Asian Athletics Associations have given their support to the general principles of
Sebastian Coe’s proposal for governance structure reforms, AAA President Dahlan al-Hamad stated at a post Council Meeting press conference yesterday.
Asia’s top athletics officials, representing more than 40 nations, debated on the reform plans personally presented by IAAF President Coe at the 85th AAA Council meeting held in Doha and agreed to be aligned with the reforms.
Nevertheless, Asian Athletics’ governing body decided to urgently establish a committee to further discuss the proposal. Another AAA committee will also create a short-term execution plan for the evaluation of the events in the region and for developing the athletics within Asia over the next three years.
“Our sport came through a troubled period, which made people cast doubts over the athletics’ ability to survive
the hazard. The response though was swift as we all witnessed at the Rio Olympics, with large crowds and top level competition.
“We would like to thank Sebastian Coe for being here with us to clarify his proposal, which aims to further promote the sport worldwide. This project will affect the future of athletics. We discussed about all positive and negative aspects of the reforms in order to come up with the proper decision.
“It is plain to see that the new structure gives more power and prerogatives to the Assembly, while the power of individual officials is diminished,” explained al-Hamad, who thanked in his introduction, QOC President HE Sheikh Joann bin Hamad al-Thani for hosting such a crucial for athletics meeting in Doha.
Lord Coe’s reform proposal redefines roles and responsibilities and aims for a greater voice for athletes, a better gender balance, as well as for independent anti-doping, integrity and disciplinary functions.
“We back the President’s plan and totally support his presidency. Some area representation-wise issues are still under discussions.
“We raised some concerns, which are minor and will surely be resolved. We will go along with the reforms and we will try to adapt,” added al-Hamad.
In regards to the development of athletics in Asia, the AAA President commented: “We have managed to keep our partners and sponsors warm, or even attract new to support our activities, such as the marathons.
“Within our plans is to attract the new generation with a new programme in collaboration with Ministries of Education in order to identify talents that will emerge in the near future. Our initiatives rely on the ‘Kids Athletics’ programme – which not only help in promoting athletics, but generally guides children in the world of sports. Any plan not aiming at the new generation has no hope or future.”
“Last year we introduced the first ever Asian Youth Championships in Doha, giving youngsters from all nations the chance to make their international debut.
 “The success of the Doha initiative encouraged more countries to ask for hosting the event. We are now in talks with broadcasters to secure full TV coverage.
“Sixty % of the world’s youth population lives in Asia, but we have to implement the proper programme in order to help them develop and achieve better results,” the AAA chief added.
Talking about the ongoing fight against doping, al-Hamad stressed that extra action of all concerned parties needs to be taken: “UN and other organisations are supporting the anti-doping fight. Most nations have introduced new anti-doping legislation, but we mustn’t be complacent. The IAAF President’s reform proposal includes the formation of a new independent Athletics Integrity Unit. We have to give them freedom and time to work on the anti-doping issue.”

IAAF President Sebastian Coe (fourth from left), AAA chief Dahlan al-Hamad (to Coe’s left) and other dignitaries and officials pose for a group photo at the AAA Council meeting in Doha yesterday.

Qatar could move Summer Olympics date after successful bid, says Coe
AFP/Doha

Sebastian Coe said yesterday that Qatar could move the Summer Olympics to later in the calendar year if the Gulf country ever successfully bids to host the Games.
 Speaking in Doha, where he met heads of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA), Coe said athletics had to prove flexible if it wanted new countries to host the showcase event.
 Asked if the Summer Olympics could be moved if Qatar hosted, Coe said: “Yeah, we have to be realistic about this. We have to recognise that the world wants sport and it’s not always going to be bidding from areas where there aren’t going to be challenges.
 “And those challenges are not just geographical or climatic, they are social, cultural, they are political.”
 Qatar is hosting the World Cup in 2022 when, for the first time, the games will be played in November and December, because of concerns over the country’s fierce summer temperatures. Doha has publicly stated that it will bid for future Olympics, with 2028 being a likely contender.
 Coe added that it was “not unusual” to move the date of the Olympics. He pointed out that the Sydney Games in 2000 were held later in the year, in September and October, as were the Seoul Olympics in 1988.
 Qatar will host the 2019 World Athletics Championships. These will be held in late September and early October. The 2017 edition of the championships will be held in London during August. The 2015 World Championships were hosted by Beijing, again in August.
 Coe also admitted that reports from the World Anti-Doping Agency alleging serious drug testing failings at the Rio Olympics made for “uncomfortable reading”.
 Coe said it was right the failings were made public. “The only thing I would say is I welcome reports like that, sometimes they are uncomfortable reading, but I would rather have those sorts of observations,” said the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
 Although Coe added that he had not seen the report himself yet, the former middle-distance runner said such “intelligence” was vital so athletics can catch drug cheats.
 The report, by independent observers sent to the Games by WADA and published on Thursday, uncovered “serious logistical failings” in Olympics’ anti-doping efforts. It found cases where athletes targeted for testing “could not be found”, and a lack of adequately trained anti-doping personnel.
 Coe is pushing for an independent drugs testing regime as part of his overhaul of world athletics at an IAAF extraordinary congress on December 3. His plans were publicly supported by the head of the AAA, Dahlan al-Hamad, yesterday.
 “We are fully supportive of the president,” said al-Hamad. “There are some issues which we will first discuss, I am sure that these issues will be resolved.”