Sport THURSDAY 17 DECEMBER 2020 IOCI President Bach looks ahead to two ‘extraordinary’‘ Olympic years in Asia Today we enjoy a very strong partnership in many areas. We area cooperating on promoting the Olympic values, to ensure safes sport and to put sport at the service of society. IOC President Thomas Bach Sport |04 QATAR MEN'S SENIOR BASKETBALL LEAGUE: Al Khor beat Al Rayyan Sports Club 81-76, Al Sadd Sports Club beat Al Ahli 93-88 The victorious Doha 2030 Bid Committee, led by Qatar Olympic Committee Chairman H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, arriving in Doha after attending the Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly in Muscat, Oman, yesterday. The ‘sports capital’ of the region to stage Asiad for second time Doha wins 2030 Asian Games bid race RIZWAN REHMAT THE PENINSULA Sheikh Jassim The 2030 Asian Games yesterday were meets Doha awarded to Doha after the Qatari capital - also known as the sports 2030 Bid capital of the region - won the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) vote in a bid race with Saudi candidate city Riyadh. Committee The long-awaited announcement QNA – DOHA was made by OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah of Kuwait H H Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al after counting of votes was held at JW Thani, the Personal Representative Marriot Hotel in the Omani capital. of H H the Amir met with members “I can now announce... that the city of the working group of Doha 2030 who had the highest vote and will host Asian Games Bid Committee, led by 2030 is Doha,” the OCA President said the President of Qatar Olympic raising a placard showing Doha Committee H E Sheikh Joaan bin printed on it. Hamad Al Thani, upon their arrival This is will be the second time that at Doha International Airport on Doha will get to host the Asian Games. Wednesday evening following their In December 2006, Doha staged the participation in the meeting of the then ‘biggest and best’ Asian Games 39th General Assembly of the bringing together more than 10,000 Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), which athletes, officials and media folks for was held in the capital Muscat and the two-week gathering. announced the city of Doha the The OCA President yesterday also winner to host the 2030 Asian Games. confirmed Riyadh as the host city of Secretary of H H the Amir for the 2034 Asian Games, a decision that Investment Affairs H E Sheikh Doha 2030 Bid Committee Chairman H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and Vice-Chairperson and CEO of Qatar will see the biggest multi-discipline Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Foundation, H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, celebrate after 2030 Asian Games were awarded to Doha following sports event being hosted back-to- Minister of Culture and Sports H E back in west Asia. a vote during the Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly in Muscat, Oman, yesterday. Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali and a “I will be glad to have two Asian number of Their Excellencies high- Games editions staged in west Asia,” in the Bid Committee ranking officials concerned with a beaming Sheikh Ahmad said after conducted them- Our goal is simple. We want to see sports affairs in the State attended announcement. selves professionally. the meeting. The Doha 2030 Bid Committee, I also want to con- more Asian athletes in the future, on headed by Chairman H E Sheikh Joaan gratulate Riyadh who A new achievement for Qatari sports by hosting the future Olympic podiums. We want Asian Games in Doha 2030, thanks to our young team bin Hamad Al Thani, was present in will host the 2034 for this wonderful performance, and our congratulations that to be part of your national sports neighbourhood of Aspire Academy. On Muscat where the entire OCA family Asian Games,” Sheikh to the colleagues in the Riyadh 2030 file for hosting the the outskirts Doha, Lusail Sports Arena joined in for the voting procedure that Joaan said. Games in 2034. history, not just ours. And we want to is an indoor sports venue located in was briefly halted because of technical Doha’s 2030 support you in the efforts to get new city Lusail. The venue, which glitches. campaign was cham- there: Doha 2030 Bid Committee occupies an area of 140,000sq m in “This achievement is not attributed pioned by Qatar’s size, hosted the 2015 Men’s World to me alone. There is a whole team World Champion and thethe lastlast 2020 years’ears’ wasas alsoalso lauded.lauded TheThe Chairman, H E Sheikh Joaan Handball Championship. Less than a that worked hard inside and outside Olympic Games hero Mutaz Barshim country’s transportation system was bin Hamad Al Thani mile away is the Lusail Shooting the committee. I thank His Highness who joined swimmer Nada Arakji deemed to be ‘state-of-the-art’ by the Range, a venue that hosted the the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad during yesterday’s final OCA Evaluation Committee that also shooting competitions of the 2006 Al Thani and everyone who supported presentations. praised the ‘high level of security in Asian Games. our bid file - from the Ministry of “It’s a great day. Doha staged the the country’. approach of all members of the com- Al Shaqab Arena is another venue Foreign Affairs and all ambassadors 2006 Asian Games in a memorable Doha’s ‘zero emission public mittee’s team. I thank them very much that has wowed the global equestrian abroad,” Sheikh Joaan told media after show and now we can plan a better transport commitment for 2030 Asian for their efforts over the past few family for the last 10 years or more. the announcement. show,” a smiling Barshim said after Games’ also got a mention in the final months.” Yesterday it was confirmed that Al “It was a long and arduous cam- the announcement was made. “I con- report. Home to some of the world’s best Shaqab will host the season-opening paign. I give thanks to God that we will gratulate the Saudi team for being part Jassim Al Buenain, the CEO of the venues, Doha’s Asian Games journey competition of the 2021 Longines be hosting the Asian Games again. of the bid race. I give my thanks to Doha 2030 Bid Committee, yesterday is not only about sports events. The Global Champions Tour and the Global Qatar has become a sign of Asia’s con- Allah. We are happy with this result,” said: “What we saw today was the Qatari capital houses the world’s Champions League series. The world’s fidence,” he added. the tall high jumper added. harvest of what was built more than biggest indoor sports facility - the premier five-star show jumping com- When asked about the young The OCA’s Evaluation Committee 16 years ago. We all remember Doha Aspire Academy that sits next to the petitions will kick off in Doha from people in the Bid Committee, Sheikh also made a presentation detailing 2006 and its qualitative leap in the iconic Khalifa International Stadium March 4-6, 2021 at the Longines Arena Joaan said the youth is ‘the main their visits to Doha and Riyadh last balance of Qatari sport. Today we con- (KIS) and FINA-approved Hamad at Al Shaqab. reason for the success of the bid file’. month. tinue the march. We also seek to make Aquatic Complex. The 19th Asian Games will take “The ambition of the youth is high During the presentation, Doha’s Doha the gateway of the future for all The Aspetar Sports Medicine Hos- place in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang and they don’t know what impossible ‘one-city concept’ was roundly appre- Asian and international athletes. pital - which employees the world’s province in eastern China, from Sep- is. I congratulate them for this victory ciated as was the fact that all venues “The Bid Committee - under best hands in dealing with sports tember 10-25, 2022 and the 20th Asian because they are the ones who worked exhibited in the bid file are ‘existing’. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani - injuries and conducts rehab programs Games will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, hard and they are the ones who Qatar’s ‘consistent contribution in was never satisfied with anything less for athletes and individuals seeking top- Japan from September 19 to October brought us to where we are. Everyone Olympic and sports movement over than excellence and this was the notch medical care - is also in the 4, 2026. THURSDAY 17 DECEMBER 2020 SPORT 02 Doha 2030 to inspire next generation FAWAD HUSSAIN THE PENINSULA I had the honour of competing in Doha Mutaz Essa Barshim served as a 15-year-old 2006 and the atmosphere of celebration volunteer when Doha hosted its first Asian Games and unity I experienced during the Games in 2006. It was that experience which inspired still lives with me. It was not my most the current high jump superstar in winning two Olympic medals, as many World Championship successful Asian Games, but it was one titles and two Asian Games gold medals. that provides some of my fondest “Being a volunteer at the Asian Games 2006 memories. Since then I have seen how was amazing. I remember telling my parents that Doha has made significant investment into one day I will compete in the Asia Games. This dream propelled me to win the medals in sport and hosted hundreds of sports Olympics, World Championships and the Asian events, training camps and more.