by Larry EderDear readers, my apologies. Did not catch this until today, but felt that this piece on the Doha 2017 visit was news worthy and a good piece on the visit by the IAAF 20117 Evaluation commission visit to Doha, Qatar.
News update – October 6
The IAAF Evaluation Commission has concluded its two-stop tour of cities
bidding for the 2017 World Championships with a visit to Doha, the
capital of Qatar.
Underlining its determination to follow up on its hosting of
international athletics meetings and the World Indoor Championships last
year by earning the right to host the IAAF’s most important
competition, Qatar looked to impress the Evaluation Commission with the
facilities in Doha.
Bob Hersh, IAAF Senior Vice President and chairman of the Evaluation
Commission said, “Doha is a city that has shown fantastic growth and
development, and I’ve been impressed by how that growth has continued
since my most recent visit here last year. As Organisational Delegate
for the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha, I have personally
experienced how well the Qataris can organise a major athletics event.
They were perfect partners then, and a pleasure to work with.”
“There is no doubt that the Doha team are extremely motivated and
dedicated to making a very strong bid, where innovation and new ideas
take centre stage,” Hersh continued. “For example, we heard that as part
of the refurbishment plans for the Khalifa Stadium, not only will there
be a sophisticated air conditioning system in place to ensure
comfortable temperatures for the athletes and spectators, but also a
giant 100-metre panoramic screen that will allow fans to enjoy the
action in a new way. We also appreciate the significance of the Bid
Committee’s vision that the World Championships can provide an
opportunity to continue the development of athletics in new regions
worldwide.”
Abdulla Al Zaini, President of the Qatar Association of Athletics
Federation (QAAF) and Executive Director of Doha 2017 Bid Committee,
said, “We want to show the IAAF that selecting Doha will be an
investment in the future of the sport. Because we want to set new
standards and to organise a World Championships like before and at the
same we want to develop new solutions for reaching new frontiers.”
“A 2017 World Championships in Doha will be a catalyst for developing
our sport all over the world. We feel we have the resources, the vision
and the commitment needed and we are convinced that Doha 2017 will be
the right partner for the IAAF.”
The IAAF Evaluation Commission visited main venues that are being
proposed for the 2017 event including the 40,000 seat Khalifa Stadium
that was used for the Asian Games, and a number of training and warm up
facilities located in what is called the Aspire Zone.
The proposed main competition site, Khalifa Stadium, is set to be
refurbished by 2016, just prior to the Championships. It will become the
first climate controlled stadium to host a World Championships and by
2017, is expected to be one of the most technologically advanced
stadiums in the world.
The Commission subsequently visited the Al Sadd Stadium to experience
the cooling technology already operational there. The Evaluation
Commission was accompanied by Doha 2017 Bid Ambassador Andreas
Thorkildsen of Norway, who coached a young group of athletes on site.
As well as reviewing the media and medical facilities within the Aspire
Zone, the delegation visited the Qatar Foundation’s new conference
facility, the Qatar National Convention Centre. This remarkable new
facility, which is officially opening in the winter, would be used as
the venue for the Congress of the IAAF’s 212 Member Federations that
always precedes the competition.
Finally, the delegation visited the site of “Athletics City”, which is
part of a new development of luxury apartments which is proposed as an
athletes’ village and will allow athletes to be within walking distance
of Doha’s traditional centre and the seven-kilometre Corniche.
The bid committee, which is chaired by the General Secretary of the
Qatar Olympic Committee Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, presented
the technical bid for the Championships covering detailed plans for
technical organisation, transport, marketing and promotion, security and
broadcasting.
The IAAF Evaluation Commission for the 2017 World Championships also
included Council Members Alberto Juantorena, Malboum Kalkaba, Honorary
Council Member Cesar Moreno, IAAF General Secretary Pierre Weiss as well
as IAAF staff members and representatives of the IAAF’s Exclusive
Marketing partner Dentsu.
Posted on www.iaaf.org
