Even as the excitement and momentum gather pace ahead of the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships in Doha, the organising committee reiterated its sporting stance of welcoming all the athletes and officials from the continent, including the three Gulf blockading nations.
The Asian Championships, which is scheduled at the revamped Khalifa Internatinal Stadium from April 21 to 24, is the trial event for the upcoming prestigious IAAF World Championships, being hosted in the Middle East for the first time.
With the competition serving as an official test event for the IAAF World Athletics Championships that Doha hosts in September, the LOC will test all major operations, including the venue, accreditation and ticketing to ensure a smooth and spotless experience during the global showpiece in just a little over five months.
Dahlan al Hamad, President of the Asian Athletics Association and Vice-President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), “We welcome all. Especially in Qatar, we don’t mix politics with sports. Even the blockading countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain all are coming to take part and we will all welcome them.
“We will not stop any fans. So all the spectators, who come here even from these three countries to cheer their athletes, will be our guests.
“About 700 athletes and 400 officials from 43 nations will gather in Doha for the Asian Championships. All the arrangements are in place for the four-day meet. We’ll also test the cooling technology extensively during the championships,” he added during a press conference in Doha on Tuesday.
Also present on the occasion were Eng. Fahad Ebrahim Jumaa, Vice-President and DG of the Asian Athletics Championships, Saad al Saadi, Director of Venues Committee, and Eng. Eman al Emadi, Director of Planning and Operations Committee.
“The main focal point during the Asian championships for us is try and deliver a high-standard meet so that it can live up to the expectations of the IAAF officials ahead of the world championships. Also we wish to set a new benchmark here for the future hosts of the Asian meets,” Hamad stressed.
The IAAF vice-president also added that the hectic efforts are on to use the Asian championships as an inspiration for the young students of Qatar. “We’ve already contacted various schools, embassies and communities and we hope to have a strong turn-out of fans on all the four days.
“Also we’ll take top athletes on visits to schools and colleges so that our new generation can feel inspired, take to the sport and become stars one day,” Hamad said.
By Raajiv Tripathi
