Diamond League: Doha Ready to Host Last Leg of Curtailed Season RIZWAN REHMAT the PENINSULA We Have Resumed
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Sport WEDNESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2020 Quick turnaround helped me get past US Open shock: Novak Djokovic I did experience mentally some ups and downs in the first ffour-five days after that happened. Obviously I was in shock... but I moved on, I've never had an issue in my life to move on regardless of how difficult it is. Novak Djokovic Sport |09 ATP HAMBURG: Round of 32: Cristian Garin beat Kei Nishikori 6-0, 6-3, Bautista-Agut beat Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 6-3 Diamond League: Doha ready to host last leg of curtailed season RIZWAN REHMAT THE PENINSULA We have resumed Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) sports activity after President Dr Thani Al Kuwari yesterday said strict health months of hard protocols have been implemented for the last leg of the curtailed work: MOPH official Wanda Diamond League season which has been shortened by the coronavirus pandemic sweeping THE PENINSULA – DOHA the world. We have put in place Only four meetings have been Qatar has resumed sports complete protocols with planned for this season with events activity in the country after Qatar Athletics in Eugene, London, Paris, Rabat, ‘months of hard work’ on Federation (QAF) and Gateshead and Shanghai cancelled. implementing strict health the Local Organizing On Friday, Doha will join Monaco, and safety protocols Committee. The medical Stockholm and Rome as the only around venues. procedures are being four cities to hold regular meetings. This was said yesterday strictly adhered to. The The Qatar Sports Club Stadium by Dr Abdulwahab QOC are also carefully will host the revised 12-event pro- Almusleh, Senior Con- implementing the health gramme which includes sprint sultant to Ministry of Public hurdles and 800m for both men Health (MOPH) as Doha protocols. The most and women; 100m, 3000m and Officials addressing the media during a prepares to host the last leg important part of the long jump for women; and 200m, press conference held at the Qatar Olympic of the Diamond League at protocol is that all 400m, 1500m and pole vault for Committee, yesterday. Qatar SC on Friday. athletes from overseas men. “After months of hard have to undergo virus “The Qatar Athletics Feder- work, we have resumed tests and come out as ation is committed to hosting this Qatari athletes at sports activities with health negative: Senior event in a safe manner. The meet and safety measures in Consultant to Ministry of was supposed to he held in May Friday’s DDL place. We are taking Public Health, but after rescheduling, we are special care so as to limit Dr Abdulwahab hosting it on September 25. We are 200M: Abdelaziz Mohamed the spread of the virus. The Almusleh ready to host the event. We have 400M: Mohamed Nasir Abbas sports events are also covered all bases,” Dr Thani said 800M: Rabi Mohamoud important for Qatar,” Dr yesterday. Mubarak, Jamal Hairane Abdulwahab said at the “We were facing difficult cir- Qatar Olympic Committee implementing the health 1500M: Musaab Adam Ali, cumstances - just as the rest of the (QOC) building, protocols. The most world was - with the coronavirus Hamza Driouch yesterday. important part of the pro- pandemic but with the efforts of 1500M ‘B’: Mohamad “From the beginning of tocol is that all athletes the Ministry of Public Health Al Garni, Yaser Salem Bagharab, September, Qatar started from overseas have to (MOPH), the Qatar Olympic Com- Abdirahman Saeed Hassan the fourth phase of undergo virus tests and mittee and the Diamond League resuming economic and come out as negative,” he Doha Diamond League Meeting Director, Khalid Al Marri, and Qatar Organising Committee, we have 10,000m final. Mutaz Barshim will social activities. Now Qatar said. “This also goes for Athletics Federation President, Dr Thani Al Kuwari. FILE PHOTOS put in place safety measures to be not here so there’s no high jump has the experience and the technical staff that stop the spread of the virus. We competition.” He added: “It’s been know-how to resume underwent tests sometime are pleased to thank MOPH for Doha. We have hosted a number stakeholders for their efforts to a tough summer for everyone, yet sports events. We have back. They have been their efforts,” he said. of events like the IAAF World Ath- host the event. Our thanks also go we’ve witnessed some exceptional resumed football and bas- tested regularly since the “Hosting the event now gives letics Championships in 2019. It to our sponsors for backing our track and field performances. I’m ketball leagues. The sport start of September. The everyone the message that we was one of the best events in recent event,” Dr Thani added. confident that in Doha, the fourth activities in Qatar, thank- athletes that have arrived have to adapt and battle on against history. Khalid Al Marri, the Doha and final competitive meeting of fully, are not the reason of step out for training pur- coronavirus. We have the com- “The confirmation of athletes Diamond League Meeting Director, this shortened 2020 Wanda the spread of the disease. poses only. mitment to host the event. We have for the Doha leg which will be held yesterday said: “The Diamond Diamond League series, we’ll We are committed to social “Social distancing is been preparing the protocols and at Qatar SC shows the trust IAAF League is the last meeting of the provide a fitting finale.” distancing and using face also a key component of implementing the safety measures. has in Qatar’s ability to deliver a season. In the last three meetings, Talal Al Mansour, a former masks,” he said. our protocols as is hand We have a challenge in front of us good event. This also shows that there were some records set and Qatari athlete, said: “We have “We have put in place washing. The MOPH had but we are ready for it. The Qatar is battling the crisis well and some broken. We have 10 Olympic young Qatari athletes competing complete protocols with approved the entry of fans meeting was to be held in August it shows we can organize an event champions in Doha. We have the here. They can learn so much from Qatar Athletics Federation at the venue but the LOC but we asked the IAAF to have the like this with SOPs. This will be the pole vault world champion here. competing in Doha. The QAF (QAF) and the Local Organ- decided not to hold the event slotted in September. We first major international event to It should be an exciting compe- giving opportunity to our athletes izing Committee. The event in front of the fans knew to host the event in August be held in Qatar while the world tition. We also have the 1,500m competing at top events like the medical procedures are for the health and safety of would be a little early for us. Sep- fights the virus. final. The field includes champions. one to be held in Qatar is a good being strictly adhered to. all. The technical staff is tember seemed fine and Qatar “I would like to thank the The same is the case in the move.” The QOC are also carefully also doing its best not to quickly expressed its readiness. mix with athletes at this “Now we are hosting the AFC point in time. Champions League matches. Yes, “I think Qatar has there were some cases but those become the global hub for were handled quickly. We are sports events for more than managing the crisis situations well. a decade. There’s great We have the MOPH following the attention host international international standards on imple- events. We have excep- menting the safety protocols,” he tional infrastructure to said. meet the demands of “The meeting will be held hosting top events at a high behind closed doors, without fans. level. This Covid-19 pan- That’s the decision of the IAAF. demic has hurt sports This is the 10th edition of the A file photo of Qatar SC Stadium during an earlier edition of the Doha Diamond League. activities around the Diamond League to be held in world,” he added. ACL: Al Duhail must remain focused We showed two faces during the two despite win over PersPersepolis, says Almoez halves against Al Nassr, says Xavi We played well,w which was great after our performance against It was a tough game. We were not good enough in the first half, SSharjah.harjah. WWee managed to recover some of our level but we still have and in the second half we were better. We had to play in the first some work to do in order to get to 100 percent. We could have half, like we did in the second. We showed two faces of the team in achieved a bbetter result but at the end of the day, the three points the two halves. I’m angry with the first half, and happy with the are really importantim for us. second. We have to change and improve our performance, but we ThThee nenextx match will be harder and we must avoid being are satisfied with the point. We played against a strong team, overconfident,overconfide as was the case against Sharjah. We must forget the which is one of the best in the competition. win and preparepre for Al Taawoun who are a good side. We have to go step by step; otherwise, we will make a mistake. TheyThey defeateddefeat us previously (2-0 on Matchday Two) in Saudi It’s very difficult to win the competition, and there are many good ArabiaArA abia and we must be fully focused in order to have a clubs.