HE Major General Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad, President of the Qatar and Asian Athletics Federations and Vice President of the IAAF, welcomed, on behalf of the Doha Diamond League organising committee, the world champions and stars of athletics and the IAAF family led by Lord Sebastian Coe, President of the IAAF (IAAF), to Doha, capital of sport. Speaking at a press conference, Al Hamad said Qatar’s hosting of Diamond League editions since 2010 is in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 under the leadership of HH the Amir of the country, adding that the organising committee had set high standards to maintain excellence in athletics.
Al Hamad said this is the seventh consecutive year Qatar has hosted the Diamond League, with an elite field including 38 world champions and 80 Olympic medallists, all of whom will begin their athletics season from Doha in an Olympic year.
A valuable opportunity for the champions
Al Hamad added that the Doha Diamond League meeting represents a valuable opportunity for athletes ahead of the challenge of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro next August, noting that the standard of the meeting would be very high across every event and race
First-class capabilities
Al Hamad said Doha has the experience and expertise to deliver a meeting that succeeds by every measure, technically and organisationally, and thanked HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, for his great support and for backing Qatar’s successes in organising athletics championships. He also praised Dr Thani Al Kuwari, Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee.
Al Hamad said: “We look forward to organising a meeting that achieves technical and administrative success for the Diamond League, and that stays firmly in people’s minds for the records it produces”
Al Hamad wished the world’s champions success as they begin their season from Doha in a way that drives them to achieve the best results this season, especially with the biggest event of the year – the Olympic Games in Brazil next August – still to come, again underlining Doha’s arrangements for a high-quality edition
