Qatar Olympic Committee President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani has issued a decree forming the Higher Organising Committee of the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games in the country ©Getty Images

Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani has issued a decree forming the Higher Organising Committee of the 2019 Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games in the country. 

As reported by the Gulf Times, the Higher Organising Committee includes 20 members and is chaired by Sheikh Joaan. 

It includes QOC secretary general Jassim Rashid al-Buenain as deputy chairman in addition to Khalid Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, representative of the Ministry of Interior, and ANOC secretary general Gunilla Lindberg.

The QOC has also formed the Games' Local Organising Committee, including general manager Al-Buenain, assistant general manager for supporting services Ali Ghanim al-Kuwari, assistant general manager for operations Khaleel Ibrahim al-Jabir, deputy assistant general manager for supporting services Khalid al-Yafei and deputy assistant general manager for operations Ishaq al-Hashimi.

Among the other members are Facilities, Information Technology and Communications Committee head Salah al-Saadi, Security Committee and Media and Broadcasting Committee head Yousef Abdullah al-Mullah, Medical Committee and Anti-Doping Committee head Nasser Ali al-Ansari, and Marketing, Communication and Opening Ceremony Committee head Sheikha Asma al-Thani.

The list is completed by Administrative Affairs and Manpower Committee head Mohamed Abdullah al-Meer, Games Services Committee head Eman Ali al-Emadi, Protocol and International Public Relations Committee head Hamad Ali al-Ibrahim, and Financial Affairs and Procurement Committee head Nasser Hamad al-Sulaiti.

The host city contract for the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games in Qatar was signed last month ©ANOC
The host city contract for the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games in Qatar was signed last month ©ANOC

ANOC and the QOC signed the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games host city contract last month and pledged to stage the inaugural edition "to the highest standards".

The contract was signed by ANOC Acting President Robin Mitchell as well as Lindberg, Sheikh Joaan and Al-Buenain at ANOC headquarters in Lausanne.

The multi-sport event is due to take place from October 12 to 16 and will see athletes from more than 70 NOCs compete.

It had been scheduled to be held in San Diego but Californian organisers proved unable to raise the necessary money to fund it.

After shifting the location to Qatar, ANOC said it had received financial guarantees from the Government in the country, which is also hosting this year's International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships from September 28 to October 6 and is set to stage the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The decision to take the Games to the Gulf nation comes despite a diplomatic row in the region, which saw Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut ties with Qatar in June 2017.