Doha: The Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) and the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) yesterday submitted their Candidature File for Doha to host the 2019 IAAF World Championships.
They promise to combine their experience as tried and tested hosts of world-class events with sporting innovation to deliver a World Championships that will connect the world of athletics to an untapped market in a brand new region.
Doha has become a true global sporting hub thanks to its hosting of a multitude of world-class sports events, including the 2006 Asian Games, the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, the 2011 Arab Games and the annual IAAF Diamond League (previously the IAAF Super Grand Prix), meeting every year since 1997, to name but a few.
It has existing state-of-the-art facilities, including the Khalifa International Stadium where the Championships would be held and which is currently being upgraded to take it to the highest level of technical standards, the Qatar National Convention Centre, which would play host to the IAAF’s Congress – already host to the world’s most prestigious and complex congresses and one of the most sustainable venues in the world, Aspetar, the first specialised Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in the entire Gulf region, and the Anti-Doping Laboratory Qatar, the first of its kind in the region, which is located less than 500m from the Stadium’s doping control room.
Situated at the heart of the Arabian Gulf, Doha is the perfect bridge between East and West – it is just a four-hour flight from 2 billion people and it is just a 1-hour time difference between Doha and most of Europe.
Doha 2019 believes that hosting the World Championships in the Middle East for the first time ever will present an unparalleled opportunity to connect the world of athletics to an untapped market. Doha is a gateway to 450 million people across 22 countries and 60% of these people are under the age of 30.
Athletics will be showcased to a new region and a new generation – new fans, new partners and new spectators that have not been exposed to this level and scale of athletics competition before. This huge population would be inspired to participate in athletics, creating more elite athletes from across the region, providing more role models, spreading the values of sport and engaging the whole population through athletics.
Innovation is at the heart of Doha 2019 and it plans to revolutionise the traditional concept of an Athletes’ Village by offering the first ever ‘Athletics City’.
The single, brand new 35 hectare, mixed-use development, called Msheireb Downtown Doha, right at the heart of the City will be handed over in its entirety for the dedicated use of the 2019 Championships.
The quality of accommodation and the range of facilities available will be beyond anything ever experienced in a traditional Athletes’ Village. Athletes and Team officials will be accommodated in 5 star quality apartments, with hotels, retail shops, restaurants, cafes and a full range of luxury leisure and entertainment facilities, all right on the athletes’ doorsteps. It is located less than 20 minutes from the Stadium and is on the doorstep of the Corniche – Doha’s picturesque waterfront.
The Khalifa International Stadium, home to the 2006 Asian Games and the centre piece of Doha’s Aspire Zone, is currently in the process of an exciting redevelopment project to make it the most state-of-the-art purpose-built athletics Stadium in the world.
The vision includes working with the IAAF to research innovative new solutions for competition timing, scoring, measurement and TV production, using the latest technology. Indeed, the Stadium will feature a world-first 100 metre long video wall-screen that will revolutionise spectator viewing by redefining the replay experience and allowing coverage of multiple events and scoreboards to be viewed simultaneously, creating a unique experience for spectators.
The Stadium will enable the IAAF to showcase its World Championships and athletics like never before and will create a key legacy for the future of athletics.
Speaking about the Bid, President of the Qatar Athletics Federation, Dahlan Al Hamad said: “We are delighted to have submitted our Bid to host the 2019 IAAF World Championships today. We believe that we have a truly unique Bid that will utilise our proven experience of hosting World Class events, our existing state-of-the-art facilities and our world-leading sporting innovation to deliver an exceptional World Championships in a new region.
“We are committed to continuing our work with the IAAF to develop athletics and ensure a lasting legacy from the World Championships. Doha 2019 presents an excellent opportunity to connect athletics with an untapped market and inspire more young people across the region to choose athletics as their number one sport.”
Doha is competing against bids from Eugene, USA, and Barcelona, Spain. Each city will receive a visit from the IAAF Evaluation Commission next month.
The final decision will be taken by the IAAF Council at its meeting in Monaco in November 2014. The Peninsula
