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QNA
Doha
The President of Qatar Gymnastics Federation Ali al Hitmi has said that Qatar's hosting of the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Doha 2018 from October 25 to November 3 is a strong message to those who want to stop the country's pioneering march in the region.
Speaking exclusively to Qatar News Agency (QNA), al Hitmi said that the unprecedented participation in the tournament, which is being organised for the first time in the Middle East, and see more than 700 athletes representing 83 countries, confirms the full confidence and support of the world in Qatar as sports capital because of its long-standing reputation in organising and hosting major sporting events and because of the security and safety it provides.
"The World Gymnastics Championships will be the first stop that will keep the world's eyes on us before returning again when Doha will host the 2019 IAAF World Championships, the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 World Swimming Championships," said Al Hitmi, also the Executive Director and Tournament Manager of the 2018 Gymnastics World Championships.
He explained that the sports world puts its full confidence in Qatar because"we have the infrastructure needed at the highest level, stadiums and modern facilities."
He added that the infrastructure being provided for world gymnastics championships in Doha would be of a global configuration and also show"our readiness if we are to host the Olympic Games in the future."
On the Qatari team's participation in the tournament, Hitmi confirmed that the Qatar team will participate with gymnast, Ahmad Nabil and Ahmed al Deyani who will compete with the world champions on all six men's apparatus events.
Qatari gymnast Jana Elkiky will compete in the floor exercises and pommel in apparatus for women.
He said that Qatar gymnasts will certainly gain in experience through the world championships.
Al Hitmi added that the Qatari participation will not be limited to athletes only, as there will also be Qatari participation as referees in the tournament being represented by Mahmoud al Saad and Abeer al Buainain.
Al Hitmi said the preparations are under way at the venue and that the equipment will be installed by a Chinese at the Aspire Dome.
In response to a question on whether there will be meetings with the International Gymnastics Federation during the tournament, Al Hitmi said there are periodic meetings being held already between officials of the International Federation and the Organising Committee, but there will not be a congress meeting in Doha during the World Championship because it is scheduled to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
A delegation representing the directors of the technical committees of the International Federation will be present in Doha on October 15 and 16 to make sure of the full readiness before the start of the tournament on October 25, he informed.
Ali al Hitmi thanked the sports officials in the country and HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al Thani, the President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the championship.
He also thanked the officials of the Ministry of Culture and Sports for their efforts with the Organising Committee and everyone concerned with the success of the World Championship in Qatar.
