Mohammed Jassim Al Kuwari, secretary general of the Athletics Federation, expressed his great happiness at the major achievement of the IAAF granting Doha the right to host the 2019 World Championships, saying it represented great trust and a success beyond words, an achievement realised after a long wait. He said the World Championships is a special global event, and the committee in charge of the bid had pledged to provide all the latest facilities and venues, including Khalifa International Stadium, which is currently being renovated to become one of the most modern and advanced sporting facilities in the world. The committee had also pledged to draw on its long experience hosting global sporting events such as the Diamond League (formerly known as the Super Grand Prix), which Qatar has had the honour of hosting annually since 1997, in addition to the 2006 Asian Games, the 2010 World Indoor Championships, and the 2011 Arab Games
