Qatar’s remarkable rise in international beach volleyball is set to create new opportunities for athletes and coaches from around the world, following the establishment of a new FIVB International Centre of Excellence (ICoE) for Beach Volleyball in Doha.
The FIVB and Qatar Volleyball Association (QVA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing the ICoE at the Al Gharafa Beach Volleyball Training Centre. The partnership brings Doha into the FIVB’s growing global network of ICoEs, opening its high-performance beach volleyball environment to National Federations and athletes from across the Middle East, Asia and beyond.
The new ICoE will provide an international platform for high-performance preparation, athlete and youth development, coach education, technical cooperation, international training camps and knowledge exchange. It features five beach volleyball courts, recovery and athlete support services, with access to experienced technical and high-performance personnel.
It is a natural next step for a country whose beach volleyball journey has developed rapidly over the past decade. Few stories better demonstrate that progress than the journey of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan.
The Qatari pair made history at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, winning bronze to claim the first Olympic beach volleyball medal ever won by an Asian team. Their achievement also contributed to Qatar’s most successful Olympic Games in the country’s history.
That success has gone hand in hand with Qatar’s growing role on the international beach volleyball calendar. Doha has welcomed some of the sport’s biggest events, including several editions of the Beach Pro Tour Finals, bringing the world’s leading players to the city and fans across the country.
For Cherif Younousse, who also sits on the FIVB Athletes’ Commission, the Centre offers the opportunity to turn Qatar’s success into a wider legacy.
“As an athlete, I know how important the right environment is,” said Younousse. “In Doha, we have incredible facilities, strong technical support and people who genuinely care about beach volleyball. Ahmed and I have been fortunate to have that around us throughout our journey.
“Winning bronze in Tokyo was unforgettable, but the legacy is what comes afterwards. If athletes can come to Doha, train together, learn from each other and leave better prepared to achieve their own ambitions, then that Olympic medal can have an impact far beyond one result.”
The establishment of the Doha Centre supports the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032, including the continued expansion of the International Centres of Excellence network and the drive to accelerate the global development of beach volleyball.
FIVB President Fabio Azevedo said:
“What excites me most about this Centre is the opportunity to take the knowledge, experience and high-performance environment that Qatar has built in beach volleyball and share it much more widely. There is so much that athletes, coaches and National Federations around the world can gain from being part of an environment like this.
“That is exactly what our International Centres of Excellence network is designed to do. We want more National Federations, athletes and coaches to have access to world-class preparation, to exchange knowledge and to learn from one another. That is how we raise standards and create more opportunities throughout our sport.”
QVA President Ali Ghanim Al Kuwari said:
“Beach volleyball has a special place in Qatar. Together with the support of the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme, we have invested in the sport’s development for many years, welcomed the world’s best players to Doha and had the privilege of watching Cherif and Ahmed carry the Qatari flag onto the Olympic podium.
“We want Doha to be a place where athletes and coaches from across the region and beyond come to train, prepare, learn and exchange knowledge at the highest level. As Qatar looks ahead to major sporting milestones including the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup 2029 and the Asian Games 2030, this partnership reflects our continued commitment to sport in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.”
