The Lockdown Has Given Us the Opportunity to Review Life and Sports Activities: Dahlan Al Hamad

12 Sunday, June 28, 2020 Sports The lockdown has given us the opportunity to review life and sports activities: Dahlan Al Hamad ITTLE more than eight months with athletes; we communicate with also prepare them for the next stage ago, Asian Athletics Association countries, with sports authorities in of the pandemic.” President Dahlan Al Hamad, in Asia, and with families. Any com- “Before, we used to travel to his capacity as Vice President of munication has to be really clear to meetings, whereas now we’ve been the local organising committee, show the importance of the sport. Asia has about 4 billion people, which is meeting online – and more often too. Lwatched as the curtain came down This pandemic has allowed us to more than half of the world’s population, The number of meetings can be seen on the World Athletics Champion- communicate more often and more and it spans several time zones. This as exhausting, but for me it’s a good ships Doha 2019. efficiently.” continent is really big. All of that means thing because it feels like we’re still For the nation of Qatar, their One of the other challenges they we at the Asian Athletics Association moving forward.” long-held dreams of hosting the faced is the fact that Asia – or, more have a big responsibility. event had become reality. But for the specifically, the Chinese city of Wu- ATHLETES AS ROLE MODELS world of athletics – not that anyone han – was the epicentre of the initial Many of the best athletes in Asia could have predicted it back then – it outbreak, so several countries on the have also turned to technology as a would be the last global champion- continent were the first to head into way to stay engaged – not just with ships of any kind for at least another the unknown. their coaches and support teams, but 12 months. “When the pandemic started, also with their fan base. The Covid-19 pandemic has im- it began in Asia before spreading to “In the beginning it was hard pacted every aspect of life across the the rest of the world,” explains Al because the athletes were separated world, athletics included, and for Hamad. “People were shocked and from their coaches, but technology many the focus is now on the next were desperate because they didn’t has allowed them to communicate stage of recovery and slowly getting know what would happen. The ath- and given them a way to train,” says back to the ‘old’ normal. letes and the families of the athletes Al Hamad. For athletics in Asia, being the were really disturbed. The athletes “Our top athletes understand largest continent in the world – in didn’t know what the solution was or that they have a responsibility. terms of size and population – brings what their training programme was They see that this is going to affect its own set of challenges. going to be. People were anxious, re- them, their friends and their fami- “This pandemic is a tragedy for member: athletes in Asia were going lies. So the engagement on social everyone all over the world, not just into lockdown while watching other Asian Athletics Association President Dahlan Al Hamad. media was really welcome in Asia in Asia, and we’d like to offer our athletes around the world continuing and all over the world. And I’d like condolences to the families of any- to train and even compete. At that THE WONDERS OF MODERN to conduct many online courses, each of the five regions – Cen- to thank them for sharing all of one who has lost someone,” says Al stage, no one knew that this would TECHNOLOGY in India, Hong Kong and even in tral, Eastern, Western, South, their positive posts on social media Hamad. “But there is also hope to be a global pandemic. Like many business and organi- remote places like Palestine. and Southeast – as each had its and setting a good example. Their this pandemic, and the lockdown “We, as a federation, have a sations, the Asian Athletics Associa- “We also had our Council Meet- own unique set of concerns. images represent their countries has given us the opportunity to responsibility to guide and advise tion (AAA) had to adapt to new ways ing online, which was attended by “We conducted meetings with and Asia, and we encourage them review our life, review our sports athletes. But we also have to under- of working. All staff at the head office World Athletics President Sebas- the member federation presidents to continue sharing them. activities, and to spend more time stand that there are restrictions from in Bangkok started working from tian Coe, and it was really success- and general secretaries from each re- “The athletes have been the with our families. governments that we cannot cross, home, and technology started to play ful. We asked our medical com- gion,” he explained. “We gave a pres- ones who’ve really suffered, because “Asia has about 4 billion peo- for example with lockdowns in each a much bigger part in their day-to- mission to do an analysis and then entation about the developments, they’ve lost almost a whole season, ple, which is more than half of the country, so we have to obey the sys- day operations. provide guidelines for our athletes, explained the courses that are on they feel as though they’ve wasted all world’s population, and it spans sev- tems from each government. “Things have to continue and coaches and administrators for offer, spoke about the calendar, and their preparation for the season, it’s eral time zones. This continent is re- “But people are now beginning people have to remain engaged,” coping with this situation.” had question-and-answer sessions. all gone,” he adds. “We need to show ally big. All of that means we at the to see the light at the end of the tun- says Al Hamad. “We’ve been using Instead of trying to remedy These meetings really helped us to them that this isn’t the end; this is a Asian Athletics Association have a nel. They are also getting used to liv- Zoom as a communications plat- all of the issues across the whole understand the needs of each region, new beginning and, with our help, it big responsibility. ing through a pandemic and finding form for our member federations of the world’s largest continent, and we came away from them with can be a good start.” “We don’t just communicate ways to handle it.” and the media. We’ve managed Al Hamad instead addressed good feedback for the future. It will (www.worldathletics.org) 100-goal Bayern Munich lift Bundesliga trophy in empty stadium DPA distancing rules did not allow him to 1976/77, and just six shy of the 40 coach at Bayern, taking over from Niko BERLIN hand the trophy to the captain Neuer, from Munich legend Gerd Mueller in Kovac in November and now on a con- saying instead “Bayern Munich, Ma- 1971/72. tract until 2023. MANUEL Neuer had to pick up the nuel, here is your platter.” “I am very satisfied with 34 goals Bayern are chasing a tre- trophy himself and raise it to an in- Hansi Flick’s Bayern scored 100 but must also be grateful to my ble, playing the cup final Manchester United’s English defender Harry Maguire (right) and vincible audience as Bayern Munich goals for only the second time in club team-mates. I am very proud. It is against Bayer Leverkusen French midfielder Paul Pogba at the end of the English FA Cup were awarded for an eighth straight history as they finished 13 points difficult to compare with the times next week, and are also quarter-final match against Norwich City on Saturday.(AFP) title at the of the coronavirus-hit clear of Borussia Dortmund - garner- of Gerd Mueller. Football is differ- close to the Champions Bundesliga season. ing 49 of 51 possible points in the sec- ent now,” Lewandowski said. Leahue quarter-finals, with “We are the Champions” echoed ond half of the season and winning “It was a difficult season but that event to continue Maguire winner sends around Wolfsburg’s empty stadium the last 13 games. we finished it well. We scored in August. after Munich completed the cam- “We knew what to expect but we 100 goals which shows that we paign with a 4-0 win there, and there wanted to win. Of course it is differ- attacked. But it was a lit- Man United through to were no familiar scenes as players ent and you don’t want to get used tle complicated with the and officials celebrated in a low-key to it,” Bayern forward Thomas Mu- coronavirus break.” FA Cup semi-finals manner. eller told Sky TV of the strange at- It was the first “It is a special moment and also mosphere, adding: “Compliments to big title for Flick, DPA ference as they share 27 points a strange one. There are no fans, no everyone that we could complete the who was Joachim LONDON with Bournemouth and Wat- celebrations, no whistles,” German season. Loew’s assistant ford in the two places above. Football League chief Christian Seif- “The way we played the second when Germany DEFENDER Harry Magu- Norwich, the bottom club in the ert said in a brief speech. half of season was fantastic, well de- won the 2014 ire sent Manchester United Premier League, were compet- The Bundesliga was the first ma- served I would say.” “A big thank you World Cup and was in through to a record 30th FA ing in their first FA Cup quarter- jor league to restart in mid-May af- to all the fans out there.

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