Hani Ballan

Over the years Ballan has worked with a number of footballing bodies in various capacities, specifically as a referee instructor, conducting many courses around the world. He has worked for FIFA and the AFC as a referee recruiter, instructor and assessor.

Ballan also held a number of official posts in Qatari football such as the Vice Chairman of the Referees committee since 2007. He then became the Chairman of the Referees Development Programme in the same year. In 2009, he became the Deputy League Director for Sport and in the same year he also became the Chairman of the AFC Follow-up ACL Criteria Committee.

Ballan has also been a member of the QFA Competition Committee since 2010. He worked as the Manager of Club Licensing from 2010. In 2012, Ballan became the Senior Advisor to the Qatar Professional League Management Chairman.

In 2012, he became the Deputy CEO of the Qatar Stars League.^[2] In 2014, following a successful two-year run Ballan was promoted to the position of CEO. Following this role Ballan was appointed Deputy Chairman for AFC Referees Committee in 2015,^{[citation needed]} along with being appointed a member of FIFA Referees Committee in 2017.^[3]

Aside his professional career Ballan is a celebrated author penning two books titled My Vision on Refereeing along with My Vision on Professionalism. Whilst Ballan also supervised the Arabic translation and production of “IFAB ‘Laws of the game” and its considerations.

Ballan is responsible for all matters that concern the QSL. Ballan, along with other senior officials at the QSL oversaw the expansion of the Qatar Stars League from 10 clubs to its current level of 14 member clubs.^[4][5] QSL continues to be a place where big names in the football world have come to play their trade. The league also acts as a place to develop young Qatari talent with the aim of improving the Qatar National Team.

Ballan's father, Taleb Ballan, was also a FIFA referee. His uncle Khaled Ballan, who passed away in the 1980s, also represented the Qatar national team in the 1970s.