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Chairman's Blog

11.12.2007

TREMENDOUS SUPPORT

I have always been convinced that the population of Qatar would enthusiastically support our Bid to hold the 2016 Games, but I have to admit that I have been quite overwhelmed in the past week by the support shown for Doha 2016 from all around the Arab world.

At the end of the GCC summit in Doha last week, the Heads of State of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates sent an unprecedented unanimous message of support for the Doha 2016 Bid: “The Summit declares its support for Doha’s bid to host the 2016 Games, as well as its support as part of the international community in making this wish come true.”

And this week, my belief in the support from the population in Qatar was borne out by the results of an opinion poll which proved that there is indeed overwhelming support from the population in the country for the Bid – both from native Qataris and expats alike.

The poll, carried out by the independent international polling company Ipsos showed that 86% of those questioned supported our Bid.

The results of this poll – and the message of support from the GCC States – have demonstrated unequivocally how the power of peaceful sport can unite our entire country and also this entire region.

I truly believe that awarding Doha the 2016 Games would unleash the full power of the Olympic Movement and peaceful sporting competition to create understanding, hope and change that could then unite this entire region with the rest of the world.

However, support from the grass roots in Qatar is just as important as the support in high places. Since we first launched the bid, people from all over the country have been contacting me to show their support – and, even more importantly, to volunteer to do anything that can help us win the honour to host the 2016 Games in Doha.

The only way we can succeed is to involve as many people who live and work in Doha as possible. Not just the Qataris who were born here, but the many communities of expatriates who have chosen to make their home here in our country.

Last month, for example, I visited the Palestinian school during the Doha sports festival. The enthusiasm shown me by the children and their teachers was simply thrilling. The whole Palestinian community is backing us to win – and that is truly gratifying.

I am planning to visit more community schools in the next few weeks to make sure that all the communities living in Qatar feel that they are a key part of this bid. In particular, I shall be reaching out to the Philippino and Indian communities who play such a vital role in Qatari society and its economy.

All schools and universities in Qatar are going to be getting involved with sport and the Olympics – integrating the Olympic dream into their curricula. They are drawing visions of the 2016 Olympics in art classes – and in science and engineering classes they have been learning how to design and build the kind of infrastructure needed to host world class sporting events.

Many of these educational projects involve some of the excellent engineers and architects who have already begun to build world class sporting venues here in Doha.

But Qatar’s growing presence in sport is not just confined to its great sports infrastructure. Our athletes are also making an impact on the sports field. At the recent Asian indoor games in Cairo, Qatari athletes took home their best ever haul of medals – four gold, three silver and one bronze. And last week Nasser al-Sahouti who came 5th in the Athens Olympics was selected for the GCC team to take part in the Javelin at next year’s Paralympics competition in Beijing. The selection event for all of the Gulf region took place here in Doha.

I’d like to finish this blog entry by writing a few words about an issue very close to my heart. Last week, Qatar launched a hugely important new initiative: the Sports and Environment Committee under the auspices of the Qatar National Olympic Committee.

This will not be just another talking shop. It is headed by a close friend of mine, Dr Saif Ali al-Hajari, who is also the chairman of Qatar’s Friends of Environment Centre. For many years he has been a tireless campaigner for the environment in Qatar. This new initiative demonstrates the importance that Qatar – as well as the Doha 2016 Bid Committee – gives to environmental issues.

Let no-one be in any doubt that the Doha 2016 Bid will be very green indeed.
Like the SEC, our plan will also ensure that all sport in Qatar will be used to promote awareness about the environment and environmental issues.

The inspiration behind our Bid, Heir Apparent His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, is himself the head of Qatar’s Supreme Council for the Environment and Natural sanctuaries.

The Heir Apparent of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani is also head of the Qatar Olympic Committee and an IOC member, linking his passion for the environment with his equal passion for sport.

The Asian Games in 2006, for example, included a complete environmental programme (covering recycling and cleaning), as well as setting up specific environmental projects and environment education to offset the event’s carbon footprint.

We plan to do all that and more for the Doha 2016 Games. I hope that we will be able to present a completely carbon-neutral plan to the IOC, making Doha 2016 a Bid about peace through sport, a Bid about promoting understanding between different cultures, and finally a Bid about helping the planet as a whole.