Qatar Association of Athletics Federation

Preparations continue by the Organizing Committee of the IAAF World Indoor Championship- Doha 2010 in order to set the final touches a few days before the start of the event which runs from 12-14 March in Aspire, with the participation of (1400) athletes representing 160 countries.

Mr. Khalid Ali Al-Mawlawi, director of protocol & ceremonies & international relations in the organizing committee, disclosed  the outline of the opening and closing ceremonies .. The opening ceremony will last for 45 minutes and the closing ceremony will be held on the beach of Sharq Hotel where champions of the last 4 races will be awarded medals, and where the championship flag will be delivered to the Turkish delegation. Mr. Al-Mawlawi refused to disclose the full details of the opening and closing ceremonies. He added: We have always surprised the world when hosting events in Qatar and so it will be in this event too. Mr. Al-Mawlawi stressed that the attendance of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Qatar Olympic Committee, in the Opening Ceremony is one of the largest and most important signs of the impressive success of the IAAF World Indoor Championship- Doha 2010.

Mr. Al- Mawlawi said that the Organizing Committee, chaired by HE Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, Secretary General of Qatar Olympic Committee, has started to intensify its work since 10 months ago, and emerged from it various working committees. He added that there are four key activities will take place on March 11 in a reception organized by the International Federation in honor of the VIPs in the Diplomatic Club. Moreover, Al- Mawlawi said that the Organizing Committee will hold a gala dinner on 13 March and will be attended by VIPs, national and international sponsors and will be held at the Equestrian Federation where it will to be a non-traditional ceremony and will bring together and witness horse riding shows and the beauty of Arab horses. There will also be a reception held on March 14 by the Turkish Organizing Committee, which will host the next IAAF World Indoor Championship in Istanbul, in Hyatt Regency Hotel . The closing ceremony will be held on the beach of Sharq Hotel where champions of the last 4 races will be awarded medals, and where the championship flag will be delivered to the Turkish delegation.

Commenting on the ceremony programs, Mr. Al-Mawlawi said that his administration organized a program for the VIPs and media, which includes a visit to the Museum of Islamic Art,  Al-Jazeera Channel, Souq Waqif, and bus  tours in Qatar, adding that those who wish to participate in the program of recreational visits must complete the appropriate application form and be part of the events.

Finally, Mr. Al-Mawlawi said that the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations will arrive to Doha on March11 to chair the meetings of the Executive Office on 15 and 16 March, he said, noting that the Organizing Committee has invited many of the experts and athletes in the Gulf area. It is worth notice that the Executive Office of the IAAF consists of 5 members representing he International Olympic Committee.