Football

Doha: Paris Saint-Germain and two of its strikers, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue, have been nominated across three categories of the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards, an event that honours the previous year’s greatest and most inspirational sporting triumphs. Following the Ballon d’Or, the Golden Boy, The Best FIFA Football Awards and the Globe Soccer Awards, there could well be another honour coming Paris Saint-Germain’s way at a prestigious awards ceremony next month. This is because the club has been nominated for the 2026 Laureus World Team of the Year Award alongside England’s women’s football team, Europe’s Ryder Cup golf team, India’s women’s cricket team, the McLaren Formula 1 team and the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team. On an individual level, Dembele is in the running for the 2026 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award together with tennis players Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis, MotoGP racer Marc Marquez and cyclist Tadej Pogacar, while Desire Doue has been nominated for the 2026 Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award, for which he will face competition from tennis player João Fonseca, basketball player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, darts player Luke Littler, Formula 1 driver Lando Norris and swimmer Yu Zidi. The winner in each category will be revealed at a ceremony that is scheduled to take place on April 20 in Madrid.

Qatar Sport

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar 1812km – originally scheduled to stage the opening round of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship on March 26-28 - has been officially postponed until later in the year. FIA said yesterday that the management has been in constant dialogue with the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) in light of the current and evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East. With the safety and security of competitors, personnel and fans of the utmost importance, the decision has been taken to delay the event. "Following further discussions with our colleagues at Lusail International Circuit (LIC), where the race is held, a new date for the Qatar 1812KM during the second half of the campaign will be finalised and communicated in due course," FIA said yesterday. The first round of the season will consequently now be the 6 Hours of Imola in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy on April 17-19. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), said: “The safety and wellbeing of our community will always be the FIA’s first priority, and I thank our Member Club the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation, Lusail International Circuit, the ACO and our championship colleagues for the measured and collaborative approach that has led to this decision.” “As the opening event of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the Qatar 1812KM holds a special place for many fans, drivers and teams alike, and we will work closely with all involved to reschedule the race for later in the 2026 season. “The FIA continues to monitor developments across the region and our thoughts remain with all those affected by these recent events as we hope for calm, safety and a return to stability.” QMMF and LIC President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai said: “Following in-depth discussions with the FIA World Endurance Championship and all relevant stakeholders, the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation and Lusail International Circuit respect and support FIA WEC’s decision to postpone the Qatar 1812KM race.” “We thank our fans, teams and partners for their understanding and continued support, and look forward to welcoming everyone back to Lusail International Circuit.” Pierre Fillon, President, Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), said: “First and foremost, I must stress that our primary thoughts are with the victims of this terrible conflict. At times like these, sporting interests are clearly secondary, which is why a decision has been quickly taken that the event cannot proceed at the present time.” “We are working hard with Lusail International Circuit and the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation to find the best alternative to allow the Qatar 1812KM to take place at a later date in 2026, and we thank all parties for their earnest support, cooperation and understanding in this matter.” Frederic Lequien, CEO, FIA World Endurance Championship, said: “The Qatar 1812KM is an integral part of the FIA WEC calendar, and I offer my sincere thanks to Lusail International Circuit and the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation for their close collaboration.” “We have all been working hand-in-hand since Saturday morning to find the best solution for staging the event, and while we still need a few more days to finalise the exact revised date, I can confirm it will be during the second half of the 2026 season. We will provide more information as soon as it is available.” (FIA)

Qatar Sport

Doha, Qatar: Team Qatar’s shooters made a strong start at the Nishan Ramadan Shooting Championship, delivering notable performances amid wide participation across various categories. The tournament features amateur competitors in the junior boys and girls, men’s and women’s divisions, as well as seniors aged 60 and above, alongside professional shooters representing the national team. Read Also New National Emergency Alert orders stay at home in Qatar ‘Al Thumama Ramadan Tournament is a platform to discover future stars’ Fourth round of Qatar Drag Race Championship ends Events in the professional category witnessed intense competition. In the 10m Running Target Rifle event, Amal Mahmoud secured first place, followed by Mohammed Sobhi in second and Sara Hamad in third. In the 10m Air Rifle event, Abdulrahman Al Sulaiti claimed top honors, while Abdullah Al Sunaidi finished in second place. The 10m Air Pistol competition saw Saud Abu Taima take first place, with Nasser Al Sunaid finishing second and Ahmed Al Ali securing third.