After 20 years of continuous, tireless effort and dedication to advancing Qatari athletics, Mr Abdullah Ahmed Al Zaini submitted his resignation from the Qatar Athletics Federation because of his health condition 
and his difficulty completing the current sporting season, and on his own initiative he invited the Qatari athletics family, represented by the board members and all staff and coaches, to the federation’s office, and at a simple ceremony, as simple and as fine as his own character, Al Zaini offered his thanks and appreciation to the Qatari athletics family for the tireless, continuous efforts they made to advance the administrative, technical, organisational and financial aspects of the federation throughout their years in office, and for their support of him during his tenure as federation president, and for the successes and achievements realised over the past four years, whether in achieving the Olympic feat in London and winning medals at the World Championships for juniors, youth and men, or in managing and organising the World Indoor Championships, Diamond League meetings and local championships, and Al Zaini stressed that these successes were nothing but the fruit of your combined efforts and the quality contribution you made that rose to the level of the responsibility, so that our achievements were as wonderful as the excellence of your performance, and in his closing, fraternal remarks he wished everyone success in their future work, especially since the federation presidency has been taken over by HE Major General Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad – Vice President of the International Association of Athletics Federations, and everyone has worked with this great leader of wide administrative, technical, organisational and financial experience in Qatari and world athletics, who was one of the founders of its foundations and raised its achievements to the best levels, and he closed his remarks by wishing everyone success in serving Qatari athletics.
Mr Adel Al Baker – Secretary General of the Federation, spoke on behalf of his fellow board members, expressing his thanks and appreciation for the efforts made by HE Al Zaini, the federation president, during his long tenure at the federation, especially the past four years, which were crowned with numerous international and domestic achievements, and Al Baker noted that everyone had been happy working under his leadership, and that cooperation and coordination had been the dominant feature of the work, through which the international and domestic achievements were realised.
Mr Khalifa Abdulmalik – the federation’s Executive Director, also extended thanks and appreciation on behalf of the federation’s staff for the great and wonderful efforts Al Zaini made in the service of Qatari athletics, whether in terms of achievements, management and organisation, or the outstanding relationship he maintained with the federation’s staff and the professional and personal services he provided them, and wished HE every success, health and recovery, and continued contact with his brothers and loved ones at the federation, who hold him in the highest esteem, appreciation and respect.
Several federation staff members then delivered words of appreciation for Al Zaini, including Dr Jabbar Rahima Al Kaabi – the federation’s technical expert, Mr Abdulrahman Mujahid – the federation’s accountant – Mr Mohammed Weiri – the players’ affairs officer – and Mr Joachim Kroch – technical director of the girls’ training centre …
At the close of the farewell ceremony, Al Zaini thanked everyone present and wished them success in their work, stressing that he would remain in contact with Qatari athletics and follow its achievements, and noted that it is not easy to give up a sport that has run through my blood and lived in my heart for twenty years and taken up a great deal of my attention in my life; I am part of it and will remain in it, and it will remain in me, and I send you all my warmest regards and best wishes.
