Major General Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad, President of the Qatar and Asian Athletics Federations and Vice President of the Qatar 2019 bid, expressed his delight at the IAAF delegation’s visit to Doha to follow up on the bid ahead of the vote this November, saying at the press conference held at the Olympic Committee: “We are confident that our bid will serve athletics in the region and the IAAF’s vision for the development of the sport, and we have submitted a bid containing many positive points that serve the IAAF’s vision and strengthen the development of athletics in general”
He confirmed that the amendment included in Qatar’s 2019 bid concerned the championship’s timing, which the IAAF accepted – otherwise the bid would not have been accepted – especially since in adjusting the timing they took into account holding the championships from late September to early October, after a full study of the sporting calendar for that period, which he said does not clash with any other championship in the world or in Qatar, noting that their consideration for other championships stems from their respect for other sports, since no sporting championship in any other sport should coincide with the major event of the 2019 World Athletics Championships – something prepared after a careful study of other sports’ calendars around the world, and he thanked the IAAF for accepting Qatar’s bid with this amendment, especially since the timing has won appreciation from everyone for not clashing with any championship.
The president of the Qatar Athletics Federation said the temperature during the period proposed in Qatar’s 2019 bid, late September and early October, is exactly equal to the summer temperature in European countries in July and August, and therefore there is no difference between the temperature in the amended period and the summer period in Europe or many other countries in the world, and after the study there is no clash with any sporting event at the same time, which is why he believes their bid deserves the IAAF’s appreciation for hosting the major event
He confirmed he was fully reassured by the way Qatar had explained its vision for hosting the 2019 World Athletics Championships, saying: “We are entirely reassured by the way we presented our bid to host the championships, and reassured too by what Qatar is preparing that will impress the world in developing the sport in the region.” Asked about the marathon and how it would work given Qatar’s temperatures, he said Qatar’s bid included an amendment that avoided this issue, namely changing the championship’s date, while the marathon route would run along the Corniche to The Pearl, which would be arranged technically in a distinctive way. “When we hosted the 2010 World Indoor Athletics Championships nearly five years ago, that championship saw its largest ever participation from numerous countries and we achieved unparalleled success. That is the success we aspire to, one worthy of the service we provide. There is no doubt that Doha deserves the honour of hosting the 2019 World Athletics Championships.”
