19.08.2008
Experience
Building a tradition of excellence
Doha has steadily risen to become a prominent host for international sporting events. It is an established sports hub with world-class venues and technical expertise. In particular, Doha has an impressive track record in hosting multi-sports events and is becoming a leader in organising them.
The Doha 2006 Asian Games are widely regarded as the best ever. They are the second largest multi-sport event in the world after the Olympic Games. In 2006, Doha hosted 8,000 athletes competing in 39 sports over a 15-day period. The Opening Ceremony received wide international acclaim and attracted more than 1.5 billion global viewers.
Doha also hosted the 3rd West Asian Games in December 2005. The West Asian Games were highly successful in their own right and served as a test event for the 2006 Asian Games. Doha established precedents for future West Asian Games, with a record 13 countries participating and female athletes competing for the first time. They were also the first West Asian Games that broadcast all sports live.
Qatar indicated its passion for sport and its ability to organise a major event under the most challenging circumstances when it took over the FIFA Youth World Championship in 1995 only weeks before the first official match. As former FIFA President Havelange noted at the time: “Seldom, if ever, in the history of FIFA has a national association come so willingly and so dramatically to the rescue of one of our major competitions as the Qatar Football Association at the 1995 FIFA Coca-Cola World Youth Championship.
“At little more than a moment’s notice, Qatar succeeded in putting at FIFA’s disposal facilities of the highest quality, as well as agreeing to take over the responsibility of organising one of the world’s most important football events. The Qatar F.A. did this with knowledge and enthusiasm, committing human and material resources to the project in a spirit which emphasised that country’s love of our sport.”