Doha 2017 Loss Spurs Olympic Bid Effort
The secretary general of the Qatar Olympic Committee vows to "learn lessons" from Doha’s failed bid for the 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships to boost the desert nation's 2020 Olympic campaign.
Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani told reporters at the Aspire4Sport conference in Doha on Monday that after the city's defeat to London the QOC's focus is now on winning hosting rights for the 2020 Games.
"I think now our strategy and commitment for sport will continue and our main concentration will be for 2020," Sheikh Saoud said. "I think we had a fair [Doha 2017] bid, but a fair bid was won by London and we congratulate London for that."
Sheikh Saoud, who is a vice president of the Doha 2020 bid, said that a review of the Doha 2017 bidding process was on the cards to ensure the Qatari capital delivered a strong Olympic bid to the IOC.
"Every bid that we are entering whether we win or not, always we will learn lessons that we will use for any future bid," he said.
"Especially with the IAAF – it is something very unique because it’s one of the most popular sports in the Olympic Movement."
Sheikh Saoud had only warm words for the IAAF, despite Doha's 2017 loss. "We will continue to work with the IAAF on the event that we host here every year such as the Diamond League and also other events. We are thinking to see in the future with the IAAF."
Confirming that Qatar will shortly bid for another big event in the sporting world, he declined to reveal further details.
"Near in the future we will be announcing this. I think we will keep it until January, we will announce it," he said.
For all intents and purposes, the Qataris have not been put off by their 2017 defeat, and will use it to strengthen any future sporting bids that remain part of Qatar’s commitment to developing sport in the country.
Sheikh Saoud added: "So we will continue our commitment and we are thinking aboutthe bid that we will work on for the future whether it is with the IAAF or other federations."
Doha is competing with Baku, Istanbul, Madrid, Rome and Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic hosting rights.
The IOC votes on the host city at its session in Buenos Aires in September 2013.
Bubka Praises London 2017
IAAF vice president Sergey Bubka has praised the London 2017 bid after they beat Doha Friday to land the 2017 world athletics championships.
"There was a long road for London to this victory with two previous unsuccessful bids.Today, the time is right. London truly deserves to stage the IAAF world championships," Bubka said.
"I want to congratulate London and the whole bid team led by my colleague Seb Coe for a well done job. This victory, as well as Beijing 2015, shows us what Olympic legacy really means."
Bubka, an IOC member from the Ukraine and president of his country's National Olympic Committee, added: "Thanks to the Olympics our sport has two fascinating venues in two fascinating cities used for the greatest athletics events. I’m sure that the 2017 IAAF world championships at the 2012 Olympic stadium will give a powerful boost to athletics in the U.K."
Bubka was also elected as a chairman of the IAAF Development Commission at the IAAF Council meeting in Monaco; it had previously been chaired by IAAF chief Lamine Diack. The Development Commission promotes athletics across the globe through a range of educational, coaching and research programs.
Reported by Christian Radnedge in Doha and Mark Bisson in Rotterdam
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