NBA star Shaq to participate in Aspire4Sport conference

By Sports Reporter/Doha

This year, the event, which is the region’s most prominent sports gathering that brings together luminaries from sports and business, has strategic support from the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, Qatar Fuel Additives Company (QAFAC) and Qatar Football Association (QFA).

Shaq, as O’Neal is called, is one of the top all-time basketball players having won four NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. He has been chosen for the NBA All-Star game on 15 occasions, in addition to one Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, three final MVP awards and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections. He is one of only three players to win NBA MVP, All-Star game MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same year (2000); the other players are Willis Reed in 1970 and Michael Jordan in 1996 and 1998.

This year’s round of Aspire4Sport will witness an increased number of international exhibitors, with representation from the UK, France, Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and the UAE, to name a few.

The event will feature two two-day conferences – Coliseum Summit – Sports Venues of the World and Sports Infrastructure. While Coliseum, organised by MJR Communication Group, will deliver high level discussions and debate on the latest issues to do with stadium architecture, design, construction and operations, Sports Infrastructure, organised by IQPC, shall cover the development of transport systems, infrastructure and utilities for international sport events. The conferences will see representation from the organizers of FIFA World Cups in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018.

The ‘Stars Chat’ section of the event will see a Qatari day, featuring rally champions Saeed al-Hajry and Abdulaziz al-Kuwari.

Commenting on the event, Hamad Saif Buhundi, executive director of Aspire4Sport, said, “Aspire4Sport brings top tier sports legends, and Shaquille is only one of a number of sports figures to be revealed shortly. It gives us great pleasure to know that Shaquille has chosen to come to Aspire4Sport and support the cause of the event.”

Meanwhile, Nasser al-Khater, executive director of communications and marketing, Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, said, “Aspire4Sport has firmly established itself as one of the key events in the Middle East’s sporting calendar, serving as a gateway for the international sports business community and their counterparts in our region.”

He added: “We are proud to be aligned with Aspire4Sport as a strategic partner and are looking forward to an exciting announcement for our committee on the opening day of the event.”

QAFAC general manager Naser al-Kuwari said, “QAFAC sponsors various sports activities. We have established a sports committee that runs various activities for the company and with the great enthusiasm and passion for sports. A rally team is also getting ready for the upcoming rally event in Dubai from November 28-30.”

Khalid al-Kuwari, director of Marketing and Communications, QFA, said: “We are always looking for innovative ways to inform the industry and the public about football, and being the lead partner ensures that these goals are met.”

(From left to right) IFP general manager George Ayache, QAFAC general manager Naser al-Kuwari, Aspire4Sport executive director Hamad Saif Buhindi and QFA director of Marketing and Communications Khalid al-Kuwari attend the press conference yesterday at The Torch hotel. PICTURE: Thajudheen