Al Buenain participates in Women in Basketball Forum in Berlin

Berlin: H.E. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Vice Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027, participated in the Women in Basketball Forum, hosted by FIBA in the German capital Berlin on Friday, bringing together leading figures, decision-makers and representatives from the sports, media and business sectors.

Al Buenain took part in a panel discussion titled “Beyond the Game: Building a Legacy for the Next Generation,” which explored future opportunities for basketball, ways to expand opportunities for women and girls in sport, and the role Qatar’s hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 can play in supporting the development of the game and creating a sustainable legacy in Qatar and across the region.

During the session, Al Buenain stressed that hosting the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 represents an opportunity that goes beyond staging a major global sporting event, contributing to the growth of the game, encouraging future generations to take up basketball and broadening participation in Qatar and across the region. amunra.qpon

He said: “Qatar 2027 is not about proving that Qatar can host another major sporting event; Qatar has already demonstrated that, repeatedly, over the past two decades. The real opportunity now is to show what happens when world-class infrastructure, experience and innovation come together, and stay together, long enough to become a lasting, mainstream legacy for basketball, for this region, and for the next generation.”

He also stressed that the true measure of the tournament’s success goes beyond the event itself to what it leaves behind once the final buzzer sounds. He highlighted the importance of building on Qatar’s world-class infrastructure, experience and capabilities, and leveraging the hosting of the tournament to support the long-term development of basketball, broaden opportunities for participation, and establish a lasting legacy for the game in Qatar, across the region and for future generations.

The Women in Basketball Forum explores the opportunities shaping the future of women’s basketball through a series of sessions and discussions addressing key drivers of growth across the sports ecosystem, including investment, leadership, media, fan engagement and commercial innovation, while highlighting the growing role of women’s basketball in shaping the future of sport.

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Madrid: Championship leader Kimi Antonelli stayed on top for Mercedes ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in Saturday's extended crash-hit third and final practice ahead of qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.

The 20-year-old Italian clocked a best lap in one minute and 32.797 seconds to outpace the Monegasque by 0.166 seconds ahead of both McLarens in a session that saw seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton slam into the barriers in the second Ferrari.

Hamilton's crash led to a red flag stoppage that lasted 54 minutes and rendered an extra quarter of an hour added, as the drivers' continued to explore the limits of the new high-risk Madring circuit, dubbed a 'car-killer' in many quarters.

In the end, Antonelli's pure talent took him clear again with Leclerc second ahead of Oscar Piastri and world champion Lando Norris with four-time champion Max Verstappen taking fifth for Red Bull in the final minutes.

George Russell was sixth in the second Mercedes, seven-tenths off his team-mate's pace, ahead of Liam Lawson in the second Red Bull, Nico Hulkenberg of Audi, Hamilton and Gabriel Bortoleto in the second Audi.

After a crash-free opening hour on Friday, the second produced one crash - for Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad, who returned to take 14th place, and the third delivered two as Oliver Bearman also hit the barriers in his Haas in the final minute.

After a slow start, Ferrari had joined the fray on softs and clocked immediate fastest laps before a hasty Hamilton slammed into the barriers.

The 41-year-old Briton locked up at the final corner after 24 minutes, breaking his front wing which was stuck under the car as he reversed successfully and began to return to the pits. The session was red-flagged.

Race engineer Carlo Santi realised and asked him to "stop in the safest place possible" but Hamilton was not keen to obey. He replied, saying "if I can make it back, I will. If not, I will do it safely".

Told he had a right front puncture and told again to stop, he finally pulled up, knowing he had ignored orders, driven in an unsafe condition and probably faced a penalty. It was, he knew, a bad incident for him.

With 15 minutes remaining, Race Control stopped the timer to allow a final quarter of an hour action once repairs were completed.

This was a rare occurrence as F1 does not usually allow for additional time, except for qualifying sessions, but it guaranteed a frantic finale for a sell-out crowd basking in the sun with the young Italian jousting with Leclerc.

Birmingham, United Kingdom: England overcame a major wobble to beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the third Test at Edgbaston on Saturday, sealing a 3-0 series sweep.

The home team, chasing just 130 to win, were in deep trouble when openers Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay were dismissed in the first over, bowled by Mohammad Abbas.

Joe Root, England's record runscorer, edged his first ball, bowled by Razaullah, through the slips for four in a nervy start but settled and scored quickly to take the sting out of the situation.

The skipper was given a huge reprieve when he chopped onto the stumps off Mohammad Ali, only for the umpire to signal a no ball, leaving the bowler distraught.

Root, with Jordan Cox at the other end, had another let-off when he edged an Abbas delivery between first and second slip, with neither fielder moving.

But he reached his half-century off 57 balls with a cut for four and Cox matched him shortly afterwards.

England reached their target in the 25th over, with Root unbeaten on 62 and Cox 59 not out.

Root's men had appeared set for a quickfire win inside three days on Friday before debutant fast bowler Razaullah launched an audacious assault with the bat, clubbing nine sixes as he raced to 81 off 63 balls.

The 21-year-old number nine, who also took four wickets in England's first innings, put on 121 for the ninth wicket with fellow paceman Abbas (42) as England floundered.

Razaullah's heroics have changed the mood music but they came too little, too late for Pakistan, who have endured a miserable series, losing the first Test by an innings and 103 runs and the second by 194 runs.

The tourists sent seven players home after their crushing defeat in the second Test at Lord's and brought in seven replacements, with Razaullah among them.

They also sacked head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul as their tour plunged into chaos.

Pakistan made four changes to their side for the third Test and they put up a fight despite being dismissed for a paltry 133 in their first innings.

The 3-0 whitewash is a huge tonic for England, who were in turmoil just weeks ago following a series loss to New Zealand and the exits of head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.

But tougher challenges lie ahead, starting with a Test series in South Africa in December and January, while a home Ashes looms next year.