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Courtesy
of DAGOC
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Abdllah Al-Qahtani,
Director General, DAGOC
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The State of Qatar has always been identified as
a nation synonymous with excellence in sports, both
as hosts and participants. The forthcoming 15th
Asian Games will provide this tiny Gulf Emirate
with a wonderful opportunity to further inspire
her youth, giving them an even greater sense of
pride and giving Qatari athletes greater incentive
to win medals before a home crowd.
"We have had our fair share of sporting success
in recent times," said Abdullah Al-Qahtani,
Director General of the Doha Asian Games Organizing
Committee (DAGOC). He continued, "Our national
anthem has been played throughout the major stadiums
of the world. Our flag continues to be hoisted in
front of thousands of spectators the world over.
In 2002, Qatar won 17 medals at the 14th Asian Games
(2002) in Busan, South Korea, equaling the sum total
of all medals won by the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) countries. This success fills us with a deep
satisfaction."
Qatar has been playing host to major international
sports events for more than a decade now. With superb
infrastructural support, organizing capabilities
and widely recognized specific skill sets have made
the country globally recognized as the premier sporting
destination in the Middle East.
Hosting the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006 - the second
biggest sporting event in the world after the Summer
Olympics - Qatar will mark her place in world sporting
history. "We are delighted that thousands of
athletes and visitors will experience our warm culture,
generosity and expertise in organizing such a wonderful
event," said Mr. Al-Qahtani. "But we do
not want to rest on our laurels.
Our vision for Qatar is long term, which is why
our country’s leadership has undertaken nationwide
initiatives to identify and develop more sports
heroes. Our athletes are encouraged to participate
in international events and are provided with all
manner of support from the government and from institutions
in which they work or train."
This is particularly true in the case of the renowned
Aspire Academy, launched in September, 20004. With
state-of-the-art facilities and world-class sports
programs, the Academy will develop the finest young
talent from Qatar, the broader Middle East and around
the world, turning mere hopefuls into winners. The
Academy also integrates training with a comprehensive
academic education, providing a well-rounded foundation
for the success of its student-athletes, particularly
in international competition such as the Doha Asian
Games.
The games will broaden Doha’s horizons in
the Middle East while opening doors to greater economic
opportunities for the nation. "Through Doha
2006, we are confirming Qatar’s place as the
Middle East’s center for sporting and economic
excellence," said Mr. Al-Qahtani.
This is the first time that an event of this scale
is being held in the Arab world. It is certainly
a proud achievement for Qatar. On this point, Mr.
Al-Qahtani expands by stating this is also a proud
moment, "for every country in the Middle East.
The world is watching us -- and Asia -- very closely.
We are resourceful, vibrant, alive, and full of
potential. The GCC countries, India and China are
proving themselves to the world every single day.
The 15th Asian Games will help to enhance this growing
image." The Doha 2006 Games are being billed
as the finest in the history of any collective sports,
after the Summer Olympics. Despite being regional,
the Games include 39 sports spread out over 423
events and will have 10,000 athletes participating
from 45 countries. To put this in perspective, the
Summer Olympic Games in Athens offered 28 sports,
301 events and 10,000 athletics from 114 participating
nations. "This in itself will give you a fair
idea of the magnitude of what is going to be happening
here in Doha, Qatar in December 2006," said
Mr. Al-Qahtani.
To prepare for this impressive event, the Doha
Asian Games Organizing Committee had all its plans
and financial support in place long before being
awarded the right to host the 15th Asian Games.
These plans were set in motion as soon as the announcement
was made, giving Doha a special place in world sports
history. As a result of this timely planning, all
stadiums that are due to host events of the 15th
Asian Games are almost ready and will be operational
well before the set deadline. "We are not leaving
any stone unturned to ensure all these facilities
are world class. Our stadiums will set international
benchmarks for the construction of sporting facilities,"
said Mr. Al-Qahtani. These facilities include a
cycling velodrome, ice hockey arena and beach volleyball
arena. To accommodate the incoming athletes and
tourists, hotels have been refurbished or built;
the public road transport system has been shored
up by the purchase of several hundred new luxury
buses; and hundreds of extra kilometers of new roads
have already been commissioned and will be ready
for use shortly. The government of Qatar is doing
what it deems necessary to ensure that all government
and administrative departments are synchronized
to ensure the all-around success of Doha 2006.
The vast planning and development for these games
have not been cheap. The state of Qatar has invested
over US $2.8 billion towards what is being billed
as the most memorable event of the 21st century.
Mr. Al-Qahtani said, "I’m sure we will
reap the anticipated benefits through the attraction
of further investment by more multinational companies,
lifestyle and tourism opportunities, growth in the
hospitality, financial, services and manufacturing
sectors." He continued, "More than these
tangible benefits though, we will have been glad
to have shown to thousands of visitors and participants
our centuries of culture, our traditional hospitality
and the new, emerging Doha. We want them to take
back images of what they have experienced and re-tell
their success stories to their people back home.
Only then will our investment be considered to have
paid off."
After the Doha Asian Games, Qataris will continue
to benefit from the developments that were implemented
in the run-up to the Games. During the planning
stages, the government emphasized the need to ensure
that infrastructure developments are put to use
as legacies for the people of Qatar and that they
are prudently utilized. As an example, Athletes
Village, the athletes’ accommodations site
adjacent to the Hamad Medical Hospital, will be
transformed into the state-of-the-art Hamad Medical
City after Doha 2006.
Although the dual use feature of the current development
is prudent, it remains a huge financial obligation
and the Government of Qatar is generously covering
a major portion of the total investments. Mr. Al-Qahtani
said, "Our business plan has passed muster
and has begun to roll out rather successfully. Some
of the world’s finest lifestyle brands have
already signed on as sponsors and more are in the
pipeline. Our revenue will come from broadcasting
rights, sponsorships, endorsements, merchandising
and ticket sales." He said, "Doha’s
importance as one of the world’s finest venues
for major sporting events and conferences has helped
a great deal to market and promote the 15th Asian
Games. But as I mentioned earlier, our profits will
come from the fact that thousands of visitors and
participants will take back happy memories of their
visit to Doha. And we will have been proud to be
their hosts and hope to have given them such a great
experience that they will be eager to come back
to our shores for more of our hospitality."
When The 15th Asian Games are over, success will
be assessed in different ways. For example, it is
hard to deny that the roar of the crowd and visual
images have a striking effect on the overall broadcasting
success of the Games. On the other hand, winning
a gold medal during Doha 2006 is the ultimate success
for the participating athlete. As far as the media
is concerned, well… as former IOC President
Juan Antonio Samaranch has said on a number of occasions:
"Look after the media for they are the ultimate
judges of the success or otherwise of the Olympic
Games." The same maxim applies to the 15th
Asian Games. Success for the Doha Asian Games Organizing
Committee will certainly come from their collective
effort and achievement in marking Qatar’s place
in sporting history.
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Qatar
