My managerial experience at the Spanish club Malaga added a lot to me
Women’s sports in Qatar are successful and on the right path
She achieved great successes with the women’s team of the Spanish club Malaga
Qatari sports have moved from amateur to professional and international
In light of the growing presence of Qatari women in various fields, young names emerge who carry passion and ambition, and seek to leave their mark in the world of sports, not only as a practice, but as management and an industry of success. Among these inspiring models, Sheikha Hamyan bint Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani, CEO of the Spanish Club Malaga Academy and CEO of the club’s women’s team, stands out. She grew up in a stimulating sports environment, and the love of sports was an integral part of her personal and professional formation. She was not satisfied with practicing, but rather turned to administrative work and gaining experience, especially through her experience at the Spanish club Malaga, where she had a rich experience that enhanced her vision and understanding of the professionalism of sports work. In this interview, Sheikha Hamyan opens a window to us on her journey with sports, her Spanish experience, her passion for football, and her vision for the future of Qatari sports, in addition to her ambitions to support and develop women’s sports.
An inherited sporting passion
Sheikha Hamyan bint Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani confirms that her beginning with sports was not the result of coincidence, but rather came from a family environment that loves sports in all its details, especially football, where she grew up in a stimulating atmosphere that made sports a part of her daily life. She points out that this family passion was directly reflected in her, as she found herself inclined to practice sports since childhood, and was keen to develop her skills in more than one field.
Sheikha Hamyan started with tennis, and was creative in it, then she moved to football, and in 2014 she focused heavily on sports in the “gym” as an approach to life and daily activity aimed at maintaining physical fitness and general health.
Based on her personal love for this healthy lifestyle, she achieved outstanding results in running, where she achieved third place in the 21 km race, reaching a distinguished position in these competitions.
I practice various sports
She explains that she practices a variety of sports, including running, in addition to football, which remains closest to her heart because of the fun, challenge, and team spirit it brings. She also expresses her passion for following many sports, such as football, tennis, and archery, in addition to formula racing, in which she finds a special excitement that reflects the spirit of high competition.
My father’s support is great and continuous
Sheikha Hamyan bint Abdullah confirms that her entire family was and still is a source of inspiration for her, but her father represents the most prominent role model in her life, because of his true passion for sports and practicing it, which prompted her to follow the same path and continue on this path.
Malacca and the administrative legacy
Sheikha Hamyan is the right-hand woman of her father, Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, at Malaga Club, where she played an important administrative role in supporting and directing decision-making, in addition to facilitating staff tasks and coordinating between various departments. She began her career in the club at the age of 27, and began assuming broad responsibilities in the women’s team and in the academy. With the passage of time, her role increased to become one of the most prominent influential figures in the daily management of the club’s affairs.
She had a prominent presence and official representation in many events and matches. She was also the link between her father and her brothers, and enjoyed administrative authority in signing contracts and participating in leadership, which made her a pivotal and influential figure in the future of the Malaga Club.
She was also keen to develop her skills and experiences with the support and guidance of her father, who provided her with moral support and contributed to refining her abilities in leadership and decision-making, whether in the women’s team or the academy, where she excelled in the fields of training, development and management.
A promising female reality
Sheikha Hamyan confirms that she follows women’s sports in Qatar from afar, and praises the great efforts made by those responsible for it, expressing her hope that it will receive more attention and support, which will contribute to increasing demand for it and expanding the base of women’s participation in various games.
A global sporting move
Sheikha Hamyan believes that Qatari sports have achieved a major qualitative leap over the past years, as they moved from the amateur stage to professionalism, and now possess all the capabilities that qualify them to organize the largest international tournaments.
She stresses that Qatar today is considered one of the most prominent sports capitals in the world, thanks to its advanced infrastructure and qualified personnel, which enhances its chances of hosting the Olympic Games in the future.
An enriching Malaga experience
Sheikha Hamyan describes her experience at the Spanish club Malaga as an interesting and enjoyable experience, where she worked within an integrated team dominated by cooperation and the spirit of teamwork, which contributed to achieving many successes, especially at the level of the women’s football team.
She explains that her connection to Spanish sports came through a distinctive practical experience, where she found in administrative work an opportunity to gain experience and develop her skills, stressing that she preferred this path because she sees herself capable of making a real addition to the sports administrative field.
The women’s team is my most prominent achievement
She points out that one of her most notable achievements during her supervision of the women’s team at Malaga Club was her success in leading the team to rise from the second division to the first division in the league, which is an important step in the team’s journey.
She also confirms that her ambitions have no ceiling, and that she always strives to achieve the best and raise the team’s level to the highest levels of competition.
Academic experience
Sheikha Hamyan Al Thani confirms that her supervision of the academy added a lot to her on both the professional and personal levels, as she learned through direct contact and daily work, and she still continues to learn and gain experience.
She points out that the results achieved are the result of continuous effort and work.
I am proud to belong to Al Rayyan
Sheikha Hamyan expresses her pride in supporting Al Rayyan Club, stressing that she is a “Rayanian” and proud of that, and hopes that the club will achieve more championships, especially at the level of the Gulf Champions League, and that it will be crowned with the His Highness the Emir Cup, which is considered one of the most expensive championships.
My future ambitions are great
She confirms that she aspires to have a prominent role in developing women’s sports in Qatar, especially in light of her current work as a producer at Al Jazeera Sports English.
She believes that there is great room for growth in Qatari women’s sports, and seeks to contribute to supporting and developing it through her work and experience, with her current focus on diligence and striving to achieve this goal.
A legitimate Olympic dream
Sheikha Hamyan concludes her speech by emphasizing that the Qatari people are fortunate with a leadership that believes in the importance of sport and is aware of its positive repercussions on society, noting that this support has contributed greatly to achieving sporting successes in the country.
It also expresses its confidence in Qatar’s ability to organize one of the most successful Olympic Games in the future, based on its advanced infrastructure and qualified human cadres, in addition to the strong will that has proven its ability to achieve the impossible, as happened in organizing the 2022 World Cup, which dazzled the entire world.