The event began with a speech by His Excellency Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, who thanked the International Olympic Committee, the International Olympic Academy, and the Qatar Olympic Committee for their efforts in ensuring the success of these programs. He congratulated the graduates, encouraged them to pursue further postgraduate studies, and described them as ambassadors of the Academy and its programs.

Academy statistics for 2025 were presented, highlighting the programs offered, the diversity of students, their nationalities, and academic qualifications. A video was also shown, outlining the seven modules of the program and the students’ year-long journey.

Graduate Khalid Al-Fadhli, former player of Kuwait’s national football team, delivered a speech on behalf of the graduates. He described the moment as historic, emphasizing the solid academic foundation and practical expertise gained at the Academy, which will enable graduates to contribute positively and professionally to sports development and achievements.

The ceremony concluded with the honoring of graduates from both the Master’s Program in Sports Law and the fifteenth cohort of the Advanced Diploma in Sports and Olympic Institutions Management (2025), totaling 51 graduates.

Khalil Al-Jaber: Proud to Graduate Over 600 Students from Qatar and Abroad
Mr. Khalil Al-Jaber, Executive Director of the Qatar Olympic Academy, expressed his pride in graduating a new cohort of Master’s students in Sports Law and the fifteenth cohort of the Advanced Diploma program. He noted that the Academy has now graduated more than 600 students from Qatar and abroad across various professional fields.

He highlighted the Academy’s pride in its distinguished graduates, whose outstanding projects were selected by the International Olympic Academy for publication and research. He extended gratitude to the International Olympic Committee, Olympic Solidarity, and the Qatar Olympic Committee for their continuous support, announcing the launch of the sixteenth edition of the program in 2026.

Al-Jaber congratulated the graduates, describing them as ambassadors of the Academy, and emphasized the clear impact of the program on their professional performance. He also confirmed that registration for the sixteenth cohort is now open, noting the growing demand each year due to the program’s academic and practical value.