Doha is well-prepared to host the Asian Games in 2030, Qatari sprint great Talal Mansour has said.
Mansour, who ruled the sprints in Asia in the 80s and early 90s, said that such is the level of Doha’s capabilities that it can host an Asian Games “even next year.”
“Qatar enjoys a high level of preparedness, we can host an event of this magnitude event next year,” Mansour, the winner of four gold medals at the Asian Games in Seoul (1986), Beijing (1990) and Hiroshima (1994) said in Muscat yesterday.
The Doha 2030 Ambassador added that he aspires to see his son, "Dhawi", as one of the gold medal winners at the 2030 Asian Games, when he will be 22 years old.
“Dhawi”, is currently training at Aspire Academy as a youth athlete and is considered a potential future champion.
“I believe Doha has an excellent chance to win the Asian Games bid,” Mansour added three days ahead of the decision on the venue which will be announced at the Olympic Council of Asia’s General Assembly on Wednesday.
A high profile Qatari delegation comprising sports administrators and former and current athletes are in Muscat as part of the Doha 2030 Bid Committee’s final preparations to present its case to the OCA on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Major General Mowafaq Juma, Honorary President of the Syrian Olympic Committee and a member of the Olympic Council of Asia, said that Qatar hosted the Asian Games in 2006 and this is one of the most prominent strengths of Doha’s bid.
He added that the developed infrastructure in Qatar and the increase of sports facilities are all strong factors which contribute to the possibility of Doha winning the right to host the Asian Games.
Major General Muwafaq added: "The geography of Qatar greatly enhances the chances of Doha hosting the most prominent Asian event in Doha as it will make it easier for athletes and the public to move around and enjoy watching all sports with ease and convenience."
The honorary president of the Syrian Olympic Committee pointed out that he met the Qatari star and competitor Talal Mansour in the 2006 Asian Games when he was then president of the Syrian Athletics Federation and expressed his happiness to see the Qatari star again as an for the Doha 2030 bid.
“Sporting events like these are very important for Arab youth as they will contribute to their skills,” he said.
Suhail Khoury, a member of the Executive Committee of the Olympic Council of Asia, pointed out that the chances of Doha winning the 2030 bid are good because Qatar hosted the 2006 edition with great distinction.
“Qatar’s experience doubles the possibility of Doha winning the 2030 bid edition also,” Khoury said.
He added that the day is not far away when an Arab country will host the Olympics.
“Experience gained at the Asian level will benefit Arab athletes whenever an Arab country gets to host the Olympics,” he added.
His Excellency Major General Jibril Rajoub, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports of Palestine, said that the State of Qatar is a successful model in hosting pioneering global sporting events.
Rajoub wished that there should be an initiative by the Olympic Council of Asia to find a consensus suitable for hosting the Asian event by the two cities.
Mansour, who ruled the sprints in Asia in the 80s and early 90s, said that such is the level of Doha’s capabilities that it can host an Asian Games “even next year.”
“Qatar enjoys a high level of preparedness, we can host an event of this magnitude event next year,” Mansour, the winner of four gold medals at the Asian Games in Seoul (1986), Beijing (1990) and Hiroshima (1994) said in Muscat yesterday.
The Doha 2030 Ambassador added that he aspires to see his son, "Dhawi", as one of the gold medal winners at the 2030 Asian Games, when he will be 22 years old.
“Dhawi”, is currently training at Aspire Academy as a youth athlete and is considered a potential future champion.
“I believe Doha has an excellent chance to win the Asian Games bid,” Mansour added three days ahead of the decision on the venue which will be announced at the Olympic Council of Asia’s General Assembly on Wednesday.
A high profile Qatari delegation comprising sports administrators and former and current athletes are in Muscat as part of the Doha 2030 Bid Committee’s final preparations to present its case to the OCA on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Major General Mowafaq Juma, Honorary President of the Syrian Olympic Committee and a member of the Olympic Council of Asia, said that Qatar hosted the Asian Games in 2006 and this is one of the most prominent strengths of Doha’s bid.
He added that the developed infrastructure in Qatar and the increase of sports facilities are all strong factors which contribute to the possibility of Doha winning the right to host the Asian Games.
Major General Muwafaq added: "The geography of Qatar greatly enhances the chances of Doha hosting the most prominent Asian event in Doha as it will make it easier for athletes and the public to move around and enjoy watching all sports with ease and convenience."
The honorary president of the Syrian Olympic Committee pointed out that he met the Qatari star and competitor Talal Mansour in the 2006 Asian Games when he was then president of the Syrian Athletics Federation and expressed his happiness to see the Qatari star again as an for the Doha 2030 bid.
“Sporting events like these are very important for Arab youth as they will contribute to their skills,” he said.
Suhail Khoury, a member of the Executive Committee of the Olympic Council of Asia, pointed out that the chances of Doha winning the 2030 bid are good because Qatar hosted the 2006 edition with great distinction.
“Qatar’s experience doubles the possibility of Doha winning the 2030 bid edition also,” Khoury said.
He added that the day is not far away when an Arab country will host the Olympics.
“Experience gained at the Asian level will benefit Arab athletes whenever an Arab country gets to host the Olympics,” he added.
His Excellency Major General Jibril Rajoub, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports of Palestine, said that the State of Qatar is a successful model in hosting pioneering global sporting events.
Rajoub wished that there should be an initiative by the Olympic Council of Asia to find a consensus suitable for hosting the Asian event by the two cities.
