Former and current players on Wednesday joined Qatar Football Association (QFA) and Qatar Stars League (QSL) office bearers to announce the formation of a Players Association, the first of its kind in Qatar.
Players like Mohammed Mubarak Al Mohannadi, Jassim Al-Tamimi, Abdullah Mubarak, Abdullah Jassim, Yasser Nazmi, Abdulaziz Hassan, Hussain Yasser, Mirghani Zein Abdullah and Rodrigo Tabata joined QFA and QSL officials to make the announcement at Sheraton Hotel.
Hani Ballan, CEO of QSL, Mansour Al-Ansari, Secretary General of QFA, were also present
It was announced that Salman Ansari will be the president of the Players Association while first four members include Bilal Mohammed, Wisam Rizq, Ibrahim Al-Ghanim and Abdul Aziz Al Sulaiti.
Ansari thanked the football family for their presence.
“We had been thinking about this project for sometime,” Ansari said. “I thank the Ministry of Youth and Sports for their support,” he said.
“The Players Association will function independently,” he said, adding the group will be free of any kind of meddling from any party.
Ansari also explained legal status of the Players Association, saying the new group has been formed to strengthen the situation of players in Qatar.
He said the Players Association will help streamline matters between players and their employers and provide solutions to resolve matters.
Ansari said the players will be assisted in matters of collective rights rather than individual rights.
He said concerned players will also be extended help on ways to improve their contracts with employers.