DOHA: The head of world athletics, Sebastian Coe, refused yesterday to rule out a summer Olympics being held in Qatar.
Speaking at a press conference in Doha, Coe said athletics aspired to being a global sport. “We have consistently turned up to conferences to talk about globalisation and using sport to impact and imprint on the lives of young people,” the head of International Association of Athletics Federations said.
“And we have to make sure, where possible, giving those countries that want to stage these events to do exactly what we have been, for the last 30 or 40 years, encouraging them to do.”
Asked about concerns over Doha’s climate — where temperatures can reach 50 degrees Celsius in the summer — Coe said there were other considerations to take into account before awarding a host, including commercial concerns and the quality of infrastructure.
Last February, a senior official of Qatar Olympics Committee (QOC) said the country had a “vision and target” of hosting a summer Olympics.
QOC Secretary-General Dr Thani Al Kuwari said Qatar would undoubtedly bid to host an Olympics and although it had ruled itself out for 2024, the country could bid for the 2028 Games, said Al Kuwari. “The vision and the target is to host one of the Olympics, one day,” he said.
Qatar has previously bid unsuccessfully for the 2016 and 2020 games but remains undaunted. The country has been chosen to host the World Athletics Championships in 2019 and the football World Cup in 2022 and the 2023 FINA world swimming championships. Since the beginning of 2015, Qatar has hosted a world handball championships and the paralympics athletics world championships.
The Khalifa International Stadium in Doha will be the venue for the 2019 athletics championships. When Qatar was awarded football’s biggest tournament, it was initially meant to host it in the summer months.
Despite pledges from Qatar that stadiums would be air-conditioned for players and spectators, football’s governing body, FIFA, last year decided to switch the tournament to be played in November-December 2022.
Coe was speaking ahead of the opening Diamond League meeting of the season, which takes place in Doha today.
AFP
