The official magazine of the qatar olympic committee

Issue 12 December 2010 $10
The official magazine of the qatar olympic committee
AFC ASIAN CUP
COUNTDOWN TO
THE BIG KICK OFF
UNITING NATIONS
HOW SPORT
BUILDS PEACE
STRIKING GOLD
QATAR AT THE
ASIAN GAMES
QATAR’S WORLD CUP DREAM COMES TRUE

QATARSPORT.ISSUE 12.CONTENTS
04 QOC Comment Message from the Secretary General
05 News World-class event round-up
12 Asia Rising Your guide to the AFC Asian Cup
16 Iconic Lusail Where the World Cup begins
18 Guangzhou 2010 Team Qatar at the 16th Asian Games
22 Going Global Doha’s Club World Cup double
24 Green machines Cycling’s environmental initiative
27 Health and Society Wilfried Lemke shares his vision
28 Aspire4Sport Sporting greats in the spotlight
30 Rankings The best of the best in sport
32 The Big Interview ATP International’s Brad Drewett
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, 2010.
www.olympic.qa
qoc@olympic.qa
Designed and produced for the Qatar Olympic Committee by SportBusiness Group, London.
Cover photo: Getty Images
ISSUE 12 QATARSPORT 3

Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Secretary General, Qatar Olympic Committee
Welcome...
December 2, 2010 will be remembered as a
historic day for sport in Qatar and the whole
of the Middle East. On that day one of our
dreams came true.
Members of the FIFA Executive Committee
voted for Qatar as the host of the 2022 World
Cup, entrusting our nation with the organisation
of the world’s greatest sports competition.
The decision led to tremendous celebrations
throughout Qatar. We are a nation which loves
all sport. To be honoured as the host of the
FIFA World Cup will put our nation at the
centre of world football and we are determined
to deliver a competition which elevates the
popularity of the sport and leaves a genuine
and practical legacy for Qatar and the world.
We are delighted and grateful to the
members of the committee for their decision to
honour us in this way.
Our success was the result of a persuasive,
creative and technologically inspiring
campaign which benefited from the guidance
and direction of bid committee chairman
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa
Al-Thani, the unswerving support of Qatar
Olympic Committee’s (QOC) President HH
Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and the
dynamism of the bid CEO Hassan Al-Thawadi
along with the great team.
It is also impossible to overstate the
importance of the inspiration and support
of The Emir, HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa
Al-Thani and HH Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser
Al-Missned, who played such an important role
in our final presentation. It was a success for
everybody in Qatar and every person living in
the Middle East. The bid was fuelled by their
excitement and tremendous support.
In selecting Qatar, FIFA showed that they
were eager to start a new era in global football
in which our region is properly represented
and encouraged to make a full contribution to
developing a successful future for the world’s
most popular sport.
For our government and QOC and our
federation it was the ultimate award and fruit
of two decades in which sport has been made
a top priority in our country. We have invested
not only in the facilities and infrastructure
to host world-class events but in creating
opportunities for young people to fulfil their
sporting potential at every phase of their lives.
Our belief in the health and social benenfits
of sport and of its potential to heal gaps between
individuals, groups and even nations remains
strong in promoting peace and our commitment
to sport has only been strengthened by the
opportunity we have in 2022.
We would like to offer our congratulations
to the Olympic Council of Asia and the
Organising Committee of the 16th Asian
Games in Guangzhou, China. It is a beautiful
city which put on a spectatcular Games.
This is an exciting time of the year for sport
in Qatar as we look ahead to a programme of
top class international events in sports including
athletics, golf, ATP tennis and motorcycling.
We are also looking forward to hosting
the 9th World conference on Sport and
Environment from April 30 to May 2, 2011 in
cooperation with the International Olympic
Committee and to welcoming all IOC
Members and delegates to discuss a range
of issues important to the future of sport,
sustainability and express Qatar’s love of sport.
As our World Cup bid demonstrated, we are
clearly focused on envrionmental issues and
are planning to make a number of key special
announcements at the conference.
Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani
Secretary General, Qatar Olympic Committee
4 QatarSport ISSUE 12

ISSUE 12 NEWS
THE GREATEST PRIZE
When FIFA President Sepp Blatter
ended the waiting and announced Qatar
as the host nation of the 2022 World
Cup, the entire Middle East region united
in celebration.
In the auditorium at the Messe
Convention Centre in Zurich,
Switzerland, there was an outburst of
emotion among the Qatari delegation,
which included HH the Emir of the State
of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-
Thani, his Consort HH Sheikha Mozah
Nasser al-Misnad [pictured above with
Sepp Blatter] and their son, the chairman
of the Qatar 2022 bid campaign, HE
Sheikh Mohammad bin Hamad Al-Thani.
At the same moment, crowds around
Doha’s Corniche, Souq Waqif and Aspire
Park burst into chants of “Qatar, Qatar”
as the FIFA President’s announcement
resonated throughout Qatar but also
across the Middle East.
Because as HE Sheikh Mohammad
observed after receiving the host nation
certificate from the FIFA President,
the honour of staging football’s global
showcase belongs to the entire region.
“Thank you for the faith to us, and
thank you for the faith in us to broaden
the base of the game and give us a
chance,“ he said. “Thank you and we will
never let you down and we promise that
you will be proud of the Middle East.”
No other country in the Middle East
has ever hosted the FIFA World Cup
finals and Sheikh Mohammad stressed
that every effort would be made to make
the first ever World Cup in the region a
historic milestone.
“We were written off early on and no
one saw that we had a chance to win.
But because of the millions of people
who stood with us, we won,” said Sheikh
Mohammad. “We will deliver with a lot
of passion and make sure that this is a
milestone in the history of Middle East
and the history of FIFA.”
The FIFA vote, which saw Russia
awarded the 2018 edition, was the climax
to a Bid campaign that has redefined what
is possible in mega-event hosting.
The FIFA World Cup in Qatar will
benefit from a $50 billion infrastructure
allocation in the Gulf state over the
coming years and $4 billion worth of
investment in stadium new builds and
upgrades for the finals.
More than that, Qatar 2022 has the
potential to generate a benefit without
price in terms of a greater tolerance and
understanding between the Middle East
and the rest of the world.
In Qatar 2022’s final bid presentation,
HH Sheikha Mozah asked the FIFA
Executiev Committee to consider when, if
not now, was the right time to award the
Middle East with the hosting right to the
World Cup? Now, the whole world knows
the answer.
ISSUE 12 QATARSPORT 5

NEWS
IN BRIEF
The QOC Sports Affairs
Department featured 12
national sports federations
at this year’s “Olympic Day” Carnival
at Aspire Park on November 4.
Formerly known as the “Olympic
Day Run” the name change allowed
the carnival to including new sports
such as sailing, gymnastics, judo,
taekwondo, bowling and golf.
Williams F1 team boss
Sir Frank Williams would
like to see Qatar host a
Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Losail
International Circuit. “I would love
to see a race in Qatar because of our
involvement here,” he said, referring
to the Williams technology centre
being built in the country. “In my
humble opinion, the Losail circuit is
admirably suited for an F1 race.”
Qatar’s golf team claimed
silver medals in both the
individual and team events
to finish second overall behind
winners Morocco at the Arab Golf
Championship in Tunisia in October.
The hosts finished in third position at
the event, which featured 110 golfers
from 16 Arab Golf Union countries.
Qatari athletes claimed six
medals during the First
GCC Beach Games, hosted
by Manama, Bahrain in October.
Qatar’s Waleed Al Sharshani and
Hassan al Tamimi grabbed gold and
silver respectively in the laser radial
sailing class while Jalal Al Rayashi
won gold in the 80kg bodybuilding
category in which Issa Ahmed and
Waleed Kubaisi shared bronze. Silver
medals went to members of the Qatar
handball team.
Qatar women’s football
team took part in the
Arab Women’s Football
Championship held in Manama,
Bahrain in October. Despite early
elimination from the competition
following defeats against Palestine,
Bahrain and Syria, Qatar aims to
improve at upcoming regional events.
READY, GET SET, GO!
Qatar has set in motion the fourth annual
Schools Olympic Programme (SOP), which
this year runs from November to March
under the theme of ‘Sports and Education’.
At the launch event held at the Qatar
Sports Club, HE the Minister of Education
and Higher Education, Saad bin Ibrahim
Al-Mahmoud, highlighted the principle of a
“healthy mind in a healthy body” as key to a
successful school career and a good life.
“We want our students to adopt healthy
lifestyles and practice sport as a life method
that will contribute to their personal growth
and directly and positively affect their
academic performances,” Al-Mahmoud said.
Schools from across the country registered
thousands of their students aged between
6 and 18 years to compete in nine SOP
sports: athletics, swimming, gymnastics,
fencing, table tennis, football, basketball,
volleyball and handball.
The initiative will culminate in a threeday
Grand Finale at the Aspire Dome from
March 17-19.
• The success of the SOP was recently
recognised by the prestigious Mohammed
Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports
Awards, which honoured the QOC for its
innovative work in boosting sport in the
region through the SOP’s activities.
DAVID STRIKES AGAIN
Women’s squash number one Nicol Ann
David (right) of Malaysia won her fourth
Qatar Classic Squash title - and the 50th
WISPA title of her brilliant career - at the
Khalifa International Tennis and Squash
Complex in November.
David beat Australia’s Rachael Grinham
in straights sets to win the 10th Qatar
Classic and finish off the WISPA season in
style before flying off to the Asian Games
in Guangzhou, China where she clinched
individual gold at the Asian mega-event.
In the men’s tournament, Karim Darwish
of Egypt defeated compatriot Amr Shabana
in four sets to win his second title in Qatar.
6 QATARSPORT ISSUE 12

ISSUE 12 NEWS
FAREWELL TO DOHA… FOR NOW
Women’s Tennis Association chairman
and CEO Stacey Allaster bade an
emotional farewell to the third and
final Women’s Tennis Association
(WTA) Championships at the Khalifa
International Tennis Complex in October.
Allaster admitted to journalists after
the final of the WTA’s season-ending
championships that Doha was the scene of
her most cherished memory in more than
20 years as a top tennis executive.
“I’m often asked about my favourite
moments,” she said. “By far, my favourite
moment came in 2008, when Sheikha
Mozah presented the Billie Jean King
trophy to Venus Williams.
“For me, this is the essence of Billie
Jean King’s dream... three women from
different cultures being fantastic global
ambassadors to inspire youth around the
world in a variety of different ways.”
Allaster, who took over as the WTA
chief in 2009, also had fulsome praise for
the way the event was organised over the
last three years in Doha.
“I would officially like to thank the
Qatar Olympic Committee, the Qatar
Tennis Federation, with Nasser Al-
Khulaifi, the President, and Karim Alami,
the Tournament Director, for three
fantastic years here,” she said.
“We’ve seen the Qatar 2022 [FIFA
World Cup] bid throughout the week.
Their theme is, “Expect Amazing.” Our
three years here have been amazing…so
we have been very fortunate.”
Allaster was also confident that
women’s tennis would continue to play an
important role in Qatari sport for years
to come. “This is not the end of women’s
tennis here. They started in the Middle
East and the WTA Premier event will
come back on the calendar in just a few
months’ time in February.”
The $700,000 prize money tournament
will see 32 players compete for the title
next year. It will then be upgraded to a
$2.5m prize money tournament from
2012 to 2014 with the participation of 56
players [Dubai will host the 2015 event].
In fact, Doha can expect to see many of
the top players who starred at this year’s
WTA Championships back on court for
the Premier event, although the drama
of this year’s final between the comeback
queen Kim Clijsters of Belgium and
world number one Caroline Wozniacki of
Denmark may be tough to beat.
After a see-saw match which lasted two
hours and 19 minutes, it was Clijsters who
took the title and the $1.45 million top
prize in a three-set thriller.
The winner of this year’s US Open
broke Wozniacki’s serve in an eight-minute
opening game, which set the tone for the
rest of the final, which Clijster’s eventually
clinched on her second match-point to
win 6-3 5-7 6-3.
“I’m kind of relieved because it seemed
like it would never end,” said Clijsters
who saved three break points on her serve
before wrapping up the final game.
“It was just a great battle, great fitness
and I think we showed the crowd some
great women’s tennis.”
The doubles final was won by top seeds
Gisela Dulko of Argentina and Italy’s
Flavia Pennetta.
Kim Clijsters in 2010.
Memories of 2008: Sheikha Mozah, Billie-
Jean King and Venus Williams.
ISSUE 12 QATARSPORT 7

NEWS
IN BRIEF
The International Shooting
Sport Federation (ISSF)
granted a gold medal
for Qatar Shooting and Archery
Federation (QSAF) in recognition of its
successful organisation of the Asian
Youth Shooting Championship held in
December 2009. QSAF Board Member
Mohammad Abdulrahman Al Jaber
received the medal on behalf of QSAF
2010 Youth Olympic Games qualifier.
Qatar’s sabre fencing team
struck gold at the GCC
Fencing Championship for
men in Kuwait in October. The sabre
team recorded a 45-40 win over hosts
Kuwait, adding to the individual sabre
gold medal won by Qatar’s Ahmed
Abduldaim. The foil team claimed
silver and the epee team finished third.
BREAKING THE ICE
The Qatar Olympic Committee has launched
its search for a national ice hockey team to
compete at the 2011 Asian Winter Games
in Kazakhstan to be held from January 30 to
February 6.
Marking the first edition of the Qatar Ice
Hockey Championship in October, the fourteam
tournament featured players from all
over the world, with the best of the Qatarqualified
players certain to be fast-tracked
into the national team.
QOC General Secretary Sheikh Saoud
was on hand to crown the Qatar 1 team as
winners of the inaugural championships
after they defeated ‘Sand Storm’ 5-2 in the
final match. Qatar 2 and ‘Desert Heat’ were
ousted in the semi-finals
According to Mohammad Eisa Al Fadala,
supervisor of the Qatar national ice hockey
team the squad for Kazakhstan will include
20 players who will compete in a group
along with the United Arab Emirates (UAE),
Hong Kong and Mongolia.
Qatar will face the UAE in the first match
on 28 January 2011 two days before the
Opening Ceremony.
The Qatari cycling team
topped the table at the
second Arab Cycling
Championship held at the Zayed
Velodrome in Sharjah, UAE in
November. The Qatari team bagged
nine medals including six golds, one
silver and two bronzes. The event
saw cyclists from Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, Qatar, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq,
Algeria, Sudan and United Arab
Emirates take part.
The Qatar Football
Association selected
national referees to officiate
the friendly international between the
two giants of South American soccer,
Brazil and Argentina on November
17 at Khalifa stadium in Doha. The
selected Qatari referees were
Abdullah Al Baloushi, Mohammed
Jaber Zarman, Hassan Rashid Al
Zawadi and Mohammed Al Marri.
Qatari rally star Nasser
Al-Attiyah, driving a Ford
Fiesta S2000, claimed
his maiden Intercontinental Rally
Challenge (IRC) victory in the Cyprus
Rally, the 12th and final event of
the season. The victory meant that
M-Sport, representing Ford, finished
third in the final standings.
Qatar's ice-hockey trials.
RACING INTO HISTORY
Qatar Endurance Racing Team (QERT 95)
completed an historic hat-trick of
Superstock titles by winning the Doha
8-hour race at the Qtel World Endurance
Championship at the Losail International
Circuit in November.
The Qatari team, consisting of the
experienced trio of Qatari Moto2 rider
Mishal Al Naimi, Anthony Delhalle and
Alexander Cudlin rose to the challenge to
claim victory in Doha by one lap from Team
Motors Events (France), and Boenig Penz13
Racing (Germany) to clinch the World Cup.
The victory completes a great year for
Qatar Motor and Motorcycling Federation
president Nasser Khalifa al-Attiyah, who is
also team manager of the Qatari teams and
General Manager of Losail International
Circuit.
Al-Attiyah was elected as the new
International Motorcycling Federation
(FIM) Vice President in October - the first
time an Asian has been elected to the post at
the IOC-recognised federation.
8 QATARSPORT ISSUE 12

ISSUE 12 10 NEWS
CLEAR BLUE WATERS
The Qatar Sailing and Rowing Federation
hosted the first 470 World Championship
of any kind to be staged in the Middle
East when the 470 Junior World
Championships set sail from the Doha
Sailing Club in December.
With sailing enjoying a boom in the
Gulf region, the 470 Class chose Doha
for its season-ending finale not only for
its great sailing conditions, but because
Qatar’s geographic location made the
event “extremely accessible” for a new
generation of competitors from Africa, the
Middle East and Asia.
“The selection of Doha represents a
continuation of our approach to showcase
the very best of junior [under the age of
22] 470 sailing in different regions around
the world,” said Stanislav Kassarov, the
Bulgarian President of the International
470 Class. “Doha has demonstrated its
ability to successfully host world-class
sailing events and the 470 Class is proud
to be adding to that success.”
Kassarov explained that the 470 Class
stages the Junior World Championship at
a “strategically-located event venue” every
year and aims to attract a broad range of
entries from around the world with its
“pay and play” philosophy, while ensuring
equality of competition by the supply of
the same boats for all entries.
“We are very excited by the
opportunities the pay and play approach
gives to increase the accessibility of 470
sailing, and we are also confident that
we will attract new nations to continue
to expand our strong base of active 470
sailing in more than 60 nations around the
world,” said Kassarov.
The clear blue waters of Doha Bay last
hosted a major 470 event when it staged
the 470 Men’s and 470 Women races at
the 2006 Asian Games, however this is
far from the only international event to
take advantage of the excellent sailing
conditions in the Gulf during the mild
Qatari winter - and the enjoyable social
programmes that accompany them.
In February, the Doha Sailing Club
in tandem with the Qatar Sailing and
Rowing Federation will host the 19th
edition of the “Sail the Gulf” International
Regatta - an event which will see around
30 countries take part in Optimist, Laser
(Standard, Radial and 4.7 types), 470 and
Hobie class boats.
Last year’s event saw 200 sailors and
officials from 28 countries enter the
Regatta, including competitors from as
far afield as Australia, Canada, Germany,
India, Russia, the United Kingdom and
South Africa, as well as regional racers
from the likes of Bahrain, Egypt, Iran,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Syria and the
United Arab Emirates.
470 Class sailing comes to Doha Bay.
ISSUE 12 QATARSPORT 9

NEWS
IN BRIEF
QFA President Sheikh
Hamad bin Khalifa bin
Ahmed al-Thani has
confirmed that Qatar will play a
friendly match against World Cup
champions Spain in Doha sometime
in 2011. The QFA are also planning a
friendly against Brazil and has lined
up matches against Kuwait and 2010
World cup semi-finalist Uruguay.
Qatar’s national basketball
team claimed the gold
medal the 12th GCC
Men’s Basketball Championship
title after defeating UAE 81-71 in
the final in Dubai this October. The
Qatari hoopsters, ranked 29th in the
world, registered victories in all their
matches as they defeated Bahrain 84-
79, UAE 83-69 and Saudi Arabia 89-64.
FIM Superstock World
Cup holders, the Qatar
Endurance Racing Team,
clinched another Superstock title
when they clinched first place at the
Bahrain six-hour Bike Festival. QERT’s
Rashid al-Mannai, Nasser al-Malki
and returning Moto2 rider Mashel al-
Naimi rode their Suzuki GSXR 1000’s
to win the Superstock category and
finish a remarkable third overall
behind the Endurance World
Championship class winner.
The Qatar Table Tennis
Association plans to send
invitations to all member
countries of the International Table
Tennis Federation for next year’s Police
Qatar Open, which includes four events:
the Over 40 Men’s Singles, Under 40
Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles and
Men’s Singles for Athletes with a
Disability. Entries for the inaugural
2010 event were received from Egypt,
the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
More than 10,000 people
responded to the call of the
“Reach Out To Asia’ charity
for its “Wheels ‘n’ Heels” fundraiser
along Doha’s Corniche. The event
was organised in support of ROTA’s
“Education for All” initiative.
CHAMPIONS CHOOSE ASPIRE
Last season’s UEFA Champions League
finalists Inter Milan and Bayern Munich
could be the next European club giants to
take advantage of the state-of-the-art facilities
at the Aspire Academy.
Following Manchester United’s successful
four-day training break at the facility last year,
the Italian and German super-clubs are set to
choose the Aspire Academy as a mid-winter
training base in 2011.
In Doha for the Aspire4Sport exhibition,
FC Bayern Munich official, Andreas Kufner
revealed they the club will return to Doha
in January. “We are coming here not just
for us but our sponsors. We want to focus
not only on staging matches but sustainable
activities which are good for us and our
sponsors,” he said.
At the same event, Inter spokesperson
Stewart Park confirmed that the club is likely
to take up an invitation from the Aspire
Academy that was initially made last year.
Along with the indoor and outdoor
facilities at Aspire, Park said. “We have
been really impressed by the state-of-the-art
facilities at the [Aspetar Qatar Orthopaedic
and Sports Medicine] hospital. It is an
incredible facility and a very efficient one.”
IT’S A DEAL!
The Qatar national team will launch a new
maroon kit supplied by sporting goods giant
Nike for the country’s opening match of the
AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011 in January.
The technical sponsorship, signed by Qatar
Football Association President HE Sheikh
Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, will
see all Qatar’s national teams, from the first
team (men and women) through youth and
futsal teams wearing the famous sports brand.
“Qatar is focused on becoming a leader in
global football and is fast becoming a center for
sports in the Middle East,” commented Bert
Hoyt, Nike’s VP & General Manager Global
Football on completion of the deal. “We are
proud to bring Nike innovation to the forefront
of sporting development in this region.”
Expressing his support for the deal, Qatar’s
national team coach Bruno Metsu, said
that bringing Nike on board was a positive
step for the QFA, “not only because our
players will benefit from the most innovative
football products, but also the inspiration and
winning mentality that Nike represents.”
Qatar now joins a list of prestigious
national teams such as Brazil, Portugal and
Holland, along with iconic clubs including
Manchester United, FC Barcelona and
Arsenal FC on the Nike roster.
10 QATARSPORT ISSUE 12

ISSUE 12 NEWS
MESSI STARS ON MAGIC NIGHT
Lionel Messi burnished his reputation for
outstanding goals with a stunning winner
for Argentina against Brazil in front of
50,000 rapt spectators at Khalifa
Stadium, November 17.
On a night when World Cup
greats such as Zinedine Zidane, Carlos
Alberto, Johan Neeskens, Oswaldo
Ardiles and Mario Kempes were honoured
before the multi-national crowd, Messi
struck in injury time with a goal to grace
any occasion.
A one-two of back-flicks with teammate
Ezequiel Lavezzi on the half-way
line cleared the FIFA World Player of
the Year for a trademark raid on Brazil’s
central defence, culminating in a left-foot
drive which skimmed past Victor into the
corner of the net.
The goal raised the roof on Khalifa
Stadium and capped a thrilling night
in Doha, which proved once again that
Qatar has the ability to showcase topclass
sporting action in a world-class
setting, while delivering a complete
package of pre-match entertainment for
the fans.
Thanks to the buzz surrounding the
fixture and the festivities planned by the
local organisers some ticket holders
spent more than five hours in and
around the venue, enjoying the light show
and entertainment on offer in the Fan
Zone, which had proved such a success at
the Doha-hosted England-Brazil match
last year.
In the stadium itself, the sparkling white
dishdashas of the locals mingled with the
light blues and yellows of the opposing
fans to create a colourful spectacle – one
that was watched by millions on television
across Brazil and Argentina anxious to see
which of the archrivals would bounce back
after painful exits from the World Cup.
Both teams had installed new coaches
after South Africa - Mano Menezes for
Brazil and Sergio Batista for Argentina
– and the Doha clash also provided the
chance for the 30-year-old Ronaldinho,
who missed the World Cup, to stage a
comeback as captain of the “Selecao”.
A regular visitor to Qatar’s shores,
Ronaldinho impressed with his
accomplished midfield play and party
tricks that drew admiring cheers from
the crowd. But it was Messi who had the
final word both on and off the pitch.
The Barcelona player told the world’s
Lionel Messi scores
for Argentina against
Brazil in Doha.
press after the match that beating Brazil
for the first time in his career was a
“beautiful” feeling.
”I had planned that [goal] before
playing,” he said with a smile. ”I always
looked for my chance.”
ISSUE 12 QATARSPORT 11

ASIA RISING
AFC football chief Mohammed Bin Hammam highlights the
AFC Asian Cup’s leading role in football’s remarkable
growth story across the continent.
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President
Mohammed Bin Hammam has outlined his vision for
Asian football ahead of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar
2011. The Qatari, who will be re-elected to his current
position unopposed at the AFC Congress in Doha in
January, believes that Asia has the potential to rise as a
world football power second only to Europe - and that
this year’s Asian Cup will be different from anything
the continent has seen before.
“Asia will be the best in football after Europe,” says
the former Qatar Football Association chief who took
up the top job in Asian football back in 2002. “Asia
12 QatarSport ISSUE 12
has a strong economy and some of the countries
already have sound football infrastructure. There are
3.7 billion people in Asia. It is a diverse continent. We
have huge a player base. We have the right to dream
about challenging Europe as the future of football.”
The explosion of football across the continent over
the last decade has rewritten the rules for this year’s
AFC Asian Cup, which he also believes will be the
most competitive in its 55-year history. “Iraq’s win in
the 2007 edition has reshaped Asian football like
never before,” he said at the draw for the finals. “No
longer can the traditional powers of the East and West
Above: Qatar and Australia
in action at the Al Sadd
Sports Club Stadium during
the 2010 FIFA World Cup
qualifying stages.

o o o o o o o o o
AFC ASIAN CUP
QATAR 2011
take their places for granted. The new teams are
ambitious and hungry for success. And all this bodes
well for the fans.”
Even the group stages for Qatar 2011 are finely
balanced. “In fact, it looks like none of the teams is
guaranteed a spot in the knockout stage. They will all
have to work hard for it. I am absolutely convinced
that the competition will be intense and of a very high
quality because AFC’s Member Associations are doing
a lot of developmental work for their national teams.”
Bin Hammam adds that rising standards at national
team level in Asia have accelerated thanks to the
fast-developing club scene – a trend he hopes will
continue in the years to come “When you improve
the standard of club football, the game at national
level improves automatically,” he says.
“That’s what AFC is looking to do in the next four
years. Our role model in improving football is the
Champions League. We want to be their main rivals.
We have got a lot of help from Europeans, especially
the English Premier League (EPL). The experts in the
EPL have spoken to us and shared with us their
knowledge. We are utilising their help.”
Hammam argues that the healthy development of
Asian football comes after extensive work done by the
AFC to promote grassroots football in most parts of
Asia. “AFC’s ‘Vision Asia’ aims to improve professional
and amateur football at the grassroots level. We know
we have to develop these two areas. In Asia, there are
many countries with a population in excess of 50
million. There are countries with populations over
100 million and then we have nations like China and
India, two countries where the population is more
than one billion people in each. If football in these
countries improves, then the game can definitely
move forward.”
The AFC Asian Cup, hosted on Bin Hammam’s
home soil this January will provide another test of
Asian football’s progress and Bin Hammam is
confident that Qatar will deliver a high quality
tournament. “With its multi-ethnic population and
all-embracing culture, Doha is truly a home away
from home for most of the teams who will be playing
here,” he concludes. “And my country’s love and
passion for football should reassure everyone that this
will be one of the best tournaments ever.”
Left: AFC chief Mohammed
Bin Hammam at the draw
for the AFC Asian Cup in
April 2010.
A LICENSE TO THRILL
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani,
President of the Qatar Local Organising Committee
(QLOC) for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011 believes
that the country will deliver a tournament “to enthrall
the world” when the action kicks off at Khalifa
Stadium on January 7.
Qatar’s football authorities have been working on
the planning and preparation for Asian football’s
showcase event since the tournament was awarded to
the Gulf state in July 2007. Now the waiting is almost
over - and the Qatar Football Association chief is
confident that the Gulf state will rise to the occasion.
“Ever since we were granted the privilege of hosting
the 15th AFC Asian Cup anticipation has been
building,” says Sheikh Hamad.
“We are honoured to be entrusted to stage Asia’s
greatest football competition on the continent, and
you can be sure that we will deliver a tournament
which meets and even exceeds world-class standards.
“While the players will provide the skill, drama and
passion on the field, we are determined to provide
them with the perfect stage to enthrall the world.”
In recent months, the QLOC has put the finishing
touches on its event preparations from the start of the
retail ticket sales drive in October to the release of the
Asian Cup mascots in November.
Closer to the opening match between Qatar and
Uzbekistan, the city of Doha will be dressed in AFC
Asian Cup livery and the Fan Zones will be set up at
key locations to provide entertainment and refreshment
for thousands of soccer fans from home and abroad.
As the QFA President suggests, Qatar is perfectly
placed to deliver the event in terms of both its
stadium infrastructure and major event experience,
“We have created a sophisticated sporting
infrastructure which includes some of the best stadia
and facilities in the world,” says Sheikh Hamad.
“As a result, Qatar is regularly the host of
international events in a wide range of sports from
European Tour golf to ATP and WTA tennis, IAAF
Diamond League athletics and MotoGP racing”.
And, of course, the local organisers have also ensured
that the famed Qatari hospitality will be extended to all
AFC Asian Cup visitors. “The warmest of Qatari
welcomes awaits every visiting player, fan, official and
member of the media,” says Sheikh Hamad.
ISSUE 12 QatarSport 13

GROUP A
Qatar
As hosts, Qatar are an automatic entry for the finals, but last
played a competitive FIFA or AFC match in April 2009, when
their bid to reach the 2010 World Cup finals petered out at the
final group stage. Since then, manager Bruno Metsu has tried to
lift the hosts in a number of friendly matches which have
produced a spate of inconclusive draws. The last major
tournament on Qatari soil saw Qatar’s under-23s win the 2006
Asian Games - so anything is possible.
Star Player: Sebastian Soria (Club – Qatar Sports Club, Qatar)
GROUP B
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia qualified automatically as runners-up from the
2007 tournament, and the three-time AFC Asian Cup champions
must be considered among the favourites for Qatar 2011. Although
the Saudis failed to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup - losing the
continental play-offs to Bahrain on away goals - their performances
have improved markedly under Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro. The
Saudis have achieved morale-boosting results in recent internationals
games, including a 4-0 defeat of fellow qualifiers Uzbekistan.
Star Player: Osama Hawsawi (Club - Al Hilal, Saudi Arabia)
Kuwait
After missing out on the AFC Asian Cup 2007 finals,
Kuwait, the 1980 Championship winners, ensured an immediate
return to top-level competition by edging out Gulf neighbours
Oman on the final day of Group B qualification. Kuwait had
previously recorded a home draw and away win against Australia
to set up the West Asian decider, which saw Kuwait hold out for a
goalless draw in Muscat, Oman, to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup
for an eighth time.
Star Player: Bader Al Mutawa (Club - Al Qadsia, Kuwait)
Japan
The three-time AFC Asian Cup champions hope to regain the
title they lost in 2007 when a fourth-place finish meant that they
also missed out on automatic qualification to Qatar 2011. The
Blue Samurai booked their place in the finals by topping Group A
with an impressive record of five wins and one defeat. Under new
coach Alberto Zaccheroni Japan recently shocked Argentina with
a 1-0 in the Saitama Stadium in Tokyo when, for the first time,
Japan included nine Europe-based players in their team.
Star Player: Keisuke Honda (Club - CSKA Moscow, Russia)
China
China’s qualification to the 2011 AFC Asian Cup will see
the nation participate in the tournament for the tenth time.
Having suffered the disappointment of their country’s failure to
reach the final qualifying round of the 2010 World Cup, Chinese
fans can take heart from improved performances in recent months
and the sense of renewed ambition under new Chinese Football
Association President Wei Di. China hosted the 2004 edition of
the AFC Asian Cup, where they lost in the final to Japan.
Star Player: Li Weifeng (Club - Suwon Bluewings, Korea Republic)
Jordan
Despite garnering just one point from a possible nine in
the first-half of the AFC Asian Cup qualifying campaign, Jordan
stormed back to beat Iran 1-0 in the capital Amman to set up a
thrilling final day of Group E action. Jordan, Thailand and
Singapore were all in with a chance of joining Iran in the finals,
but Iran did Jordan a favour by beating Thailand in Tehran while
Jordan pulled their qualifying campaign out of the fire with a 2-1
home win over Singapore.
Star Player: Hasan Abdel Fattah (Club - Al Karamah, Syria)
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan have reached the AFC Asian Cup finals for the
fourth consecutive tournament since making their debut in 1996.
The Uzbeks qualified in convincing style, winning their first three
matches in Group C, which contained just three countries due to
India’s automatic qualification from the 2008 Challenge Cup.
Having beaten Bahrain 4-2 in a pre-tournament friendly, Coach
Vadim Abramov says he believes Uzbekistan could be a force to be
reckoned with in Qatar.
Star Player: Farhod Tadjiyev (Club - Pakhtakor, Uzbekistan)
Syria
Syria reached the AFC Asian Cup finals for the first time
since 1996 in impressive fashion as the Middle Eastern side not
only became one of the first to book their ticket to Qatar, but
emerged from the qualifying campaign as the only undefeated
side, with four wins and two draws against China, Lebanon and
Vietnam in Group D. Syrian football has also been buoyed by its
club scene which saw the Al Ittihad club defeat Kuwait’s Al Qadsia
in this year’s AFC Cup final.
Star Player: Firas Al Khatib (Club - Al Qadsia, Kuwait)
14 QATARSPORT ISSUE 12

o o o o o o o o o
AFC ASIAN CUP
QATAR 2011
GROUP C
Korea Republic
Korea Republic qualified automatically for Qatar 2011 as
third-place finishers in 2007 and were arguably the most impressive
of the Asian qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup - making it out of
the group stages of the finals on foreign soil for the first time before
bowing out to Uruguay. Korea’s lack of firepower upfront may be a
problem as a recent a goalless draw against Japan in Seoul suggests,
but with Park Ji Sung in fine form for Manchester United, Korea
can be hopeful of going all the way in Qatar.
Star Player: Park Ji-Sung (Club - Manchester United, England)
GROUP D
Iraq
Automatically qualified as 2007 champions, Iraq only resumed
playing matches on home soil in 2009, but have shown good form on
their travels by winning five out of seven international matches played
in Jordan, Qatar and the UAE ahead of the Gulf Cup in Yeman. The
Asian champions defeated AFC Asian Cup hosts Qatar 2-1 in Doha
and with German Wolfgang Sidka as their chief coach, the team now
has a leader with rich experience in the region having coached Al
Gharafa and Al-Arabi in Qatar and the Bahrain national team.
Younis Mahmoud (Club - Al Gharafa, Qatar)
India
Having qualified automatically for Qatar 20011 by winning
the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008, India is now under pressure to
perform in a tough group alongside Asian powerhouses Australia,
Korea Republic and the always-competitive Bahrain. British coach
Bob Houghton foresees an “enormous outcry” back home if his
side fails to pick up a point in Qatar, although that must remain a
possibility given India’s moderate record in its preparation
matches, including a 6-3 loss to Yemen.
Star Player: Sunil Chhetri (Club – Kansa City Wizards, USA)
DPR Korea
DPR Korea qualified automatically for the AFC Asian Cup
thanks to victory over Turkmenistan in the final of the 2010 AFC
Challenge Cup and the East Asians may now be considered
genuine title contenders rather than tournament “dark horses”.
The team qualified for the World Cup this year and the country
further highlighted its credentials by winning the AFC U-16
Championship in Uzbekistan to make it a youth double following
the AFC U-19 triumph in China in September.
Star Player: Hong Yong-Jo (Club - FC Rostov, Russia)
Australia
Having joined the AFC in 2006, Australia secured their place
at the AFC Asian Cup finals for the second time when they beat
Indonesia at home in the final Group B qualifier - a match they
couldn’t afford to lose given that the draw between Oman and
Kuwait would have seen both West Asian countries go through.
Utilising an almost exclusively domestic squad for the AFC
qualifiers, coach Pim Verbeek will now pick from his international
stars, making the Socceroos a very different proposition in Qatar.
Star Player: Tim Cahill (Club - Everton, England)
UAE
The United Arab Emirates ensured participation in the AFC
Asian Cup Qatar 2011 finals for the eighth time in their history by
finishing top of the three-team Group C, edging out runners-up
and fellow qualifiers Uzbekistan. The 1996 AFC Asian Cup
runners-up beat Malaysia home and away, but lost to Uzbekistan
in Sharjah before rounding off the campaign with a 1-0 victory in
Tashkent courtesy of a goal three minutes into second-half
stoppage time from Al Jazira midfielder Sultan Al Menhali.
Star Player: Ahmed Khalil (Club - Al Ahli, UAE)
Bahrain
Bahrain reached their third successive AFC Asian Cup finals
by finishing runners-up in Group A to regular adversaries Japan, a
team which the Bahrainis have faced six times in Asian and World
Cup qualifying campaigns since 2008. Having made the finals,
Bahrain replaced Czech coach Milan Macala with Austrian Josef
Hickersberger who then surprised everyone by terminating his
contract in November. Bahrain’s new coach is Salman Sharida,
who was coaching Al Arabi in the UAE before his country called.
Star Player: Husain Salman (Club - Al Riffa, Bahrain)
Iran
Three-time Asian champions Iran comfortably topped
Group E, finishing the campaign a clear five points ahead of
Jordan to ensure their participation in the AFC Asian Cup finals
for a record-equalling 12th time. Iran are joint holders of the AFC
Asian Cup appearance record with Korea Republic, and also have
a fantastic record at the Asian Games, winning gold at three out of
last five editions before Guangzhou 2010 - and claiming the
bronze medal at Doha 2006.
Star Player: Farhad Majidi (Club - Esteghlal, Iran)
ISSUE 12 QATARSPORT 15

ICONIC LUSAIL
The jewel in Qatar’s 2022 World
Cup stadium crown will inspire a
new generation of sports venues.
Now the hard work begins in earnest.
Following Qatar’s stunning success in winning the hosting
rights to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the country will push
ahead with a stadium-building plan to amaze the world.
There will be nine new builds for the Qatar-hosted 2022
World Cup in Lusail, Sport City, Doha Port, Al-Shamal,
Umm-Slal, Al-Khor, Al-Wakrah, Education City and Qatar
University, plus three major stadium upgrades in Al-Rayyan,
Al-Gharafa and Khalifa Stadium.
As previously reported in Qatar Sport, nine of the 12 World
Cup stadia will be built in modular sections with removeable
top-tiers which can be deconstructed and reassembled in
legacy mode for developing countries after the finals. The
exceptions are Lusail Iconic Stadium, Sport City and Khalifa
Stadium which will retain their seating capacities after 2022.
As the football world has learnt over recent weeks, all
Qatar’s World Cup stadia will also be fitted with
“second-generation” cooling technology to ensure ideal
conditions for both players and spectators. The hosts
anticipate that this solar-powered, carbon-neutral technology
has the potential to transform the event-hosting capabilities
of hot countries the world over.
Legacy then is an important part of the overall venue
masterplan, but the ambition and beauty of Qatar’s World Cup
stadia also reflect the host nation’s pride in hosting the event, a
pride that is symbolised by Lusail Iconic Stadium, which will
host the opening and final matches of the World Cup in 2022.
The last of the World Cup venues to be unveiled at the
bidding stage, the 86,000-capacity arena was designed by the
UK-based architectural firm Foster + Partners and combines
the best of Doha’s past with its ultra-modern present.
Reflecting Qatar’s sea-faring heritage, the design was
inspired by the sails of a Dhow boat and when finished will
be surrounded by water with fans crossing via six bridges to
enter the venue.
In the same breath, the stadium has been designed to be
highly energy-efficient with solar collectors on the canopies
of the parking and service areas producing energy for the
stadium and for neighbouring buildings. Qatar 2022 Bid
Chairman HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa
Al-Thani believes “the stadium will inspire a new generation
of regional and international sports venues, incorporating
environmentally-friendly cooling technologies.” And as the
name suggests, the stadium should also become an icon for
the region’s sporting development.
Lusail Iconic Stadium will take four years to build and
should be completed by 2019.
16 QatarSport ISSUE 12

o o o o o o o o o
QATAR 2022
Above: Bird’s Eye view
of Lusail Iconic Stadium
showing moat and bridges
into the stadium. Left:
Ground views of the
stadium exterior and
interior.
ISSUE 12 QatarSport 17

the COnFiDenCe
OF YOUth
IT WAS A ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS FOR
TEAM QATAR AT THE 16TH ASIA GAMES IN
GUANGZHOU, CHINA.
Qatar’s Femi Seun Ogunode
crosses the line to win gold
in the 200m final.
18 QatarSport ISSUE 12

o o o o o o o o o
16th Asian games
GUANGZHOU 2010
Two teenagers and a legend of motorsports
transformed Qatar’s fortunes at the 16th Asian
Games Guangzhou 2010 as the national team
returned home with four gold medals - and 16
medals in all.
Qatar sent a delegation of 318 athletes (262 men
and 56 women) representing 24 national sport
federations in 28 events to Asia’s multi-sports
mega-event in November.
But the team was made to wait until Day 10
before Qatar’s sensational track and field stars
delivered on their golden promise.
The turning point came in the Guangdong
Olympic Stadium from a 400m runner few outside
Qatar will have heard of before the Games.
Qatar’s Femi Seun Ogunode clocked a personal
best 45.12 seconds, just 0.2 seconds ahead of Japan’s
Yuzo Kanemaru, to collect Qatar’s first gold of the
Games and emulate the achievement of Ibrahim
Ismail who won the 400m for Qatar at Hiroshima
1994 in 44.93 seconds - still an Asian Games record.
“I thank the Qatar Association of Athletics
Federation officials for believing in me,” said the
19-year-old, who dedicated his medal to the people
in Qatar - and would soon have even more reasons
to be grateful.
The young speedster then switched focus to the
200m and on Day 13 cruised to an easy victory in
the final in 20.43 seconds - the first 200/400m
double at the Games since 1958.
“I knew before the race that I would win, even
though nobody else pushed me,” said Ogunode,
“During training I had run 19 seconds so I was
very confident.”
While Ogunode will be remembered as one of the
stars of Guangzhou 2010, the performance of
Qatar’s other golden boy may prove to have even
greater implications on the Olympic stage.
Mutaz Barshim, a 19-year-old graduate of the
ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence, struck gold
on Day 11 clearing 2.27 metres to take the men’s
high jump title ahead of Japan’s Hiromi Takahari
(2.23 metres), with compatriot Rashid Ahmed Al
Mannai seizing bronze with a jump of 2.19 metres.
Appropriately enough, Barshim stepped up to
receive his medal on the winner’s podium from
QOC Secretary General, HE Sheikh Saoud bin
Abdulrahman Al-Thani and the future is bright for
the Qatari athlete who has his sights set on a medal
at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
“My aim was to win the gold and my
concentration never wavered,” said a jubilant
Barshim. “The competition conditions in China
were perfect. I’m glad I won top honours for the
country. I dedicate the medal to Qatar’s highest
authorities. I couldn’t have done it without their
support.”
If the gold medal surge from the athletics arena
lifted the mood in the Qatar camp, then the news
from the shooting range on Day 12 was equally
inspiring.
On the final round of the skeet shooting team
competition, the Qatar team led by professional rally
driver Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and comprising his
brother Abdulaziz and top gun Masoud Hamad,
secured another gold for Qatar.
The shooters claimed the team title with a total
score of 353 points, beating Kuwait and China, both
on 345 points. “This is especially good for me
because I only spend half my time shooting,” said
Al-Attiyah, who finished third in the individual event
on 140 points two behind teammate Masoud
Hamad who won the silver medal.
These golden mementos of the 16th Asian Games
were a deserved reward for a Qatar team which had
came close to the top prize on many occasions over
15 days of dramatic sporting action in the southern
city of Guangzhou.
These golden mementos of the
16th Asian Games were a
deserved reward for a Qatar
team which had came close to
the top prize on many
occasions over 15 days of
dramatic sporting action in the
southern city of Guangzhou
In fact, it was the Qatar bowling team who first
captured a medal of any description on Day 8 when
they clinched bronze in the men’s trios.
Comprising Mansour Al Hajeri, Mubarak
Al-Mrekhai and Fahd Al Emadi, the team collected
3908 points to finish behind the South Korean
bowlers who claimed the gold and silver medals.
Twenty-four hours later, Qatari shooter Hamad Ali
Al Merri lifted spirits further when he won a
three-way shoot out to claim bronze in the double
trap competition.
But it was on the track that Team Qatar held its
trump cards and the signs were good when Qatar’s
2009 IAAF World Championship bronze medallist
James Kwalia clinched silver in the 5,000m, one
second behind Bahrain’s Ali Hassan Mahboub.
Qatar’s Felix Kibore took bronze in the same race
to raise the hopes of another Qatari legend of the
track, Mohammed Suleiman, the 1992 Olympic
1,500 bronze medallist and manager of the Qatar
athletics team who expressed his delight as the results
from the track began to filter through.
ISSUE 12 QatarSport 19

Qatar’s Thamer Kamal Ali added to the revival
when he took silver in the men’s 3000m steeplechase
and silver was also the colour for discuss thrower
Ahmad Mohamed Rashed and long-distance runner
Essa Ismail, who chased the gold medal winning
Bahrain runner Bilisuma Gelassa all the way in the
10,000m. The promising, young middle-distance
runner Musab Abdulrahman secured bronze in the
800m and defending champion Mubarak Hassan
Shami settled for bronze in the men’s marathon on the
last day of competition.
Towards the end of the Games, Suleiman took
stock again. “This is one of our best performances in
recent years,” he said. “I’m happy that our athletes
delivered on the big stage. We hope these positive
results will propel the sport in Qatar to a higher level.”
There were, of course, other notable performances
among the Qatar squad, not least from the
19-year-old sailor, Waleed Al Sharshani, the 2006
Asian Games silver medallist, who finished fifth in
the Laser Radial sailing event. Fifteen-year-old Faraj
Al Hamad also excelled in the trampoline event
finishing a commendable sixth in his first major
international event.
Others exemplified the spirit of competition even
though results went against them. Despite losses to
his more experienced peers at the Games, table
tennis player Mohammad Al-Saadi, a graduate from
the ASPIRE Academy, said he had enjoyed his trial
of strength with the world’s top players.
No doubt, he and other aspiring stars for Qatar will
be back for the 17th Asian Games in Incheon 2014.
20 QatarSport ISSUE 12
TEAM SPORTS DRAW A BLANK
Qatar took part in four team sports - handball
(men’s and women’s), football, basketball and
volleyball - during the Guangzhou Asian
Games but could not repeat the stunning
results achieved at the 15th Asian Games in
Doha where the football team struck gold and
the men’s handball and basketball teams
took silver.
The men’s handball team came closest in
Guangzhou, winning three on the spin against
Japan, India and Mongolia, before a one-point
loss to Saudi Arabia and a draw against China
denied them a place in the semi-finals. The
Maroons beat west Asian rivals Bahrain in the
play-off for fifth place.
The basketball team also started brightly
as wins over India, Japan and Chinese Taipei
in the preliminary group earned Qatar’s
hoopsters a place against the mighty China in
the quarter-finals. Qatar went down 71-66 to
the eventual gold medal winners and went on
to finish in fifth position thanks to an 81-71
win over the Philippines.
As defending champions, Qatar’s football
team progressed from the group stage to the
quarter-finals where they met Uzbekistan in a
match that eventually went against Qatar by a
single goal in extra-time.
Left: Nasser Al-Attiyah
leads Qatar to team gold
in the skeet shooting
competition.
Right: Mutaz Barshim
wins gold in the final of
the high-jump competition.

o o o o o o o o o
FACILITIES o o o o o o o o o
16th Asian games
GUANGZHOU 2010
CONGRATULATIONS
GUANGZHOU
The Chinese city of Guangzhou
stamped its name in sporting
history by hosting the biggest ever
Asian Games with more than
10,000 athletes competing in 42
sports in front of a global audience
estimated in the billions.
Quite apart from the small
matter of China’s 199 gold medals
- smashing the previous record of
183 golds achieved by the hosts at
the 1990 Games in Beijing -
Guangzhou maintained the
momentum built up by the Doha
Games which transformed the
image of Asia’s multi-sports
spectacular in 2006.
Guangzhou, the richest
province in China, spent around
$2.04 billion on hosting the
Games and will leave an impressive
legacy. The city built 12 new
stadiums and upgraded 58 existing
venues arranged around the
downtown and suburban areas of
the city so that the greatest number
of people will benefit in the future.
Guangzhou also used the
Games to announce its status as a
world-class city on the
international stage and in this, the
Opening Ceremony showcased the
city to perfection.
Taking the Pearl River as the
stage and the city as the
background, the ceremony was
themed on water and highlighted
the best of Chinese ingenuity and
imagination.
Unlike a traditional athletes
parade, delegations from every
country made their entrance via 45
pleasure boats representing all
participating nations.
The flotilla embarked on a 9.3
kilometre cruise on the Pearl River
to the main venue on Haixinsha
island, where a packed grandstand
awaited their arrival.
The water theme continued at
the venue where the performers
danced on a submerged stage,
while above the spectators, the
same wushu athletes who dazzled
onlookers at the opening of the
2008 Beijing Olympic stole the
show again, flying almost 80
meters above ground on steel wires.
Among the VIPs present were
Chinese premier Wen Jiabao,
International Olympic Committee
President Jacques Rogge and
Olympic Council of Asia President
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah.
Qatar was represented by Qatar
Olympic Committee Vice
President HE Sheikh Saud bin Ali
Al-Thani, who was head of the
Qatar delegation to the Asian
Games and QOC General
Secretary Sheikh Saoud bin
Abdulrahman Al-Thani.
FINAL MEDALS TABLE GUANGZHOU 2010
Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
China 199 119 98 416
South Korea 76 65 91 232
Japan 48 74 94 216
Iran 20 14 25 59
Kazakhstan 18 23 38 79
India 14 17 33 64
Chinese Taipei 13 16 38 67
Uzbekistan 11 22 23 56
Thailand 11 9 32 52
Malaysia 9 18 14 41
Hong Kong, China 8 15 17 40
DPR Korea 6 10 20 36
Saudi Arabia 5 3 5 13
Bahrain 5 0 4 9
Indonesia 4 9 13 26
Singapore 4 7 6 17
Kuwait 4 6 1 11
Qatar 4 5 7 16
Philppines 3 4 9 16
Pakistan 3 2 3 8
Mongolia 2 5 9 16
Myanmar 2 5 3 10
Jordan 2 2 2 6
Vietnam 1 17 15 33
Kyrgyzstan 1 2 2 5
Macao, China 1 1 4 6
Bangladesh 1 1 1 3
Tajikistan 1 0 3 4
Syria 1 0 1 2
United Arab Emirates 0 4 1 5
Afghanistan 0 2 1 3
Iraq 0 1 2 3
Lebanon 0 1 2 3
Laos 0 0 2 2
Nepal 0 0 2 2
Oman 0 0 1 1
ISSUE ISSUE 12 9 QatarSport 21 21

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
GO GLOBAL
SUDDENLY, THE SPORTING CALENDAR IS
FILLING UP WITH CLUB WORLD CUPS.
Club World Cups are taking off around the globe. The
most high-profile example is currently run by soccer’s
global governing body FIFA. But there are now
exciting variants in volleyball (the FIVB Club World
Championships) and handball (the IHF Super Globe),
with basketball’s FIBA also exploring the potential for
a club championship.
Qatar is at the forefront of this movement towards
global club competition formats, hosting both the
FIVB Club World Championships and the IHF Super
Globe. But why are they cropping up right now? And
how do these top-down innovations provide value for
the clubs, federations and host nations involved?
FIFA’s approach since 2005 has been to invite one
club from each of its six regional federations to
compete, alongside one team from the host nation,
using the event to extend and unite the “FIFA family’.
Volleyball’s decision to re-launch its FIVB Club World
Championships, which dropped off the sporting
calendar in 1992 before its revival in Doha last year,
follows a similar rationale.
Speaking to Qatar Sport magazine, FIVB president
Jizhong Wei said the decision to resurrect the FIVB
Men’s Club World Volleyball Championship after a 17
year absence was about re-connecting the global
federation and grass roots: “We wanted to give the
athletes at the club level the opportunity to test
22 QatarSport ISSUE 12
themselves against the best and shine on the
international stage,” he said.
Men’s and now women’s editions of the FIVB event
have been secured for the Qatari capital until 2012
with the prize fund for this year’s Championship put
at $750,000. In terms of participants, Mr Wei says:
“There has been no shortage of willing participants
(but) the challenge has been trying to find the best
formula for conducting such a tournament.”
Key to this has been making sure that the event
itself is competitive. For this reason, the FIVB
introduced two wild card entries last year in addition
to representatives from five regions and the host.
This year, European clubs again featured strongly
with last year’s winners and reigning European
champions, Trentino, competing against European
runners-up Dynamo Moscow from Russia and bronze
medallists PGE Skra Belchatow of Poland. Adding
spice to the tournament were the hosts Al Arabi,
Asian champions Paykan from Iran, African
champions Al Ahly from Egypt, South American
champions Drean Bolivar and NORCECA’s Paul
Mitchell from the USA.
Meanwhile, the women’s tournament, hosted for
the first time since 1994, featured European
champions Bergamo of Italy, Asian champions
Federbrau from Thailand, South American champions
Above left: Spain’s BM
Ciudad Real defeat
Zamalek of Egypt on their
way to the 2010 IHF Super
Globe title.

o o o o o o o o o
major events
Sollys Osasco from Brazil, African champions Kenya
Prisons, European runners-up Fenerbahce of Turkey
and NORCECA’s appointed team Mirador from the
Dominican Republic.
With men’s and women’s matches alternating
throughout the event, the on-court action is
unrelenting and according to MP & Silva, a leading
international sports marketing and media company,
which owns the rights to distribute live television and
new media rights to the FIVB Club World
Championships everywhere except Middle East &
North Africa, the tournament presents the host
nation with a unique opportunity for global exposure.
“Qatar hosting the FIVB Club World
Championship for the second year running is a sign
of Qatar’s growing maturity as a sporting destination“
MP & Silva Group CEO, Andrea Radrizzani tells
Qatar Sport. “Qatar’s ability to regularly host and
organise world class events, such as the FIVB Club
World Championship, Qatar WTA Championships
and the Qatar Open, and put together strong bids for
other global events such as the FIFA World Cup, has
unequivocally boosted the country’s world standing
and image.”
Radrizzani continues, “MP & Silva has great
confidence that Qatar will continue to attract and
draw more global sporting events, such as the FIVB
Club World Championship, which will allow the
Qatari government and private sector to continue to
channeling investments to the sports and related
infrastructure, such as stadia, training facilities, as
well as other related businesses, such as production
companies.
“All this will undoubtedly have a knock-on effect
for Qatar’s broader economy by strengthening
regional and international tourism, drawing
investments and strengthen the government’s
continued efforts to diversify its economy.”
In comparison with volleyball’s club showcase, the
International Handball Federation’s big move in this
area was to increase the frequency of its club
competition, the IHF Super Globe, from once every
five years to every year – starting from the May 2010
edition in Doha (which has a contract until 2013).
This year’s edition saw teams from Spain, Qatar,
Lebanon, Egypt, Australia and Brazil compete for a
prize fund of $750,000 with European champions BM
Ciudad Real of Spain, securing the $400,000 winner’s
cheque for overcoming Qatar’s Al-Sadd in the final.
IHF president Dr Hassan Moustafa called the
event “a complete success for the international
handball family. The venue, the accommodation and
the organisation were of the highest standard”. Not to
be overlooked either is the prize money. As BM
Ciudad Real coach Talant Dushebajew observed in an
interview on the IHF website, the “financial incentive
(for a club like Ciudad Real) is interesting for sure.”
Robert Muller von Vultejus, managing director
of German sports marketing agency UFA Sports
managing director has been involved in handball for
many years both as player and strategic partner. He
believes that world club events like these have a special
role to play for the federations and hosts. “In the case
of the IHF Super Globe, both Doha and Al Jazeera did
a good job of hosting and producing the event,” he says.
For Muller, this point seems pivotal. “Club World
Cups will only be truly competitive when all regional
federations match the quality of European teams. But
from a promotional point of view, think of the role
that such activities play as part of a wider campaign to
host mega-events like the Olympics. For Doha, the
value is in showcasing its capabilities to the world.”
Middle and above: Italy’s
Trentino, winners of the
2009 FIVB Club World
Championships, were
favourites again in 2010.
ISSUE 12 QatarSport 23

“A GREENER IMAGE
FOR CYCLING”
In the second in Qatar Sport’s series of essays on best
practice in sustainable sport in advance of next year’s
IOC Sport and Environment Conference in Doha, Anne-Cecile
Turner, Director of the Blueshift Sustainability consultancy,
introduces a compelling case study from the world of
international cycling.
Endurance, stamina and a great spectacle
for fans are what events like the Tour de
France, Giro d’Italia and Tour de
Romandie are all about. But they have also
become the ideal test bed for the
International Cycling Union (UCI), world
cycling's governing body, to develop its approach to
reducing the carbon footprint.
At first sight cycling would appear to be an
intrinsically green sport and it is keen to project that
image. On closer inspection, however, its major events
have significant emissions.
As Andrea Marcellini, the UCI’s Sustainable
Development Coordinator, observes: “In the major
cycling tours, you have about two hundred bikes and
about five hundred cars and a caravan of floats and
motorcycles from the Tour's sponsors and the teams.
“That doesn’t seem like a good ratio, but the whole
circus of the event is the caravan because the athletes
go so fast and the spectators are there for hours,
sometimes days.
“We see the cars that are involved in a big cycling
event as very sensitive issue and there is not very much
we can do about that because it is the commercial
revenue of the organisers. That is where the VIPs and
sponsors are - those cars are paying the bills.”
The UCI’s response has been to develop the
“reCycling Label” which accredits cycle race organisers
and events using its own scoring system.
In doing so, the UCI hopes it will “significantly
change the relationship between events and the
environment while building a greener image for cycling.”
Organisers join the scheme by paying a fee, part of
which is recoverable if they achieve the reCycling Label.
The reCycling toolkit is designed to guide organisers
through the preparation and operating phases of their
events in the following eight areas in the event
management process.
24 QatarSport ISSUE 12
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Creating an environmental management plan
Implementation of an environmental
management plan
Marketing and communication
Selection of venue and building of infrastructures
Management of the venue and the event
Transport and accommodation
Integration of the event into its environment
Catering and supplies
Whilst the structure is reminiscent of other schemes one
interesting aspect is the formal award of the reCycling
Label to those events that demonstrate the highest
commitment to the environment. The UCI points out
the following benefits of winning the status:
• The Label is an asset to be included in official charters
and documents, marketing and promotional material
• As a UCI partner, events receive an official letter of
support for the contribution towards the environment
• The UCI Green Leader will attend the event and help
evaluate best practices
The scheme has started out as a voluntary one but that
is set to change, says Marcellini. “We are including the
obligation of planning their events based on reCycling
and that is going to be mandatory from 2012,” she says.
In 2010, we had two World Championships with a
very solid sustainability plan. But those are cast events,
they were happy to work with the guide; they were not
obliged to do that. The positive outcome of these two
events has already been translated into a case study and
a set of best practices to help future cycling event
organisers. It is really rewarding for us to have these
events as partner of reCycling. They were very
enthusiastic to produce reports that would generate
working material for other organisers.”
The next phase will be to bring the reCycling
obligation to an earlier point in the event organising
UCI events like
the 2010 World Road
Championships (right)
have put together solid
sustainability plans.

o o o o o o o o o
SPORT AND
ENVIRONMENT
process. “This is our first priority, including the
requirement to use the guide in the bidding file. The
second priority is how to evaluate that. So what we
are doing is we are having a few lectures inside the
UCI to the discipline coordinators.
“When they go to the events they can include
information about environment in their reports.
Their particular points of view over each cycling
discipline is very relevant in order to have specific
support material and fair evaluation criteria.”
The UCI has no immediate plans to use the
programme to generate revenue but does see the
attraction to sponsors. “What we are trying to do
now is to partner up with eco-friendly sponsors and
suppliers,” says Marcellini. “That could be any
segment of the industry, from car manufacturers to
biodegradeable water bottle makers. We believe that
if we want to see change in our sport, we have to set
the good example.”
The UCI’s highest priority remains the impact on
events however. “We want to make sure that the
reCycling guide is given to organisers who are really
working on it and because our core business here at
the UCI is the development of sport.”
ISSUE 12 QatarSport 25

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o o o o o o o o o
HEALTH &
SOCIETY
SPORT FOR
DEVELOPMENT
AND PEACE
By Wilfried Lemke, Special Adviser to the
United Nations Secretary-General on Sport
for Development and Peace.
From refugee camps to slums to war zones to violent
inner city neighbourhoods, sport can assist in
improving the daily lives of vulnerable persons, living in
poverty and despair. It can make a difference where
other means have failed, in a very wide array of contexts.
As the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special
Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, my role is
to foster the important role that sport and physical
activity can play in the realm of humanitarian,
development and peace building work. To that aim, I
strive for more coordination among the many actors
who facilitate and implement Sport for Development
and Peace programmes worldwide.
Among them are UN agencies, sport federations,
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private
companies and, of course, national governments. The
latter are vital to our movement as they provide the
framework and conditions necessary for sport and
physical activity to maximize their social impact.
Appropriate and sustainable governmental policies,
investment, and capacity-building programmes are
essential to fully harness the potential of sport in
improving the lives of people around the world.
I would like to highlight here the work of the Sport
for Development and Peace International Working
Group, an inter-governmental initiative which
promotes and supports the adoption of policies and
programmes by national governments to harness the
potential of sport to contribute to the achievement of
development and peace objectives. In December 2008,
the Group was incorporated into the UN system under
my auspices. I encourage all governments to take part
and play an active role in it.
Governments have the difficult position of having
many priorities. In times where funds are hard to come
by, sport is sometimes omitted in order to mobilise
resources towards other sectors. This is, in my view, a
mistake as sport can be a low-cost and high-impact tool
that can be efficiently mobilised at the national and local
levels to address a wide range of issues, such as HIV/
AIDS prevention, environmental protection, social
coexistence, crime prevention, gender equality, trauma
relief, inclusion and well-being of persons with
disabilities, and so on. It is for this reason that it is
important to encourage governments to integrate sport
into programmes which are traditionally of high
priority such as health and education as it can provide
an essential and successful tool to positively affect such
areas and deliver greater outcomes. Governments
therefore need to ensure that sport is interwoven into
programmes aimed at advancing human progress.
It is on this note that Qatar's “Schools Olympic
Programme” should be acknowledged. The fourth
edition, which runs until March 2011 under the theme
“Sports and Education”, involves thousands of students
competing in nine different sports. This programme is
an excellent example of sport being used effectively
within the framework of a national education policy.
This is just one of the ways in which Qatar is mobilising
the unique attributes and values of sport to bring about
positive change in the country and beyond.
The QOC has also played a significant role in the
success of UN projects such as the “Global Sport for
Youth” (formerly known as the “Global Sport Fund”), a
joint initiative with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime
that mobilises sport to prevent drug use and crime
among young people. I have attended several of their
youth camps and have witnessed first hand the
difference that sport can make in the lives of vulnerable
kids and youngsters.
I would like to congratulate Qatar on its growing
leadership role on the international sports scene and, on
behalf of the United Nations, encourage the country to
invest further in Sport for Development and Peace, in
particular through projects carried out in partnership
with the UN family.
ISSUE 12 QatarSport 27

Sir Alex Ferguson reflects
on his experiences of
player power during his
25 years as Manchester
United manager.
IN GOOD
COMPANY…
A new conference and exhibition at the aspire dome IN DOHA
attracted some of the biggest names in sport.
The sporting world descended on Doha for four days
of business, debate and entertainment at the
Aspire4Sport conference, the first major conference
and exhibition to be staged at the Aspire Dome.
Aspire4Sport welcomed some of the most famous
names in sport to the capital including Manchester
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, American World
and Olympic athletics champion Michael Johnson,
tennis legends John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg and
four-time NBA Champion Horace Grant.
Coupled with coaching clinics, product launches,
star chats and special events, Aspire4Sport also
harnessed an unforgettable sports programme in which
the aforementioned Borg and McEnore slugged it out
to rekindle memories of their glory days in the 1970s
and the current stars of South American football went
head-to-head at Khalifa Stadium where a Lionel
Messi-inspired Argentina beat the boys from Brazil 1-0.
But the sporting fun and games should not conceal
the high-calibre of debate on the issues that matter
during the conferences forums and one-to-ones. Qatar
Sport was there to soak up the atmosphere: here are
some of the highlights.
I’M IN CHARGE, SAYS SIR ALEX
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson
revealed to Aspire4Sport delegates how he maintains
authority in the United dressing room comprised of
multi-millionaires from all over the world.
Speaking candidly to a packed audience, the
28 QatarSport ISSUE 12

o o o o o o o o o
PARTNERS IN
SPORT
70-year-old said, “The minute a footballer becomes
more important than a manager, your club is dead.
The history of this club goes right down the drain. I
am the most important man at Manchester United. It
has to be that way. My concern will always be control.”
Warming to this theme, Sir Alex continued: “The
minute a footballer threatens my control of the
dressing room, I have to take it seriously. I have to
consider: Is this worthwhile? Is it affecting the team
morale? Is it affecting results? Is it affecting the
atmosphere in the dressing room? If that is the case,
the player has to go, no question. My strength has to
be obvious for all to see.”
The United’s manager also entertained the audience
on the subject of the “modern player” describing the
species as “cocooned” while lamenting the current
“look at me” culture.
“Young people today have an image of themselves
and they need to be seen, so they have these tattoos
and earrings,” he explained, while admitting that
today’s players may even cry after matches - a problem
he never had with old pros like former United legend
Bryan Robson.
Sir Alex added that his position as manger had not
been hindered by the influence of United’s controversial
owners, the Glazer family. “We have a great
relationship, they never bother me, they never phone,”
he said, “They never interfere. What more can you ask
for? I’m in a privileged position. I’ve heard of English
owners texting managers during training sessions.”
And Sir Alex reiterated that he is in no mode to
retire just yet: “As long as my health is good I intend
to carry on. If my health deteriorated it would be
different but retirement is for young people – they can
do something else. If I get off that treadmill where do
you think I’d go? Only one way, down.”
Commenting on Qatar’s 2022 bid, Sir Alex said “I
would back the Qatar bid I admire their purpose and
vision. It’s achievable. Addressing the hot climate issue
and transporting the stadia to countries is very clever.”
YOU CAN BE SERIOUS!
American tennis legend John McEnroe, a seven-time
Grand Slam winner, bemoaned the lack of colourful
personalities in the modern game during a panel
discussion with his old adversaries Bjorn Borg and Ile
Nastase on Day 2 of the Aspire4Sport conference.
Making a serious point about the nature of today’s
professional game, McEnroe said, “Commercialisation
has changed perspectives. The personalities that added
interest to the action on the courts have long gone.
Yes, the characters are missing. The approach has
changed since there is more money in the sport for
this generation.”
McEnroe continued, “ The freedom, the joy and
spontaneity is not evident, he said. “I wish people
embrace and encourage players like Rafael Nadal
when they emote with a clenched fist or react loudly.
Sport needs lively characters.”
The man who famously upbraided tennis umpires
with the phrase “you cannot be serious!” also come
out in favour of technology to judge line calls, arguing
that “technology that can help the game should be put
to use since it is all about the best player winning.”
Following the debate, the tennis icons travelled
straight to Khalifa Tennis Stadium where Borg, 54,
and McEnroe, 51, prepared for a replay of one of the
most famous rivalries in sporting history.
HawkEye technology was used to rule on
controversial line calls, a fact which worked against
McEnroe who lost all three available challenges in the
opening set. But it was McEnroe who had the last
laugh, winning the exhibition match in two sets 6-4,
7-6 (8/6) before a 5,000-strong crowd
IS TALENT OVERATED?
At a forum session with the intriguing title ‘Training
and Teaching - Is Talent Overrated?’ Lance Walker
from the Michael Johnson Performance Center, said
that while “talent is hard to define” coaching is
essential to bring out the best in youngsters. “You
need the best coaches for Under-12s,” he said. “It is
the harvesting ground.’
Going against the grain of some experts who call for
specialisation at the earliest possible age, Walker
stressed that it is important to develop an all-round set
of basic movement skills before focusing on one sport
- a concept which has lost traction in modern times.
Walker admitted that American sports generally rely
on talent rather than training for its top professionals,
but he said that measurable data and video footage are
important tools in coaching, arguing that youngsters
often try to model their movements on those of
professionals they have seen.
Tennis legend John McEnroe
believes that the sport’s
commercialisation has
driven the “personalities”
out of the game.
ISSUE 12 QatarSport 29

World sports
rankings
the best of the best in sport… at a glance
FIFA (November)
1 Spain 1920
2 Netherlands 1718
3 Brazil 1493
4 Germany 1489
5 Argentina 1353
6 England 1250
7 Uruguay 1174
8 Portugal 1102
9 Croatia 1098
10 Egypt 1047
AFC ASIAN CUP/FIFA RANKINGS (November)
20 Australia 853
30 Japan 781
39 Korea Republic 653
66 Iran 479
68 Saudi Arabia 461
87 Bahrain 389
89 China 282
95 Jordan 352
99 Iraq 337
104 UAE 318
105 Kuwait 316
106 Uzbekistan 303
107 DPR Korea 299
109 Syria 282
113 Qatar 259
142 India 145
WTA TENNIS as of November 15
1 Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 8035
2 Vera Zvonareva (RUS) 6785
3 Kim Clijsters (BEL) 6635
4 Serena Williams (USA) 5355
5 Venus Williams (USA) 4985
6 Samantha Stosur (AUS) 4982
7 Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 4935
8 Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 4445
9 Elena Dementieva (RUS) 4335
10 Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 4235
Park Ji-Sung (Korea Rep)
ATP TENNIS as of November 15
Gholamreza
Rezaei (Iran)
1 Rafael Nadal, (ESP) 11450
2 Roger Federer (SUI) 7645
3 Novak Djokovic (SRB) 5635
4 Robin Soderling (SWE) 5380
5 Andy Murray (GBR) 5360
6 Tomas Berdych (CZE) 3755
7 David Ferrer (ESP) 3735
8 Andy Roddick (USA) 3665
9 Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 3240
10 Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 2920
Keisuke Honda (Japan)
Harry Kewell (Australia)
WORLD GOLF as of November 15
1 Lee Westwood (ENG) 8.704
2 Tiger Woods (USA) 8.254
3 Martin Kaymner (GER) 7.812
4 Phil Mickelson (USA) 7.615
5 Steve Stricker (USA) 6.943
6 Jim Furyk (USA) 6.874
7 Paul Casey (ENG) 6.164
8 Luke Donald (ENG) 5.900
9 Graeme McDowell (NI) 5.568
10 Rory McIlroy (NI) 5.531
30 QatarSport ISSUE 12

BUILDING ON STRONG
FOUNDATIONS
Brad Drewett, CEO ATP International, discusses this year’s high-profile ATP
Qatar Open, the broadcast and sponsorship support for tennis in Qatar and
the challenges facing tennis in the region.
Given the tennis season is so long, why
do the world best like Rafa Nadal, Roger
Federer commit so readily to the Gulf
tournaments at the start of the year?
Over the past decade, Doha and Dubai
have developed a reputation for hosting
some of the best events on the ATP World
Tour and players like to go back to places
where they know the events are operated at
the highest level with first class service and
hospitality for the players. Doha and
Dubai certainly do that very well, which
makes the experience for the players much
more enjoyable.
I think also for Doha, it has the
advantage of being at the start of the
season, so players use it as an opportunity
to play competitive matches and gauge
their form in preparation for the Australian
Open. The stop in the Middle East also
allows players to break up the long trip
between Europe and Australia. In the case
of Dubai, its position in the calendar is
attractive to players as it falls right before
the beginning of the outdoor hard court
season in the USA.
What comments do you hear from
the players about the organisation of
the Qatar Open and the hospitality of
the hosts?
Tournament Director Karim Alami
and the Qatar Open team have done an
excellent job in making the Qatar Open one
of the most enjoyable experiences on the
ATP World Tour. The players always speak
highly about the personable, friendly nature
of the event and also they are impressed
with the facilities, the hotel, and the overall
hospitality of the tournament staff.
32 QatarSport ISSUE 12
Has the ongoing commitment of Qatar
to both its male and female tennis
tournaments surprised you?
To be honest, it doesn’t surprise me.
The tournament has been committed to
creating a world-class sporting event since
the idea was first floated many years ago.
Over that time they have continued to
invest significantly in men’s tennis and that
is very pleasing from our point of view. In
the coming years, the tournament surely
will continue to carve out its place as an
important part of the ATP World Tour.
“The players always
speak highly about the
personable, friendly
nature of the event and
also they are impressed
with the facilities, the
hotel, and the overall
hospitality of the
tournament staff.”
Would you welcome the ATP World Tour
finals going to the Middle East?
At present we are committed to staging
the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in
London through 2013 and we have not yet
begun to consider what will happen with
the event from 2014. At this point, we
wouldn’t rule out any regions as potential
hosts. The tournament has been contested
in major cities around the world with a rich
history dating back to the birth of The
Masters in 1970 in Tokyo. Since 2000, the
event has taken place in cities such as
Lisbon, Sydney, and Shanghai.
How have broadcasters like Al Jazeera
have supported the Qatar Open?
Al Jazeera has been great for the game of
tennis, not just through their coverage of
the Qatar Open but also other events on
the ATP World Tour calendar. In terms of
the Qatar Open, they provide a high
quality broadcast from start to end of the
tournament, which incorporates all of the
on-court action, as well as interviews and
colour pieces off the court. Al Jazeera also
provides a daily news service to
international broadcasters to drive global
coverage of the event, and provides the ATP
with footage whenever we require it for
promotional purposes.
What has impressed you most about
sponsorship support for tennis in
the Gulf?
The most impressive aspect of
sponsorship of tennis in the Gulf region, is
the significant levels of supports from both
national and international companies at the
Doha and Dubai tournaments.
I do believe there is an opportunity for
existing sponsors to increase their levels of
commitment and sponsorship activation in
line with the overall potential growth of
the Gulf economies. As this economic
growth continues in the years to come I
am sure that there will be many more
companies looking to invest in world-class
sporting events to help promote their
products and services in this important

o o o o o o o o o
THE BIG
INTERVIEW
Brad Drewett, CEO ATP
International, says that the
Qatar Open is one of the
most enjoyable experiences
on the ATP World Tour.
region, and internationally through our
events around the world.
If you could offer one message of
encouragement or advise to Gulf
countries like Qatar in terms of their
tennis policy what would it be?
The Gulf nations have demonstrated
their commitment to growing the game
of tennis and that needs to continue into
the future. They should seize the
opportunity to build on the strong
foundation that their professional events
have created by continuing to invest in the
development of grassroots tennis, so one
day we see a number of local players
competing at the highest levels on the
ATP World Tour.
There is no magic trick to developing a
home-grown star, but would you advise
young Qataris to train abroad in more
competitive environments if they want to
make the grade?
There are many sides to this debate. Lots
of top players have found success through
their national federation programs, others
by moving to international academies and
for some it works best to incorporate both
elements into their development. It is a
very personal decision as to which direction
to take, so for young Qataris wanting to
reach the top of the game, they should
assess each of those options on its own
merits and make the right decision for
themselves.
ISSUE 12 QatarSport 33

Events diary - International and Qatar
Qatar International Table Tennis Championship
The Tour of Qatar
Qatar Fencing Grand Prix
420 World Championship Buenos Aires, Argentina 27/12/10-5/1/10
GCC Cycling Tour Federations Training Centre 28/12/10
5th Ashes Test Match cricket Sydney, Australia 3-7/1/11
ExxonMobil Open Tennis Championship 2011 Khalifa Int. Tennis Complex 3–8 /1/11
Dakar Rally argentina and Chile 1-16/1/11
AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011 doha 7–29 /1/11
Australian Open Melbourne, Australia 17-30/1/11
Abu Dhabi Golf Championship abu Dhabi Golf Clu 20-23/1/11
Arab Boxing Championship For Men Boxing Federation, Doha 22–27 /1/11
H.H. The Heir Apparent Endurance Race Um Saeed , Qatar 28–29 /1/11
Commercialbank Qatar Masters doha Golf Club 3–6 /2/11
Women’s Tour of Qatar around Qatar 2-4/2/11
NFL Super Bowl Cowboys Stadium, dallas, USA 6/2/11
Men’s Tour of Qatar around Qatar 6-11/2/11
Qatar Int. Table Tennis Championship Qatar Sports Club 9–13 /2/11
Omega Dubai Desert Classic Emirates Golf Club 10-13/2/11
World Rally Championship Sweden 13/2/2011
2011 Sail the Gulf 2010 doha Sailing Club 15–19 /2/11
Fencing Grand Prix aspire 18–21 /2/11
ICC Cricket World Cup India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh 19/2-20/3/11
60th NBA All-Star Game Los Angeles, USA 20/2/11
GCC Technical Gymnastics Championship al Gharafa Sports Club 21–24 /2/11
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships Oslo, Norway 23/2-6/3/11
Qatar International Endurance Race Um Saeed, Qatar 25–26 /2/ 11
NCAA Men’s Final Four Basketball tBC 1/3/11
34 QatarSport ISSUE 12