The 118th General Conference of the International Federation of Air Sports (FAI) concluded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which was held from 19 to 22 November 2024 with the participation of 55 countries and 14 subcommittees. The achievements of the State of Qatar were one of the most prominent themes of this international sporting event. The conference witnessed a historic achievement for the State of Qatar, as its membership in the International Air Sports Federation was upgraded from the tenth category to the third category. This recognition came as a result of the outstanding achievements made by the Qatari teams over the past years, as they demonstrated their superiority in various global and regional championships, topping the podiums and confirming their leadership in the field of air sports.
The State of Qatar was represented by a high-level delegation led by Abdullah Saeed Al Mansouri, Vice Chairman of the Qatar Air Sports Committee, and the membership of Abdul Rahman Saeed Al Qahtani, Hazza Hamad Al Attiyah, Secretary General of the Committee, in addition to Dr. Omar Al Khayyat, an expert in the Committee. The delegation contributed effectively to the conference discussions, affirming Qatar’s commitment to developing and promoting air sports locally and internationally. New members were also elected to the Executive Office,
Upgrading Qatar’s membership reflects the position it now occupies in the international air sports scene, and is the culmination of continuous efforts to support and develop this sports sector, paving the way for more future achievements. At the conclusion of the conference, it was voted that the city of Vantaa in Finland will host the 119th conference next year. International Federation of Air Sports, scheduled to be held next year.
