We look forward to a week of exciting competitions at Doha worlds: Sheikh Joaan

The President of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-thani on Thursday addressed the International Judo Federation's (IJF) Ordinary Congress, saying fans in Qatar are looking forward to the start of the World Judo Championships Doha 2023.
Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena, a multipurpose indoor sports facility next to the iconic Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, will host the May 7 to 14 World Judo Championships Doha 2023.
"We welcome you all to Doha for the International Judo Federation (IJF) World Congress before the start of the World Judo Championships. We wish you all a productive meeting and look forward to a week of exciting competitions at the World Judo Championships," Sheikh Joaan said in his speech on Thursday at Doha Sheraton Hotel.
"We are very happy to be celebrating this special occasion with you. It is a moment we have been waiting for many years and it is now finally here.
"We wish you and your athletes the best of luck and we hope this is an event that showcases the best of youth. In the meantime we hope you enjoy your stay in Doha and that you get the chance to experience what our city has to offer," the QOC president said.
IJF president Marius Vizer said: "We are honoured to welcome His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, to the IJF congress and are grateful for his support for sport, unity, and peace." He added in a tweet: "Qatar's innovation and commitment to sport have made it a leading country in the field. Investing in sport is investing in education, stability, unity, friendship and peace. Qatar is contributing with a legacy on a global level."
Vlad Marinescu, the IJF Director General, said during the Congress: "“The development of growth within the judo family relies on a bigger funnel; this is imperative. All the work that we have undertaken has been to grow our base."
He added: "With this in mind, we have launched Judo TV as our own proprietary platform to watch all the live events and the full archive of historical events. It can be viewed via free access or with premium gold access and all information and coverage is loaded on to our IT system, owned by the IJF and shared with the continental unions and national federations. Judo is moving into the list of top sports for viewing. The New Technologies and High Performance Commission has helped to innovate and make this all possible.
There are now 600,000 members with IJF accounts and we expect substantial growth from this point, during the remainder of 2023. There are 196 clubs involved in the No Borders programme, with clubs offering free judo to refugees around the world. This successful programme allows us to share our values with those in need.