02.12.2008
Doha, 15 January 2008 – The heads of Qatari sports federations have praised the “athlete-friendly” Doha 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games Application File, which was delivered to the IOC yesterday.
HE Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdurrahman Al Thani, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee, who is also FIE Vice President and Representative of the Executive Committee in the Promotion Commission and President of Qatar Fencing Federation, said: “The Doha 2016 questionnaire focuses on the needs of athletes, with short distances and easy transport from the Olympic Village to the venues, state of the art facilities and an Olympic Village that we hope will set new standards in sustainability, technology and comfort.”
“I am looking forward to welcoming athletes and spectators to the Qatar Fencing Grand Prix this week, and hope they will be able to get a taste of what Doha could offer in 2016.”
Brigadier Dahalan Ghamaan Al-Hamad, IAAF Vice President, who is also President of Qatar Association of Athletics Federation, said: “I am very excited that we have been able to submit such a strong questionnaire, and even more excited to think that we may have an opportunity to build on our experiences in hosting the 15th Asian Games, and may be lucky enough to welcome the world to Doha in 2016.”
“Doha has a number of world class sports facilities, especially for athletics, and we are increasingly able to use our venues to host international competitions, such as the IAAF World Indoor Championships in 2010.”
“We have been focusing on developing grass roots sports in Doha for some time, especially at the Aspire Academy. Doha’s bid for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games boosts these efforts, as more and more people become aware of the tremendous sports facilities and opportunities for them to participate in sport.”
For Mohamed bin Hammam, a member of the FIFA Executive Board, who is also President of Asian Football Federation, Doha’s compact bid was particularly compelling because it would enable all the football matches to be played in one city for the first time in Olympic history.
“Doha 2016 offers us the opportunity to inspire and engage a part of the world which the Olympic flame has never visited: the Arabic-speaking world,” Mr bin Hammam added.
In itself, bidding for the Olympic Games had already had an impact on Doha, said A-Rahman Alshathri, President of Qatar Gymnastic Federation, President of Asian Gymnastic Federation and an Executive Committee Member of the International Gymnastics Federation. “I hope that we will have the honour of becoming a Candidate City in June so that we can continue to share our rapidly changing country with the rest of the world.”
“Qatar has a great deal of experience in hosting international sporting events, such as the 2006 Asian Games. And of course in my sport, gymnastics, we will host the first Gymnastics World Cup Series this year in Doha.”
Dr Anisa Al Hitmi, President of Qatar Women Sports Committee: “Qatar is starting to develop a sporting culture. Bringing the Games to Doha would give a huge boost to that process. Thousands of young Arabs in Qatar and in the region will be introduced to the Olympic values of peaceful sporting competition: openness, friendship, determination and courage.”
“They will interact with different cultures and views – take their place alongside the best athletes in the world and the largest influx of foreign nationals, ever to visit the region.”