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Tribune News Network
Doha
YEAR after year, Aspire Zone (AZ) has continued on its successful journey towards its vision of becoming the reference in sports excellence by 2020.
It is achieving this through its ongoing development of athletes and efforts to promote a sporting culture within the local community in line with Qatar's National Development Strategy for the development of the sporting sector.
To realise its vision, Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF) and its member organisations Aspire Academy, Aspetar and Aspire logistics have adopted a collaborative approach.
Over the last 12 months, the AZF has continued to make progress towards its vision, cementing its reputation as a leading sporting hub for decision makers, community members and sporting icons.
Innovations and support
By mid-2016, AZF set a world record when it returfed Al Sadd SC Stadium in under 14 hours and 40 minutes. The new turf was developed by the Qatar Turf Research Centre, located within AZ.
In the programming field, the Department of Information Technology at AZF has developed an application for the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC). The new app is designed to keep track of the welfare of labourers working on 2022 projects, providing an efficient tool to help the SC monitor contractors' compliance with its stringent Workers' Welfare Standards. The application was made available to contractors and SC auditors through iPads, PCs and cellphones.
Towards the end of 2016, the SC, in cooperation with AZF, revealed an innovative cooled helmet that has been designed and developed by researchers from Qatar University to reduce the skin temperature of construction workers by up to 10 degrees centigrade.
Achievements,
accreditation
During 2016, AZF achieved success at various levels. Early last year, the AZF inaugurated the west expansion of Aspetar as a part of the hospital's efforts to help athletes achieve the highest levels of performance. In January 2016, the hospital received the 'Platinum Level' accolade by Accreditation Canada International. In terms of education, Aspire Academy obtained the Council of International Schools (CIS) accreditation following a five-year application process.
One of Aspire Academy's graduates, High Jumper Mutaz Barshim, claimed Qatar's first-ever silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
In June, Aspire Academy celebrated its ninth graduation with 36 student athletes capped at a ceremony to mark the end of the 2015-16 academic year. This brings the total number of graduates to 280 since the Academy's establishment.
The end of this year also saw the completion of the 'Kun Riyadi' (Be an Athlete) project, a unique Athlete Development Pathway (ADP) model developed by the Qatar Olympic Committee in partnership with Aspire Academy that seeks to produce a new generation of Qatari sporting champions.
Besides, Aspire-owned Belgian club KAS Eupen was promoted to the Belgian First Division, marking yet another success for the club and an opportunity for Aspire Academy's graduates to take part in other football tournaments in Europe.
Inking partnerships
Driven by its vision to become the reference in sports excellence worldwide by 2020, several partnership agreements were signed in 2016 with leading sporting organisations, including the Foundation and the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) Group.
Other key agreements signed by Aspetar, a member organised of AZF, were with popular footballing clubs Tottenham Hotspur (England) and Angers SCO (France). As part of the agreements, Aspetar is providing medical services that include medical screening, athlete rehabilitation and orthopaedic surgery at the FIFA-accredited Medical Centre of Excellence.
Locally, Aspetar has signed clinical training agreements with academic institutions including Qatar University and the College of North Atlantic Qatar to offer training and practical experience in the provision of health care and patient care opportunities to students who wish to fulfil their academic requirements.
The Aspire Academy also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Qatar Fencing Federation to establish a National Fencing Pathway programme. It has partnered with global technology company SAP to enable Aspire Academy coaches, sport scientists, athletes and management to easily access real-time data on athlete performance development. On international level, a new partnership was formed between Aspire Academy, the Qatar Football Association and the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC), with QFA and Aspire Director of Football Performance and Science, Prof. Valter Di Salvo, now leading the design and implementation of performance programmes for Italy's national footballing body.
Providing sporting events...
AZF has set up a number of events that marked it as a leading sporting hub in Qatar and the region. Some of the key events hosted by the Foundation include the 'Challenges in Football Injuries' medical conference, hosted by Aspetar in partnership with the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence in Doha and the International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine.
Aspetar, in collaboration with the Health Ministers' Council for GCC States, also hosted the first ever GCC Sports Medicine Conference. Other events included the first AFC/Aspetar Sports Physiotherapy Course, and the Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Master Class. Furthermore, the 2016 Aspire4Sport and Global Summit on Football Performance & Science was hosted in Amsterdam.
...And sporting tournaments
The AZF, in partnership with the Qatar Athletics Federation and the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU), held the second edition of the IAU 50km World Championship, with over 100 athletes from 20 countries taking part. In conjunction with that tournament, AZ also hosted the 6.50K international race for local community members, providing amateur runners with the opportunity to compete against the best athletes in ultrarunning.
Other popular local events organised by the Foundation include Qatar's Strongest Man, the Aspire Torch Staircase Run, the first Aspire Water Polo competition in Qatar, the Aspire Banks Tournament and the Aspire Embassies Tournament.
The AZF strives to mark key dates, such as the National Sport Day with the 3K Fun Run, climbing, judo and cycling. During the Holy Month of Ramadan, AZF makes sure that members maintain an active lifestyle while fasting, organising sporting activities as part of its annual Ramadan Sports Festival and Freej Aspire.
