QNA

Doha

First Vice President of Qatar Olympic Committee, President of Qatar Fencing and Weightlifting and Asian Weightlifting Federations Mohammed Yousef Al Mana underlined that the State of Qatar is currently capable of hosting the Summer Olympic Games in light of all potential and elements owned by the country similar to what happened in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 tournament.

He promised to present a Qatari male or female champion from those who showed up in the west Asia championship and Qatar cup other than the Qatari weightlifter Faris Ibrahim to make major achievement in Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Mana said that the State of Qatar is capable of hosting the Olympic Games starting from tomorrow through the fully equipped hotels, stadiums, halls, transportation process and other technical and logistic facilitations, adding that FIFA world cup is a testimony for this capability which was a miracle in everything.

Hosting any event must be supported by expertise and a bright vision for the future, he said, adding that the State of Qatar is capable today of easily organizing the Summer Olympic Games, however, such hosting has various matters, whether in terms of political, economic or sports, but Qatar must start and should have 100 percent correct file, specially that the country has a problem with the technical and economic files, Al Mana pointed out.

The President of Qatar Fencing and Weightlifting said that if Qatar did win to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2036, it would be entitled to organize 2040 Olympic Games, since this matter is not merely an objective to lead, but a right for every single Qatari citizen and resident on this country, he said.

Commenting on the preparations to host the 2030 Asian Games, Al Mana underscored that the State of Qatar is henceforth ready to host the event from all aspects, adding that there is no problem on such matter, as no further effort or enormous work will be required as was the case before hosting the 2006 Asian Games.

He pointed out that the matter is only contingent upon the organizational and logistic aspects, confirming that organizing the Asian Games this time will not consume further effort, task or funds similar to what happened in the previous time.

He confirmed that what had been accomplished by the State of Qatar in organizing the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 had not been achieved by any country in the past, whether at the level of world cups or Olympic games.

No entity will be capable of achieving that at the present time, he said, stressing that what had transpired in Qatar through organizing the largest and most illustrious football tournament at the global level was evidently legendary and would never be replicated once again.

In addition, Al Mana stressed that the policy pursued by the Olympic committee under the leadership of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani underpins the cultivation of sports values and awareness, and affords the right to all people in order to practice sport, not merely to win the medals or a sporting tournament, but to be primarily reflected on the people's health, specially that the primary objective of sports is to maintain sports health and awareness that are correctly based on competition in a transparent manner.

He pointed out that one of the plans of the Olympic committee entails the continuation of the momentum that was achieved after the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 tournament for the sake of making the State of Qatar the capital of sports, not only in the region, but in the entire world. He noted that Qatar has competencies at the highest levels, along with young people whom the state boasts of, including sports institutions, stadiums, halls, training venues and distinguished hotels. All these things will primarily help Qatar host the major global tournaments in various games, he said.

Al-Mana revealed that the State of Qatar will host many international championships during the coming period in various sports, including the FINA World Swimming Championships, the World Judo Championships, and the Qatar Weightlifting Cup that qualifies for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

He believed that weightlifting is one of the toughest and most difficult sports in the international Olympic movement, because it requires special specifications, whether physically, psychologically or physiologically, considering that it is difficult to find champions in affluent societies in difficult and harsh sports such as weightlifting and other individual games, and if he is found to be temporary and for a specific period, as it takes about twenty years for a new champion to appear.

He explained that the daily training sessions for the weightlifting champions take place in three periods, the first from eight in the morning to twelve in the afternoon, and the second period between three and six in the evening, while the third period is before sleeping for an hour, which is about agility and relaxation exercises for the player.

He considered that the small number of athletes who practice weightlifting is due to its difficulty and its need for great effort and work, as well as time, patience and endurance of injuries, in addition to the development of physical and muscular build.

He pointed out that the weightlifter needs from 3 to 5 years in order to reach the best level that qualifies him to compete for an Olympic or international medal.

Al-Mana stressed, during his interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), that the Qatar national team has good athletes, and is counting on preparing them well in the coming period and qualifying them for the Olympics to accomplish an achievement in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

He promised that there would be a Qatari champion who appeared in the West Asian Championships and the Qatar Cup, in the next Olympics, in the event that he did not suffer an injury and complete the preparation and qualification program according to the same set strategy.