Qatar sport COVER.indd - Qatar Olympic Committee

ISSUE 15 OCTOBER 2011 $10
FOR THE RECORD
WHO’S MAKING HEADLINES
IN SPORT WORLDWIDE?
COMING UP
SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS IN
THE MONTHS AHEAD
SILVER ARROWS
WHEN MERCEDES-BENZ
RULED MOTORSPORTS
SPECTACULAR BID
DOHA EYES THE 2017
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
WORKING OUT
KEEPING FIT IN QATAR
TRENDS
THE MONEY IN STADIA
MESSI
THE DREAM MAKER
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
OF THE QATAR
OLYMPIC COMITTEE

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INSIDE
5 In Focus
Sporting life through the lenses of top photographers
20
8 Update
Issues and insight from around the world
13 Lionel Messi
More than a football player
16 Coming Up
Your essential sports event guide
18 Lifestyle
Top 10 tips for a healthier life
30
20 Silver Arrows
Celebrating Mercedes-Benz motorsport
25 Leaders
Incisive opinion from Stacey Allaster and HE Sheikh Saoud Bin
Abdulrahman Al-Thani
28 Dateline Doha
Bidding for the 2017 IAAF World Championships
30 For the Record
News makers and rankings
16
32 Keeping fit in Qatar
What to do, where to go
36 Trends
Naming rights under the spotlight
No article in this publication or part thereof may be reproduced without proper permission and full acknowledgement of the
source: Qatar Sport, a publication of the Qatar Olympic Committee.
© Qatar Olympic Committee, 2011.
www.olympic.qa
qoc@olympic.qa
Designed and produced for the Qatar Olympic Committee by SportBusiness Group, London.
Cover photo: Getty Images
13

Welcome
Regular readers will notice that Qatar Sport has a new look and a fresh approach to the world of sport. Our
aim is to produce a magazine which celebrates excellence in sport worldwide and reports on the issues which
are shaping the global sporting landscape.
The Qatar Olympic Committee is honoured to be part of the global sports community and eager to play a role
in furthering sport worldwide. Sport continues to play a major part in the life of our nation and we recently
launched our 2011 – 2016 Sports Strategy which focuses on development in three specific areas.
The first of these is participation and our aim is to build an active and healthy society by creating the facilities
and services needed to encourage people of all ages to enjoy the experience of sport and the social and wellbeing
benefits it brings.
We also continue to develop out Master plan for sport in Qatar. This is essential to our ambition to create the
facilities and support infrastructure to enable us to host the world’s major events at a world-class level and to
fulfil our ambition to be a valued partner of the sports community. Our approach is carefully structured and
we are confident that the attention we pay to master planning today will produce significant results in the
years ahead.
Among our goals is to help our elite athletes reach their full potential and we are determined to provide them
not only with leading-edge facilities in which to perform but the training and coaching infrastructure which
will enable them to excel at national and international levels.
Sport is a key element of Vision 2030 which, as the name suggests, encompasses our vision of the future of
Qatar. Our objective is to become a pioneering nation in a wide range of different fields and to continue to
improve the standard of living and health and well-being of the nation.
Qatar has entered the race to bid for hosting the 2017 IAAF World Championships as a testimony to its’
long standing relationship with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and as a
commitment to be a strong partner in spreading athletics to new regions and creating new opportunities for
the future.
Our focus on sports starts at a young age in the form of the highly successful Schools Olympic Programme. The
latest edition of the Programme got under way in early October and this year’s theme is Sport and Family. Each
successive edition of the Schools Olympic Programme has surpassed the last and I hope that it will continue to
grow in popularity and importance and build positive lifestyle habits among young people in Qatar.
In the medium term we are all looking forward to hosting the Arab Games from December 9-23. Preparations
are already at an advanced stage as we prepare to welcome some 7,000 athletes who will represent 22 nations in
32 different sports. The Arab Games are one of the world’s largest celebrations of sport and we hope to repay the
faith shown in us by the Arab Union of National Olympic Committees by hosting a truly memorable Games in
world-class facilities which will help them gain the international standing they deserve.
Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani
Secretary General, Qatar Olympic Committee
4 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport

1
THE SPORTING WORLD
THROUGH THE LENSES
OF ACTION IMAGES
PHOTOGRAPHERS
1 THE SWEETEST KISS
Australia’s Samantha Stosur kisses the trophy after winning the women’s
US Open fi nal at Flushing Meadows, New York, September 11, 2011.
Photograph by: Jason Cairnduff
2 WARRIOR CRY
New Zealand All Blacks captain Richie McCaw (C) and his teammates
perform the Haka before their Rugby World Cup match against Tonga at
Eden Park, September 9, 2011.
Photograph by: Phil Walter
2
Qatar Sport | Issue 15 | 5

3
4
6 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport

3 CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
Hamilton Tiger-Cats players celebrate a touchdown against the Winnipeg
Blue Bombers during a Canadian Football League game, August 26, 2011.
Photograph by: Fred Greenslade.
4 IN FULL SWING
New York Yankees relief pitcher David Robertson pitches against the
Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium in New York, September 3, 2011.
Photograph by: Ray Stubblebine
5 BUILT FOR SPEED
Oscar Pistorius of South Africa runs alongside Femi Ogunode of Qatar
during the men’s 400 metres heats at the IAAF World Championships in
Daegu, Korea, August 28, 2011. Ogunode qualified for the final.
Photograph by: Kai Pfaffenbacht
5
Qatar Sport | Issue 15 | 7

UPDATE
FOLLOW THE PRIZE MONEY
HORSE RACING IN FRANCE AND THE UK BOOSTED BY QATARI CONNECTIONS
This year’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe was once again the richest event
on the European horse racing calendar
with €4 million up for grabs to the top
finishers at the Longchamp racetrack.
The October classic is the pinnacle of
the European flat racing scene and thanks
partly to the support of race sponsors, the
Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC),
it has a prize money fund to match its
prestige. In 2008, the QREC’s partnership
with the French horse racing governing
body, France Galop, helped double the
existing prize money.
Under an extended agreement to 2022,
prize money will rise to €4.8m per year
between 2013 and 2017 and €5.3m per
year between 2018 and 2022.
In comparison, the UK’s leading race,
the Epsom Derby, put up £1.25m (€1.5m)
for this year’s classic won by the French
raider Pour Moi.
It’s a disparity that highlights a more
general prize money gap between French
and British racing where French races
typically pay out twice as much as their
British counterparts - €21,800 as opposed
to €11,700 per race based on 2008 figures.
“British horseracing
is admired around the
world but needs to
step up a gear.”
Rod Street, Racing Enterprises Ltd
Why the difference? The most compelling
reason is that French racing returns far
more betting revenue to the sport due to
the dominance, if no longer monopoly, of
the state-owned Pari Muteul Urbain
(PMU) operation.
This revenue is then ploughed back into
prize money, along with contributions from
race sponsors. In contrast, the competitive
and deregulated UK betting industry
returns far less money to the tracks.
But can English racing close the gap on
its French rivals?
This year, the UK racing authorities
introduced a new 35-elite race series,
partnered by another Qatari organisation,
Qatar International Investment & Projects
Development Holding Co (QIPCO), called
the QIPCO British Champions Series.
The grand finale of the series - the
QIPCO British Champions Day - will take
place at the Ascot track on October 15
with top runners and riders competing for
prize money of £3m (€3.6m),
That’s just £1m (€1.2m) less than total
prize money at the celebrated Royal Ascot
meeting which takes place over five days
and attracts international raiders from as
far afield as Australia and Japan.
Rod Street, Chief Executive of Racing
Enterprises Limited, the commercial arm
of British Horseracing, is confident that
the series will energise the UK flat season
and has set the long-term goal of matching
the prestige of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe and the Breeders’ Cup in the US.
“British horseracing is admired around
the world but needs to step up a gear,”
Street tells Qatar Sport.
“It is still perceived as the best in the
world with iconic events and 15 out of
the 20 top-rated horse races [in terms of
quality of horses], but we need to make
sure that it remains relevant and competes
Country
Average Prize
Money
Number of
Races
USA €13,990 49,951
Japan €36,610 17,612
Ireland €31,100 1,020
Hong Kong €96,180 735
Australia €11,020 19,821
France €22,908 4,660
United Kingdom € 11,760 6,128
UAE €96,542 308
New Zealand €7,570 2,970
Based on 2008 figures
with other international racing markets.”
QIPCO’s enthusiasm and support, he
says, has been key in bringing this new
Champions Series model to life.
“It’s a virtuous circle: better prize
money attracts great runners and more
media attention.”
Street adds that UK racing is not alone
in needing to repackage its domestic
product to meet changing demand at home
and greater competition from abroad.
As the statistics above highlight, racing
authorities in the United States and
Australia face similar challenges in relation
to competition from Japan, the United
Arab Emirates and Hong Kong.
In racing’s brave new world there are
no prizes for standing still.
8 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport

NBA PLAYERS SEEK NEW HORIZONS
THE IMPENDING NBA LOCK OUT HAS FORCED SOME NBA PLAYERS TO FIND EMPLOYMENT ABROAD
National Basketball Association
(NBA) players are leaving the United States
in droves to play basketball overseas as the
impending NBA lock-out begins to hit them
where it hurts most - their wallets.
The upcoming NBA season, scheduled
to start November 1, was put on hold
in June following the breakdown of talks
between the NBA owners and NBA
Players Union over a new collective
bargaining agreement.
FIBA, the federation that regulates
international basketball, ruled that it would
allow NBA players to sign overseas on the
provision that they return once the 2011
NBA season begins, if it begins.
This ruling has not deterred NBA
players from signing contracts with clubs
from leagues in France, Spain, Italy, Israel,
Serbia, Russia, Greece, Germany, Turkey,
China and Australia.
Free agents and squad players with less
financial security than the NBA’s big stars
have been first in line to sign up abroad, but
the 2011 draft picks from college basketball
have also been among the early movers.
Only Besiktas of Istanbul has, so far,
acquired a top American star in the shape
of Nets All-Star guard Deron Williams
(pictured, right) , who has been persuaded
to play in Turkey during the lockout. The
same club also explored hiring Kobe
Bryant and other NBA players after
bringing on Allen Iverson for a short time
last season.
But most of the top European top
teams are wary of contracting an
expensive, big-name player, who could
return to the United States at any time.
As Euroleague President and CEO Jordi
Bertomeu explained, “Our clubs need to
have stable rosters. They need to know
how long they will be able to employ the
player. No team will sign a player for only
two or three months, or for an uncertain
period of time.”
Meanwhile, the Chinese Basketball
Association (CBA) declared that its clubs
had agreed not to sign NBA-contracted
players, except for free agents prepared to
play for at least one season.
BARCA WINS EURO CLUB AWARD
THE EUROPEAN CLUB ASSOCIATION RECOGNISES FOUR HIGH ACHIEVERS
The European Club Association
(ECA) rewarded four clubs for their
performances both on and off the pitch at
its annual awards ceremony in September.
Not surprisingly, the ECA Executive
Board awarded the “European Club of the
Year 2011” to FC Barcelona for the club’s
outstanding results during the 2010/11
season as winners of the UEFA Champions
League and Spain’s La Liga.
The “Best Sporting Progress 2011”
award went to Portugal’s SC Braga for the
club’s first ever participation in the UEFA
Champions League Group Stage.
Braga finished third in the group, which
allowed the club to continue its European
adventure in the Europa League where
Braga eventually reached the final against
domestic rivals FC Porto.
The “Best Achievement (non-sporting)
2011” award went to FK Baku of
Azerbaijan for the development of a new
state-of-the-art youth academy for more
than 400 players, which will benefit both
the club and Azeri football in general.
Comprising 197 clubs drawn from
53 national associations, the ECA
introduced the awards last year to reward
outstanding club performances, encourage
best practice, highlight successful club
management and strengthen relationships
between ECA member clubs.
This year, the ECA drew up a special
independent panel to nominate the
winner of the “Best Community and Social
Responsibility Programme 2011” award.
This went to the Scottish Premier
League club Celtic FC, which received
the prize for its “Ability Counts”
programme, designed for children with
Down’s Syndrome. The scheme was
set up in November 2010, and has
received excellent feedback from parents,
participants and the Down’s Syndrome
Scotland organisation. “It is a tremendous
honour to have received one of only
four awards given by the European
Club Association,” said Celtic FC Chief
Executive Peter Lawwell. “We pride
ourselves on being a club open to all... and
this award highlights our continued work
within the community.”
Qatar Sport | Issue 15 | 9

UPDATE
INBRIEF
Real just got richer
La Liga giant Real Madrid has claimed a
new world record for annual revenue
generation in football with the release
of its financial figures for the year
ending June 30, 2011. Real reported
that turnover, before the transfer of
players, increased from €442.3 million
in 2009-10 to €480.2 million in 2010-
2011. A club statement read: “Real’s
€480.2 million turnover represents an
8.6 per cent increase over last year. It
is the largest revenue obtained by any
sports institution in the world.”
Champs want seventh heaven
Reigning Euroleague basketball
champions Panathinaikos of Athens
will begin its quest for a seventh
Euroleague basketball title at home to
Spanish side Unicaja on October 20.
Despite the absence of world stars,
the Group B clash will be played out in
front of some of the most passionate
fans in sport. As Euroleauge President
and CEO Jordi Bertomeu explains:
“Our concept for Euroleague is about
the clubs rather than individual players
and it is the devotion the fans have to
those clubs which is special.”
Bids invited for 2018 Games
The International Olympic Committee
(IOC) has launched the bidding tender
for the Summer Youth Olympics 2018.
The IOC has sent letters to all
National Olympic Committees to
invite bids and set a deadline of March
1, 2012, for submissions to host the
Games. The third edition of the Youth
Olympic Games will follow Singapore
2010 and Nanjing, China in 2014.
Singleton v Pistorious
US paralympic sprinter Jerome
Singleton has compared his 100m
rivalry with South African ‘blade
runner’ Oscar Pistorious to some of
the great head-to-heads in sporting
history. “Oscar is a phenomenal
athlete,” he said. “It’s a big rivalry.
Muhammad Ali had Joe Frazier,
Larry Bird had Magic Johnson, Oscar
Pistorius has Jerome Singleton.”
2020 VISION
DOHA IN THE RUNNING TO HOST THE 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES
Qatar will bid to host the 2020
Olympic and Paralympic Games outside
the traditional date window, thanks to a
landmark decision by the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board.
The IOC met in Daegu, South
Korea ahead of the 2011 IAAF World
Championships to discuss the idea of
allowing Doha to stage the event later in
the year because of the summer heat.
“It is fitting that the
dream of hosting the
Games should come
to the Middle East at
this time.”
HH the Heir Apparent and QOC
President Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad
Al-Thani
Three previous Olympic and Paralympic
Games (Tokyo 1964, Seoul 1988 and
Sydney 2000) have been held outside
of the traditional Summer window, and
having received assurances from the IOC
regarding flexibility on dates for the 2020
Games, HH the Heir Apparent and Qatar
Olympic Committee (QOC) President
Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani went
public with the application.
“I wish to personally thank Jacques
Rogge and the IOC for guiding us through
and supporting the QOC in entering the
bidding race without the disadvantage of
dates,” HH Sheikh Tamim said.
“It is fitting that the dream of hosting
the Games should come to the Middle East
at this time; our bid can inspire peace and
is a priority for our youthful region.”
QOC Secretary General Sheikh Saoud
added that Qatar had learnt from its
attempt to bid for the 2016 Olympic
Games and would make it an imperative
to guarantee ideal conditions for athletes,
support staff, technicians and spectators
in its bid.
Sheikh Saoud revealed that the QOC
had consulted with all international
federations for Olympic sports on the
issue, receiving “a very favourable response
to our proposed dates between September
20 and October 20”.
Doha has been officially confirmed as
an Applicant City for the 2020 Games
along with Baku (Azerbaijan), Istanbul
(Turkey), Madrid (Spain), Rome (Italy) and
Tokyo (Japan).
The vote on the 2020 Games will take
place at the IOC Session in Buenos Aires,
Argentina in September 2013.
10 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport

THE RIGHT PARTNER
THE RIGHT PARTNER
WWW.DOHA-2017.COM

THE BIG INTERVIEW
IN A
LEAGUE
OF HIS
OWN
QATAR SPORT
REVEALS THE MAN
BEHIND THE SUPERSTAR
THAT IS LIONEL MESSI
STANDING ALONE in the VIP suite at Doha
International Airport the world’s greatest
footballer goes almost unnoticed.
At just 1.6 metres tall Lionel Messi is a
slight, unprepossessing figure. He may be 24
but dressed in a T-shirt and jeans he could
be any teenager from more or less any part of
the world.
But the moment that Messi pulls on the
red and blue of FC Barcelona or the sky blue
and white stripes of Argentina he is a man
transformed.
Just 48 hours after arriving in Qatar the kid
becomes a colossus under the floodlights of
the Khalifa Stadium, delivering a performance
of almost incredible maturity and scoring an
injury time wonder-goal as Argentina beat
Brazil 1-0 in a friendly.
For Messi it was all in a night’s work. Another
game, another goal and another victory.
Success is something that the boy from
Rossario in Argentina has become accustomed
to since getting his shot at the big time as a
17-year-old debutant at Barcelona.
Since then he has won La Liga title five
times, the UEFA Champions League on three
occasions and been named FIFA’s World
Player of the Year.
In doing so he has caused all manner of
problems for manager Pep Guardiola who
regularly has to find fresh ways of describing
Messi’s impact on his team.
“Put in the superlatives yourselves, I’m
running out,” he told journalists after one game.
“It’s already been a while now that he has
been outstanding. He’s more than decisive
in every way. That he’s capable of doing
everything that he does at his age is something
impressive, that doesn’t make any sense.
“The best players are always in the thick
of the action. (Michael) Jordan did it with

the Bulls, (Kobe) Bryant does it with the
Lakers and Leo does it here. We want him
to stay with us because he’s the best and
we wouldn’t swap him for anyone.”
Not that Messi has ever shown any
indication of wanting to leave Barcelona.
Why would he? The team has hit
the ground running in La Liga and,
strengthened by the addition of returnee
Cesc Fabregas looks even more awesome
than before.
LIVING THE DREAM
Early season La Liga games were a
succession of demolition derbies as the
carcasses of Villarreal (5-0), Osasuna (8-
0) and Atletico Madrid (5-0) were hauled
out of the Camp Nou after being ritually
humiliated by a Barca team sparked by
the brilliance of Messi, the scorer of
hat-tricks against Osasuna and Atletico
Madrid and a brace against Villareal.
The pre-season didn’t start too badly
either. A goal in the first leg of the
Spanish Super Cup final against Real
Madrid was followed by two more in
the return leg at the Camp Nou as Barca
lifted their first silverware of the season.
But it hasn’t all been plane sailing for
Messi this year. The elation of another
UEFA Champions League win - this time
against Manchester United at Wembley
Stadium - was followed by the bitter
disappointment of a failed Copa America
campaign on home soil in Argentina.
Only a 3-0 victory over Costa Rica
enabled the hosts to quality from their
group after poor draws against Bolivia
and Columbia. The side finally ran out
of road when they failed to put away
eventual winners Uruguay in the quarter
finals and were eliminated in a penalty
shoot out.
“Like any other athlete you don’t like
to lose and we had hoped to do great
things in the Copa America,” Messi told
Qatar Sport.
“We wanted to do great things in the
tournament but it was not to be. I feel
particularly sad for the fans. When we
lose it is the supporters I feel sorry for
because they are always so close to us.”
Failure in the Copa America cost
manager Sergio Batista his job but Messi

THE BIG INTERVIEW
says that with a new man in position
there is a new spirit in the camp and a real
sense of optimism about the future and, in
particular, the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
“We have started a new project with a
new coach and we are optimistic about
our prospects,” he said.
“We are working hard to make the
dream of becoming world champions
come true.”
While Argentina may be a work in
progress, FC Barcelona is a continuing
masterpiece.
HUNGRY FOR SUCCESS
The team has famously been built
around the output of its academy with a
production line of hugely talented players
waiting in the wings to step seamlessly
into the first team as and when required.
Their pursuit of success is simply
relentless and unless something goes very
badly wrong, there is absolutely no sign
of the wheels coming off any time soon.
Football fans no longer debate whether
Barcelona is the best team in Spain or
Europe but whether they are the best
football team in history.
So how does a man who has already
won more or less everything in football
maintain his hunger for success? It seems
that winning has its own way of keeping
Messi focused.
“The most important thing is to be
happy and to have fun in your job. If
you’re having fun it is easier to stay
motivated. Winning is a great feeling
and that helps make playing fun. I get
something from making the supporters
and their children happy.”
The focus on children is reflected
elsewhere in Messi’s life. Back in 2007 he
set up the Leo Messi Foundation, a
charity which sets out to provide access
to healthcare and education for
vulnerable children.
Childhood illness is something
Messi knows all about. As an 11-yearold
he was diagnosed with a growth
hormone deficiency and required regular
treatments costing some $900 a month.
His club was unwilling or unable to meet
the cost of the treatment but Barca was
happy to step in. The young Messi moved
to Spain with his father and joined the
fabled Barcelona academy.
Today the Leo Messi Foundation’s
projects include supporting children
from Argentina with health problems by
covering the cost of their treatment in
Spain. The Foundation is funded partly
by Messi’s own revenue raising efforts
and partly by Herbalife, the healthcare
company with which he has a three year
endorsement contract.
“Being a bit famous now gives me the
opportunity to help people who really
need it,” Messi told one interviewer some
years ago. “A bit famous” has to be one of
the great understatements of all time.
Messi, who is also a UNICEF
Goodwill Ambassador, appears
omnipresent in global sports marketing.
He’s the face of the computer game
Pro-Evolution Soccer and appears in
advertisements for Adidas as well as his
work with Herbalife.
In fact his ‘little bit’ of fame is probably
best summed up by the pulling power of
his Facebook page which had attracted
six million or so followers within a couple
of hours of being launched earlier this
year. Today the number is around four
times that.
UNIFYING FORCE
In a world in which so many football
stars are somewhat divisive figures,
Messi is a unifying force. His genius
comes wrapped up in an engaging
humility that is absent elsewhere which
means that no matter what nationality
you are or which club you may support,
Messi enjoys a special status and global
adoration that other brilliant players
- notably his former Argentina boss
Diego Maradona - never quite achieved.
Maradona may have had all the skill you
could wish for but his brash persona
meant that while he was admired he was
not universally loved.
Messi, on the other hand wears his
superstardom well, praising those around
him for his success. This modesty extends
to reflecting on his own collection
of goals which he is amassing at a
frightening rate. A goal every two games
is considered good going for any out and
out striker but Messi, has far better than
that from midfield and out wide.
So maybe it’s because there are so
many to choose from but he’s unable to
select his favourite goal.
“Every goal is special so I just don’t
have a concrete favourite,” he told Qatar
Sport. “Goals are the result of a good
team performance. However, to score in
any final gives you a special feeling.”
“The best players are
always in the thick of
the action. (Michael)
Jordan did it with the
Bulls, (Kobe) Bryant
does it with the Lakers
and Leo does it here.
We want him to stay
with us because he’s the
best and we wouldn’t
swap him for anyone.”
Pep Guardiola
Qatar Sport | Issue 15 | 15

COMING UP
OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2011
OCTOBER
FIVB Club World Championships - Men & Women
Aspire, Doha 7-14/10/2011
The Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Tokyo 2011
Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Tokyo 7-16/10/2011
Sail Qatar
Doha Sailing Club 11-15/10/2011
The 16th PanAmerican Games Guadalaraja 2011
Guadalaraja, Mexico 14-30/10/2011
Qatar Classic Squash Championship
Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex, Doha 16-21/10/2011
WTA Championships
Istanbul, Turkey 25-30/10/2011
International Men’s Handball Championship
Gharafa Club, Doha 17-20/10/2011
MLB World Series
To be decided, United States 19-27/10/2011
Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Tokyo 2011
Along with the host nation, all the top teams will be there,
including China, the United States, Romania and Russia.
NOVEMBER
IRB Rugby World Cup final
Auckland, New Zealand 23/10/2011
The 2011 Formula 1 Airtel Grand Prix of India
Buddh International Circuit, Uttar Pradesh 28-20/10/2011
ING New York City Marathon
New York City 5/11/2011
2011 Fed Cup World Group Final
The Olympic Stadium, Moscow 5-6/11/2011
9th Presidents Cup
Royal Melbounre Golf Club, Australia 17-20/11/2011
Peace and Sport Table Tennis Championships
Al-Arabi Club, Doha 21-22/11/2011
ATP World Tour finals
London, UK 20-27/11/2011
Qatar Open Bowling Championhsip
Qatar Bowling Centre, Doha 25-22/11/2011
Brazil F1 Grand Prix
Sao Paulo, Brazil 25-27/11/2011
ING New York City Marathon
More than 30,000 runners are expected to take part with
$130,000 going to both the men’s and women’s champions.
DECEMBER
The Davis Cup World Group final
To be decdided 2-4/12/2011
The 2011 World Women’s Handball Championship
Sao Paulo State, Brazil 3-16/12/2011
The 12th Arab Games
Doha, Qatar 9-23/12/2011
The Davis Cup World Group final
Argentina and Spain will contest the final after semi-final
wins over Serbia and France respectively.
16 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport

COMING UP
The 16th PanAmerican Games Guadalajara 2011
Guadalajara will stage the third Mexico-hosted Games. Mexico
City hosted the second (1955) and seventh (1975) editions.
2011 Formula 1 Airtel Grand Prix of India
Indian fans will get their first chance to experience the
adrenaline rush of Formula One on home soil.
The Presidents Cup
The international team, led by Greg Norman, will try to break a
sequence of five straight losses to the United States.
The Fed Cup World Group final
The Olympic Stadium in Moscow, will host the 2011 Fed Cup
between four-time champions Russia and the Czech Republic.
The 2011 World Women’s Handball Championship
Russia are the defending champions for the IHF event to be
held in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo.
The 12th Arab Games Doha 2011
The spectacular two-week festival of sport and culture will
feature 30 sports and thousands of athletes.
Qatar Sport | Issue 15 | 17

Walk
the
Walk
TEN TIPS FOR A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE
THAT CAN BE FITTED INTO YOUR
EVERY DAY LIFE.
IN TODAY’S BUSY, STRESSFUL WORLD it is all
too easy to neglect one’s physical fitness in favour of
physical comfort.
Many people claim they want to get fit but complain
there is no time to do the exercise that would improve
their lives.
Moreover, even those with a real determination to
get fitter may not have the guidance they require on
the exercise options that are best for them.
This is a real problem in many societies because for
exercise to work it has to become a habit; and for it to
become a habit you need to be motivated, which means
knowing what activities you like to do.
Unfortunately, many adults only start to take up
exercise when told to do so by their doctor because they
have high cholesterol or weight problems.
These newcomers to the world of working out may
then pursue an activity unsuited to their level of fitness
Jogging, for example, can do more harm than good
for people who are not fit.
If a car was used to going only at five miles per hour
and then started going at 20 miles per hour it would
get stressed. It’s the same with people.
Of course, to receive the right advice and exercise
programme it is preferable to join an organised fitness
class run by professionals.
But such a commitment is not always achievable,
which is why Qatar Sport, in association with Aspire
Active, has put together 10 tips for a more healthy
lifestyle that do not require an organsed or routine
programme. Crucially, they can all be done with
consideration to the climate and customs of Qatar.

FIT FOR LIFE
HOW TO STAY ACTIVE
1
Brisk walking: If you don’t do
any other type of physical activity
walking is a healthy lifestyle choice.
An adult may walk briskly for about
an hour, three or four times a week, to
maintain a healthy level of fitness. If
that’s not possible, then walk at every
opportunity on the principle that if you
don’t drink water but drink tea, at least
you’re getting hydrated.
2
Take
the stairs not the elevator:
Walk up the stairs as many times
as possible during the day. This
could be done at home, on the
way to the office or in a public place.
Remember that the benefits of exercise
are cumulative. Repetition is key.
3
Walking
the Mall: The high
temperatures during the summer
months in Qatar present a
limitation on prolonged outdoor
exercise so why not walk the Mall as an
option? Pick the least busy time of day -
10am in the morning in the City Centre
or Villaggio Malls is a good time - and
take the stairs up and down, or simply
go window shopping.
4
Playing
with your children:
This sounds simple, but does not
mean just sitting and guiding
your children as they play.
Instead, be a child yourself; join in with
all the physical games that children enjoy.
5
In
your living room: Adopting
exercise as a habit should not
depend on computer games like
Wii, but anything that gets you
off your chair is a good start. One could
also use the time spent at home to ride a
stationary bike in front of the TV.
6
Horse-riding:
Qatar has a great
horse-riding tradition and
there are many benefits to horse
riding in terms of fitness: as the
horse moves, for example, the rider is
constantly required to contract and relax
muscles in order to maintain balance.
Riding is also known to have benefits in
terms of mental well-being.
7
Yoga/Pilates: For beginners to
these techniques, it is advisable
to follow a DVD at home, which
can introduce basic yoga and
pilates movements. Yoga breathing
techniques benefit the entire body, and
unlike some forms of exercise, pilates
does not overstress some parts of the
body and neglect the others.
8
Pay
for the Day: Many of
Qatar’s hotels offer pay for the
day access to the hotel’s gym
and spa facilities, although you
may need to know a member to qualify.
These individual days offer an
opportunity to discover what activities
you like and dislike.
9
Group
activities: Tenpin
bowling is a team activity suitable
for the whole family where there
is time to socialise. While the
physical demands of bowling are not as
high as some other sports, it is an activity
which increases the heart rate and keeps
you active.
10
Going to the beach: At
the weekend, Qatar’s social
traditions often revolve
around the family sitting
down together to eat. They may also
feature trips to the desert or the beach.
Recommended activities like volleyball
and beach soccer can turn these outings
into a sporting opportunity.
ASPIRE ACTIVE the community
program of ASPIRE Academy offers
fitness and health oriented activities
for the people of Qatar, to various
age groups and gender. Certified
fitness and health instructors offer
a variety of fitness activities to
individuals starting from 6 months
babies, toddles , kindergartens,
teenage boys & girls and adult.
For detailed information on the
programs and offers, please contact
ASPIRE ACTIVE main reception,
+974 4413 6219, or visit our www.
aspire.qa website, by clicking “In the
Community”.
Qatar Sport | Issue 15 | 19

As Mercedes-Benz celebrates its 125th anniversary, Qatar Sport
tells the story of its legendary racing machines - the Silver Arrows.
FROM THE FIRST automotive
competition in history to its return to the
Formula One championship with a works
team for the 2010 season, the success of
Mercedes-Benz in motorsport is a story
with its roots in the early days of the
automobile.
Since the 19th century, racing cars,
racing sports cars and rally cars made in
the German city of Stuttgart, where the
company has been based for 125 years,
have consistently been ahead of the field in
sporting competition.
Outstanding moments in the brand’s
racing history include participation in the
world’s first automobile competition in
1894, its first Grand Prix victory in 1908,
and the development of the first racing
cars equipped with superchargers in 1922.
Racing is in the DNA of Mercedes-
Benz. As the company stated in its annual
report of 1907/08, “We consider the extra
cost of racing an absolute necessity if we
are to defend the rightful position of our

MOTORSPORTS
brand in international competition.”
But there is one very special chapter in
the company’s early racing history which,
more than any other, has come to define
the brand: the era of the Mercedes-Benz
Silver Arrows.
Over two periods - from 1934 to 1939
and 1954 to 1955 - the Silver Arrows
scored top results in international races,
while testing the limits of innovation
and engineering, to leave a legacy that
continues to this day with Michael
Schumacher and the Mercedes GP
Petronas Formula One racing cars.
With origins in the start of the 1934
racing season, when a new formula for
Grand Prix racing was launched with no
design and specification restrictions other
than the weight of the car, Mercedes-Benz
seized the opportunity to create a new
generation of lightweight, streamlined
racing machines.
SILVER AND GOLD
The colour of the chassis was changed
from the traditional white favoured by
other German companies to silver and
the now legendary W 25 Grand Prix car
was born. For its time, the W 25 was both
exceptionally aerodynamic and powerful
- and the first model made a winning
competitive debut at the International Eifel
Race at the Nurburgring on July 3, 1934.
At first the name “Silver Arrows” was
also used by their main competitor, Auto
Union - a merger of German carmakers
Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer - which
created a new car of its own designed
by a brilliant engineer by the name of
Ferdinand Porsche.
“We consider the
extra cost of racing an
absolute necessity if
we are to defend the
rightful position of our
brand in international
competition.”
The rivalry between the burnished silver
racing cars with the three-pointed star and
those with the four rings would last the
decade. But it was Mercedes-Benz which
dominated the European Grand Prix scene
with its Silver Arrows.
The team’s number one driver Rudolf
Caracciola won the 1935 European
Driver’s Championship - the first year
the title was awarded - in the W 25 and
notched up further titles in 1937 and 1938,
driving the supercharged Mercedes-Benz
W 125, which developed 475 kW of power,
a figure not matched in Formula One until
the 1980s with the introduction of turbocharged
engines.
The Second World War brought the first
Silver Arrows era to an end, but in 1952
Mercedes-Benz racing staged a comeback
with back-to-back F1 titles with the W 196
in the Formula One World Championship
and victory in the Sports Car World
Championship with the 300 SLR.
FUTURISTIC DESIGNS
When it was unveiled at the 1954 French
Grand Prix, the futuristic W 196 drew
gasps of amazement from the crowd.
Along with its twin, the famous 300SLR
sports prototype, the team would prove
unstoppable for the next two years led
by the brilliant Argentine driver Juan
Manuel Fangio.
Fangio notched up eight of his 24 GP
wins in the Silver Arrow Type W 196 as he
sped to the Formula One championship in
1954 and 1955.
Of course, it is impossible to detach
such racing success from the brand’s
routine work in laboratories, workshops
and production halls, as well as the
The legendary Mercedes-Benz W 196 R
Formula 1 Grand Prix car from 1954.

individual expertise and dedication of its
racing team engineers and technicians.
As Stirling Moss, Fangio’s team partner
for the 1955 season, explains nothing was
left to chance at Mercedes-Benz. If there
was a reliability issue it was rectified,
often in time for the very next race.
“The same problem would never
happen twice,” says Moss.
“For instance the tiny air deflector
windscreen broke at Monza [during the
Italian Grand Prix] when a stone hit it and,
going round the banking, the force of the
air meant I had to hold onto my hat - it
was impossible to carry on.
“So the first thing I did was go in to the
pits pointing at a non-existent windscreen
and 39 seconds later I went away with
one fitted. That was pretty impressive, but
even more impressive was that the next
time I got in the car you could just push
“The futuristic W 196 drew gasps of amazement
from the crowd, and, along with its twin, the famous
300SLR sports prototype, the team would prove
unstoppable for the next two years.”
a button and a replacement screen flicked
up. It was fantastic.”
BACK ON TRACK
In the face of the great challenges raised
by the development of new passenger
cars, the Stuttgart brand withdrew from
motorsport for several years in 1955.
But private teams, supported by
Mercedes-Benz, carried on the motor
racing tradition. Most notably, in 1994
came the return to Formula One with
Sauber and McLaren from 1995.
During this period world driver’s titles
were won by Mika Häkkinen (twice, in
1998 and 1999) and Lewis Hamilton
(2008) and one constructor’s title for Team
West McLaren Mercedes (1998).
A new era began in 2010 when
Mercedes-Benz returned to Formula One
with its own works team and engaged
the seven-time world champion Michael
Schumacher as its number one driver.
The drivers of the “new Silver Arrows”
have yet to wear the winner’s laurels, but
for the racing purists it is a thrill just to see
the silver machines back in action.
As Mercedes Benz celebrates its
125th anniversary this year, the brand
is inseparably linked with the history of
motor racing. It’s a sporting involvement
that has become an endless source of
fascination for race fans, as well as a
driving force for the rapid advancement of
motor vehicle technology.
This year’s F1 Championship car -
the Mercedes-Benz MGP W202.
Mercedes-Benz W 25
Mercedes-Benz made the decision to
develop a new racing car in 1933. The
result was the W 25, an elegant monoposto
with a supercharged engine.
1933
Mercedes-Benz W 125
The 1937 racing year was dominated by
the innovative W 125 with its revolutionary
suspension confi guration, which set a
precedent for later Grand Prix car designs.
1937
Mercedes-Benz W 154
The 1939 W 154 car featured a futuristiclooking,
fully streamlined body in which
driver Rudolf Caracciola set four new
international speed records.
1939
22 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport

MOTORSPORTS
DRIVING THE W 196 R
For the modern Grand Prix driver
used to driving in the prone position
and with every technological and safety
aid imaginable, getting behind the wheel
of Fangio’s W 196 R from the 1950s
is an amazing, if somewhat strange
experience.
The Mercedes GP Petronas Formula
One drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael
Schumacher tested the car before
this year’s German Grand Prix at the
Nurbugring, following in the tyre-tracks
of Manuel Fangio, who won the 1954
edition of the race on the same track.
Nico Rosberg drives the Mercedes-
Benz W196 R (open-wheel version)
at the Nurburging.
With its powerful, fuel-injected
engine, the W 196 “felt like a proper
racing car” said Rosberg, but the driving
position - high up with more all-round
visibility - was more like a go-cart, while
there was less grip compared to the
current generation of F1 cars.
But the real period details are in the
cockpit, where Rosberg described “sitting
on a cushion with no seat-belts and a big
steering wheel.” The gearbox, he said, is
positioned between the driver’s legs, with
the accelerator pedal on the far right and
the brakes on the far left. “But you get
used to it very quickly,” Rosberg said.
SILVER ARROWS:
HALL OF CHAMPIONS
1934
Rudolf Caracciola Italian Grand Prix
Rudolf Caracciola Spanish Grand Prix
1935
Rudolf Caracciola Belgian Grand Prix
Rudolf Caracciola Swiss Grand Prix
Rudolf Caracciola Spanish Grand Prix
Rudolf Caracciola: European Champion
1936
Rudolf Caracciola Monaco Grand Prix
1937
Rudolf Caracciola German Grand Prix
Manfred von Brauchitsch Monaco Grand Prix
Rudolf Caracciola Swiss Grand Prix
Rudolf Caracciola Italian Grand Prix
Rudolf Caracciola: European Champion
1938
Manfred von Brauchitsch French Grand Prix.
Richard Seaman German Grand Prix
Rudolf Caracciola Swiss Grand Prix
Rudolf Caracciola: European Champion
1939
Hermann Lang Belgian Grand Prix
Rudolf Caracciola German Grand Prix
Hermann Lang Swiss Grand Prix
1954
Juan Manuel Fangio French Grand Prix
Juan Manuel Fangio German Grand Prix
Juan Manuel Fangio Swiss Grand Prix
Juan Manuel Fangio Italian Grand Prix
Juan Manuel Fangio: World Champion
1955
Juan Manuel Fangio Argentine Grand Prix
Juan Manuel Fangio Belgian Grand Prix
Juan Manuel Fangio Italian Grand Prix
Juan Manuel Fangio Dutch Grand Prix
Juan Manuel Fangio: World Champion
Mercedes-Benz W 196 R
The Stuttgart team returned to Grand Prix
racing for the1954 Formula One season
with the W 196 R, which could reach
maximum speeds of around 260 km/h.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
In engineering terms the 300 SLR owed
everything to the W 196 Silver Arrow.
The sleek sports car made a winning race
debut at the1955 Millle Miglia.
1954 1955
Mercedes-Benz MGP W202
The Mercedes GP Petronas Silver Arrows
returned to Grand Prix racing in 2010 and
unveiled the MGP W202 for the 2011
Formula One World Championship.
2011
Qatar Sport | Issue 15 | 23

Leaders: Incisive opinion and lively debate
THE IMPORTANCE OF
SPORTS FOR WOMEN
BY WOMEN’S TENNIS ASSOCIATION
CHAIRMAN AND CEO STACEY ALLASTER.
IT’S HARD TO believe today, but it wasn’t so long ago that women in
the United States and around the world couldn’t receive scholarships
to play sports in college; they didn’t get paid equal to men; and their
locker rooms and other facilities weren’t anywhere near as good
as the facilities used by men. Thank goodness times have changed.
As the mother of a young girl and the CEO of the Women’s Tennis
Association, I know how important it is for girls to be able to tell
themselves that when it comes to success, the sky is the limit. In
sports, that’s especially true.
IN BRIEF
An advocate for women in sport,
Stacey Allaster was instrumental
in securing equal prize money for
women tennis players at all four
Grand Slams, a mission which was
finally completed in 2007.
LIFE LESSONS
Women’s tennis is a global sport, played in 33 countries on all six continents with players from 100 different
nations. Around the globe, women know that if they’re good, and they work hard and excel, they can make it in
tennis. Their work is respected; their achievements are celebrated and their rewards are many. But it’s not just the
rare, elite athletes who benefit from playing sports. Every girl everywhere benefits from the discipline, training and
commitment required to play a sport. Even for those who never compete professionally, the experience of playing
a sport helps them handle life in so many ways. Sports teach boys and girls alike how to manage their time so they
can do their school work while also playing a sport. Playing a sport teaches teamwork and it emphasizes how to
achieve an objective through work and discipline, which is always valuable, in any endeavour. And sports teach
people how to win with grace and lose with dignity. Life is full of those events. And for girls, sports show them that
they’re the equal of boys. They too can have fans, and victories, and climb the ladder of life.
“Sports show girls that they too can have fans, and
victories, and climb the ladder of life.”
BUILDING BUSINESS
The business growth of the WTA itself serves as a critically important inspiration to business women around
the world striving to develop their own businesses, by demonstrating that a female only enterprise can be
commercially successful. The WTA developed from a United States only circuit with total prize money of
$300,000 and a handful of tournaments in 1973, to a truly global sports and entertainment property featuring
over $90 million in prize money with 53 tournaments, a host of multi-national companies and some of the most
marketable female brands on the planet today. The women who helped build the WTA, and our athletes, serve
as role models and champions, proving that dreams to be independently financially successful can come true.
When I meet young women and little girls at tennis tournaments, it’s always a pleasure to see how their eyes
light up when one of their role models takes center court. Russian women want to be the next Maria Sharapova;
Americans see what Venus and Serena Williams have meant to them; and Chinese women welcome how Li Na
is bringing opportunity to their vast country.
PIONEER SPIRIT
The WTA was founded by brave women, including my hero Billie Jean King. She refused to be told that her
game wasn’t equal in worth to a man’s game and she and other women pioneers founded the WTA in 1973.
While there is still work to be done on gender equality, Billie’s lesson for young girls and women still applies: the
sky is the limit if you set your mind to it.
Qatar Sport | Issue 15 | 25

Leaders: Incisive opinion and lively debate
HOW TECHNOLOGY
IS CHANGING SPORT
BY QOC SECRETARY GENERAL SHEIKH SAOUD
BIN ABDULRAHMAN AL-THANI.
THE USE OF technology in the service of sustainability and
environmental responsibility is crucial in shaping Qatar’s future.
As a nation we are proud of our role as world leaders in
sustainable technology and we are already transferring this
knowledge and experience into the sporting arena through the
use of zero carbon, solar technology that will be used to cool
the sports facilities hosting various events in Qatar, including
the training sites. These facilities will be cooled to around 27
Degrees Centigrade to guarantee ideal conditions for players and
spectators alike, and we anticipate that the experience will inspire
a new generation of regional and international sports venues,
incorporating environmentally-friendly cooling technologies.
IN BRIEF
As a member of the IOC’s Sport
and Environment Commission,
Sheikh Saoud is committed to the
promotion of sustainable technology
in sport and Qatar’s role as an
innovator in the field.
“As a nation
we are proud
of our role as
world leaders
in sustainable
technology.”
EVENT HOSTING
Doha’s bid to host the IAAF 2017 World Athletics Championships, as
well as for the Olympic and Paralympics Games 2020, will use similar
technology in the stadiums if we are successful in our bids. And with
legacy front of mind, we are committed to working with sporting and other
organisations across the world to share this technology and help ensure
sport can be played year-round no matter what the local climate. The 9th
World Conference on Sport and the Environment, hosted by Doha earlier
this year, provided the perfect platform to share this knowledge with the
world. Some of the future stadium cooling systems were on display at the
Conference, which saw delegates from the Olympic Movement and United
Nations come together with experts in sustainability technology.
SUSTAINABILITY
Our environmental commitment in the building of new sporting arenas was underscored by the Qatar
Olympic Committee’s own agreement to make the Qatar Code for Sustainability Assessment (QSAS) a key
ingredient in future projects. The QSAS addresses multiple issues directly relating to sports facilities, both
at the planning level such in terms of urban continuation or geographical location, and at the level of the
building itself, such as energy, water, used materials, internal environment, and the economic and cultural
components. We hope this local initiative with a global vision becomes a reference point in the building of
sustainable sports facilities worldwide. But the sporting uses of technology relate not just to our sporting
arenas but to the athletes, coaches, medics and administrators that make sport happen. Last season, for
example, the Qatar Football Stars League adopted the latest information technology programmes to analyse
the performance of every player - providing the coaches with a treasure of data on endurance, speed, and other
performance metrics that will help coaches to tailor specific training programs for individual athletes.
SPORTS MEDICINE
The country is also adopting the latest technology in relation to sports medicine, as exemplified by the success
of Qatar’s state-of-the-art FIFA-accredited orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital, Aspetar - and the
creation of the Gulf region’s first WADA-accredited Anti-Doping Laboratory in Doha, which will be ready for
Doha’s hosting of the 12th Arab Games in December.
26 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport

DIAMOND SPONSOR

DATELINE DOHA
Bidding
for the
Worlds
Doha is up against the Olympic city of London in its bid to host the
2017 IAAF World Championships.
THE QATAR capital of Doha will
challenge the 2012 Olympic Games Host
City of London in its historic bid to stage
the 2017 IAAF World Championships.
The IAAF announced the list of Official
Candidates, September 1, with Doha and
London confirmed as the only candidates
in a field that was reduced to two by the
withdrawal of Budapest, Hungary and
Barcelona, Spain.
Qatar aims to bring the Championships
to the Middle-East region for the first
time, having successfully hosted the IAAF
World Indoor Championships in Doha
last year - the spur for the city’s bid for the
outdoor version.
The bidding file team was led by
Abdullah Al Zaini, the Qatar Amateur
Athletics Federation (QAAF) President
and now Executive Director of the Doha
2017 Bid Committee, who pointed to the
logistical and event management triumph
of the 2006 Asian Games, as well as two
memorable editions of the IAAF Diamond
League, in support of Doha’s bid for the
biennial track and field showcase.
“After all these successes, we thought it
logical to bid for the IAAF’s premier event,”
said Al Zaini. “Qatar has been fuelling
interest of the Middle East and the Gulf
countries in athletics for a long time…and
we are well aware of the dynamics needed
to impress the selection panel.”
Under the slogan “The RIGHT
PARTNER for a stronger World
Championships”, the Doha 2017 bid
team says it will develop a project called
“Athletics City” to accommmodate
athletes and officals if the bid is successful.
The development would feature luxury
apartments and 5-Star hotels and
complement the promised delivery
of a state-of-the-art stadium for the
Championships which would exceed
expectations. The lead venue is the 50,000
capacity Khalifa International Stadium,
part of the Aspire complex which hosted
the World Indoors in April 2010.
“We are eager to work
with the IAAF over
the coming months
to ensure that the
2017 IAAF World
Championships set
new standards”
The arena is set to have retractable seating
installed in order to give spectators the
best possible view for track and field.
The seating technology is similar to that
featured at the Stade de France in Paris,
where international athletics, football and
rugby events are staged at different times
of the year without compromising the
spectator experience.
The venue will also include the first
ever stadium-wide 100 metre panoramic
screen, while sophisticated air-cooling
systems earmarked for the Qatar 2022
FIFA World Cup will be installed to
overcome the challenges of the hot
seasonal weather in the Gulf region.
Meanwhile, the bid has successfully
lobbied to hold the Championships in
mid-September rather than the traditional
August date - a request that the IAAF
Council agreed to last month.
With QOC Secretary General Sheikh
Saoud named as chief of the Doha
2017 IAAF World Championships Bid
Committee, Al Zaini highlights the
experienced bid team, which has “full
support from all levels of government” as
another reassuring feature of the Doha
28 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport

Heptathlete Jessica Ennis trains in the
Aspire Zone before the IAAF World Indoor
Championships Doha 2010.
bid. “We are eager to work with the IAAF
over the coming months to finalise the
plans to fit their needs and ensure that the
2017 IAAF World Championships set new
standards,” he said.
Despite the strength of the Qatari bid,
London will be a formidable opponent.
With a brand new athletics stadium
as the focal point of the 2012 Olympic
Games, London will have a world-class
facility to stage the event - even if some
doubts remain over its future use. The
uncertainty stems from an ongoing legal
dispute over which professional football
club - Tottenham Hotspur or West
Ham United - will take residency in the
Olympic Stadium after the Games, which
could derail London’s bid if such legalities
are not settled in time or in a satisfactory
way. A bid for the 2015 Championships,
for example, was abandoned earlier this
year because the Olympic Park Legacy
Company had yet to choose an anchor
tenant for the stadium after the London
2012 Olympic Games.
Whichever city wins the bid when
the IAAF decides on the 2017 Host
City on November 12 will win a prize
worth getting. The 2011 IAAF World
Championships staged in Daegu, Korea,
was covered in over 200 countries
worldwide, with an even greater
volume of coverage than the previous
Championships in Berlin 2009, which
attracted a cumulative global TV audience
of eight billion people.
DOHA’S TURN?
The next two editions of the IAAF
World Championships will be Moscow,
Russia (2013) and Beijing, China (2015).
Past editions were held in the following
cities with European venues staging
nine of the 13 events: Daegu, South
Korea (2011), Berlin, Germany (2009),
Osaka, Japan (2007), Helsinki, Finland
(2005), Paris St-Denis, France (2003),
Edmonton, Canada (2001), Seville,
Spain (1999), Athens, Greece (1997),
Göteborg, Sweden (1995), Stuttgart,
Germany (1993), Tokyo, Japan (1991),
Rome, Italy (1987) and Helsinki,
Finland (1983).
Qatar Sport | Issue 15 | 29

FOR THE RECORD: WHO’S MAKING HEADLINES IN SPORT WORLDWIDE?
KEEGAN BRADLEY
PGA Tour rookie Keegan Bradley became only the third
golfer to win a Major on debut when he claimed the PGA
Championships in August. In the same competition, 14-time
Major winner Tiger Woods missed the cut by six shots, only the
third missed cut at a Major in his pro career. The record of 18
Majors, held by Jack Nicklaus, is looking increasingly unassailable.
Top Ten Major Winners
Jack Nicklaus (USA) 18
Tiger Woods (USA) 14
Walter Hagen (USA 11
Gary Player (RSA) 9
Ben Hogan (USA) 9
Tom Watson (USA) 8
Arnold Palmer (USA) 7
Sam Sneed (USA) 7
Gene Sarazen (USA) 7
Bobby Jones (USA) 7
ROBIN VAN PERSIE
Dutch sriker Robin Van Persie scored four goals in an 11-0
rout of San Marino in a European Championship qualifier in
September - the first Dutchman to score four in a Euro qualifier
since the great Marco van Basten netted a record five against
Malta in 1990. Holland currently heads the FIFA rankings,
replacing Spain on top in August.
FIFA World Rankings
Netherlands 1,596
Spain 1,563
Germany 1,330
England 1,177
Uruguay 1,174
Brazil 1,156
Italy 1,110
Portugal 1,060
Argentina 1,017
Croatia 1,009
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic beat Spain’s Rafael Nadal for the sixth
straight time this year to capture the men’s US Open title and
his fourth Grand Slam crown. He also became the sixth man in
the open era to win three Grand Slam titles in the same year.
Djokovic has been ranked world number one in men’s tennis
since July 3.
ATP Tour Rankings
Novak Djokovic (SRB) 14,720
Rafa Nadal (ESP) 10,620
Roger Federer (SWI) 8,380
Andy Murray (GB) 7,165
David Ferrer (ESP) 4,200
Robin Soderling (SWE) 3,785
Gael Monfils (FRA) 2,850
Mardy Fish (USA) 2,820
Tomas Berdych (CZE) 2,770
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 2,700
30 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport

JAMAICA 4 X 100M
Jamaica broke the world record to win gold in the men’s
4x100m in 37.04 seconds at the IAAF World Championships in
Daegu, Korea. Sprint superstar Usain Bolt was primed for the
final leg of the relay by Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and reigning
100m World Champion Yohan Blake, to smash the 37.10 record
set by the Jamaicans at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
4 x 100m Relay Records
Jamaica (2011) 37.04
Jamaica (2008) 37.10
United States (1993) 37.40
United States (1992) 37.40
United States (1991) 37.50
United States (1991) 37.67
United States (1991) 37.79
France (1990) 37.79
United States (1984) 37.83
United States (1983) 37.86
RYAN LOCHTE
US swimmer Ryan Lochte broke the only world record at the
FINA World Championships in Shanghai, beating the time he
set in Rome two years ago. Lochte finished in one minute, 54
seconds, lowering the record by one-tenth of a second. He also
became the first swimmer to break a long-course world record
in the post-rubberised suit era.
200m Individual Medley
Ryan Lochte (2011) 1:54.00
Ryan Lochte (2009) 1:54.10
Michael Phelps (2008) 1:54.23
Michael Phelps (2008) 1:54.80
Michael Phelps (2007) 1:54.98
Michael Phelps (2006) 1:55.84
Michael Phelps (2003) 1:55.94
Michael Phelps (2003) 1:56.04
Michael Phelps (2003) 1.57.52
Michael Phelps (2003) 1:57.94
HOMARE SAWA
Homare Sawa led Japan to its first ever FIFA Women’s World
Cup title with victory over the United States in a penalty
shootout over the summer. Sawa was also awarded the Golden
Boot as the tournament’s leading scorer and the Golden Ball for
being the tournament’s top player. The win moves Japan up to a
record fourth place in the FIFA Women’s rankings.
FIFA Women’s Rankings
USA 2,162
Germany 2,146
Brazil 2,121
Japan 2,101
Sweden 2,085
England 1,997
France 1,981
Canada 1,953
Australia 1,946
Norway 1,940
Qatar Sport | Issue 15 | 31

Where can you go in Doha
to keep fit in a friendly and
sociable atmosphere?
Qatar Sport has the answers…
THERE IS growing demand from people
living in Doha, nationals as well as
expatriates, for spaces where they can
work out, keep fit and relax.
While most residential compounds and
apartments blocks in the capital have their
own basic gym facilities on site, for a more
sociable and inspiring experience - with
access to state-of-the-art equipment and
professional instruction - Doha offers a
wealth of opportunities.
But knowing where to go in Doha’s
fast-changing cityscape requires a little
local knowledge, which is where Qatar
Sport can help.
From the government funded ‘Aspire
Active’ which offers membership against
symbolic monthly fees to the city’s elegant
5-Star hotels, there are numerous places to
practice sport or work out in style.
Internationally known gyms, such as
Fitness First located in the City Centre
Mall, have opened branches in the city,
while Doha has many private clubs of
varying styles and sizes, catering for men
and women alike.
At the top end of the scale is the
luxurious Al Dana Club situated inside the
Khalifa International Complex for Tennis
and Squash. With its family orientated
facilities, Al Dana is one of the most
sought-after fitness and relaxation centres
in Qatar and is especially popular with
women. Similarly, the Al Thuraya Ladies
Club caters for Doha’s women residents
who want to keep healthy and active.
Qatar Sport has chosen four unique
activity centres that together offer
something for everyone with an interest
in keeping fit: Boot Camp Qatar, the
Sheraton Health & Recreation Club, Al
Dana Club and Aspire Active.
32 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport

BOOTCAMP QATAR
“Bootcamp has become a global
phenomenon. From the United States
and Europe where it first started, this
outdoor fitness activity started five or six
years ago in Dubai and reached Doha two
years ago.” So says Tim Nunan, one of two
senior trainers supervising the Bootcamp
sessions in Doha, helped by a number of
other qualified assistants.
Bootcamp is a methodology, explains
Nunan, a new approach to the tough ‘task’
of keeping fit which requires a great deal
of discipline, but is enjoyed by the people
who participate.
Signing up for Bootcamp in Doha at
around 750 Qatari Riyals ($205) for a
month long course means taking part in
morning or evening sessions three days
a week, either in the Education City or
Corniche Park.
It involves high intensity and minimal
rest programmes where the camaraderie
and attention from the instructors pushes
the willing followers to the limits. As a longstanding
member once said, “I challenge
anyone to work that hard on their own”.
“Setting targets is also very important,”
says Nunan, who explains that motivation
is boosted by monthly progress tests.As
a result, many Bootcampers have stayed
with the programme for two years; some
even claim that Bootcamp has transformed
their lives. The group sizes range from
between 10 and 20 and comprise about
70 per cent women and 30 per cent men.
SHERATON HEALTH &
RECREATION CLUB
The Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention
Hotel has one of the best-equipped gyms in
Doha with stunning views over West Bay, as
well as indoor and outdoor multi-purpose
courts for tennis, squash, and badminton.
But the Sheraton’s Health & Recreation
Club’s reputation isn’t built solely on the
quality and ambience of its facilities.
Club manager Zahreddine Riani is
in charge of activities and programmes
designed for over 1000 members. He
says that the club’s partnership with the
‘Core Performance’ programme provides
members and residents with “a wide range
of ideas and tips which lead to a unique
experience, joining relaxation and fun to
fitness and wellbeing.”
Activites include spinning (cycling),
cardio, yoga, pilates, ballet, heavy power,
squash, tennis, swimming and many other
classes, including current dance crazes
such as Oriental dance and Zumba dance.
“Our recently upgraded state-of-the-art
Technogym equipment makes our gym
one of the most enjoyable experiences of
workouts for all,” Riani adds.
“We also provide our guests with handy
in-room booklets suggesting various
exercising programmes, from ‘Jump Start
Your Day’ to ‘Re-Energise’ to ‘Long Travel
Day Recovery’. The members and guests
can also get fitness bags, free of charge,
allowing them to exercise wherever
they may be, in addition to a variety of
nutrition and safety tips.”
“Thirty three per cent of our members
are Qatari nationals, with almost the same
proportion from various Arab nationalities
while the remaining percentage is mainly
formed of Europeans and Americans,” says
Riani, who highlights the social dimension
of the club activities which are by no
means exclusive but available even for
non-members against relatively low fees.
Qatar Sport | Issue 15 | 33

ASPIRE ACTIVE
The Aspire Dome and the Aspire
Academy for Sporting Excellence are
well-known in the international sporting
arena for their state-of-the-art facilities.
Qatar’s national teams in boxing, fencing,
gymnastics and football all train in the
Aspire Zone, which has also hosted megafootball
clubs like Manchester United and
Bayern Munich.
But at the local level, ordinary people
living in Doha can also benefit from
the remarkable facilities available in the
Aspire Zone. George Grigore, the Fitness
Programme Leader within Aspire Active,
underlines the high quality of these
activities and programmes which are
available for monthly “symbolic” fees.
The Aspire Active programme started
in 2007 and targets a wide range of clients
from all age groups.
“Our spacious halls allow us to
accommodate classes of up to 50 and even
60 persons per session. This brings the
number of participants in our programme
to some 6,000 every month,” says Grigore
who underlines that while Aspire is not
competing with anyone, many of the
Aspire clients come back after trying
something different.
“Aspire’s marketing policy relies
on positive publicity from those
who experience and appreciate the
professionalism and quality of our
programmes within their circle of friends
and family,” says Grigore, “and there are
periods when we find ourselves in the
position of having to suspend admissions
for some time.”
Grigore insists on the quality of trainers
and instructors enrolled by Aspire. They
are highly qualified at the technical level,
but are also expected to be role models
for the participants in terms of adopting a
healthy lifestyle.
Reducing the negative effects of the
modern sedentary lifestyle is an ongoing
mission and Aspire’s trainers have helped
many Qataris take up the challenge.
Aspire Active’s weight loss challenges, for
example, have seen some participants lose
up to 80kg within one year.
THE AL DANA CLUB
The centrally-located Al Dana Club is, first
and foremost, a great family club for Doha
residents offering a range of activities and
special events for kids and adults alike.
For families with up to five children
under 18 years of age the fees are 11,000
Qatari Riyals ($3,000) per year which
opens the door for members to a host of
social and sporting events every year.
Facilities at the club complex, which has
won awards for its classical white-washed
Qatari architecture, include tennis courts,
swimming pools (indoor and outdoor),
squash courts, a massage room and
snooker tables.
But for fans of strength, toning and
cardiovascular fitness activities, Dana club
has two state of the art gyms (Bahar and
Tawash) equipped with top health and
fitness industry brands such as Nautilus
and Technogym.
The Bahar gym contains an indoor
swimming pool, while the Tawash gym
has a kinesis and aerobics studio.
Both clubs have experienced instructors
on hand to design personal programmes
whether its to lose weight or simply
improve general fitness.
The Al Dana Club is also the perfect
location for long-stay visitors from
the Gulf region who may wish to take
advantage of the Dana club’s exclusive
male and female facilities. There is a
separate gym for women and split times
between men and women for the indoor
swimming pools.
All that and the club members are just
a stone’s throw away from centre court
at the Khalifa International Tennis and
Squash Complex, where greats like Roger
Federer, Rafa Nadal and the Williams
sisters have become regular visitors in
recent years.
34 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport

Enjoy a traditional Latino festive in the heart of Doha AND the Sheraton Doha!
Latino Restaurant is a unique and authentic South American restaurant
with Latin flavors and astonishing ambiance while dancing to the rhythm
of our new duo Nyra and Bruno.
Skews of delicious Spiedo Chicken Rodizio, the slow roasted chicken
barbecue perfectly seasoned and served every night.
For lovers of succulent variety of rotisserie grilled meats join us to
Fernando’s Churassco Night every Wednesday for a unique taste
like nowhere else in Doha!
For more details, please call +974 4485 4556
Latinodoha.com
LATINO IS BETTER WHEN SHARED

TRENDS
Bear Pascoe of the New York
Giants runs out at the MetLife
Stadium, New York.
What’s in a Name?
Venue naming rights have become top commercial properties in recent years but
has the heat gone out of the market?
STADIUM AND arena naming rights
are a difficult sell in the current global
economic climate as brands baulk at the
long-term commitment that such deals
generally entail.
To illustrate the trend, two major
properties attached to famous sports
teams remain unsold: the Dallas Cowboys
Stadium, built in 2009 and home to
America’s favourite National Football
League (NFL) team; and Juventus Stadium
in Turin, Italy, the new base for Juventus
FC, one of the giants of Italian soccer,
which opened this September.
As the table illustrates, those naming
rights deals that have been signed off in
recent years tend to reflect the power of
the world’s mega-city markets rather than
the strength of the sports brands attached
to the venues. The biggest deals around
the world have been made in metropolitan
markets like New York and Los Angeles,
where the awareness generated by a major
league naming rights sponsorships makes
the most commercial sense.
This year, for example, the new home
to the New York Giants and New York
Jets NFL franchises was renamed MetLife
Venue Team/property Term (years) Price (per annum)
JP Morgan Chase Madison Square Gardens 10 $30m
Farmers Insurance Stadium Los Angeles NFL franchise 30 $23.3m
Barclays Center New Jersey Nets 20 $20m
Citi Field New York Mets 20 $20m
MetLife Stadium New York Giants and New York Jets 25 $16m
Etihad Stadium Manchester City 10 $15m
Reliant Stadium Houston Texans 30 $10m
Phillips Arena Atlanta Hawks 10 $9.1m
Allianz Arena Bayern Munich 30 $8m
FedEx Field Washington Redskins 27 $7.7m
Bank of America Stadium Carolina Panthers 20 $7m
Lincoln Financial Center Philadelphia Eagles 20 $7m
American Airlines Center Dallas Mavericks 30 $6.5m
Lucas Oil Stadium Indianapolis Colts 20 $6.1m
Invesco Field Denver Broncos 20 $6m
Stadium for the next 25 years in a
partnership worth $400m.
MetLife Stadium has already been
earmarked to host the 2014 Super Bowl
- and at around $16m per year, the deal
values the venue among the top five
naming rights properties in US sport, of
which four are now in the Tri-State area.
JP Morgan Chase’s presenting
sponsorship of Madison Square Garden
is valued at $30m per annum, followed
by the Barclays Center (New Jersey)
and Citi Field (New York), both at $20m
per annum. At $23.3m per annum, the
yet-to-be-built Farmers Insurance Stadium
in Los Angeles is the highest value deal
outside the New York metropolitan area.
The exception to this mega-city rule is
the naming rights agreement for Etihad
Stadium, home to English Premier
League’s, Manchester City, which is valued
at around $15m per annum and is part of a
wider marketing and real estate play by the
Abu-Dhabi owned airline.
36 | Issue 15 | Qatar Sport