Sebastian Coe (left), Vice-President of International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and a former middle-distance runner watches the Doha Diamond League action at Qatar SC Stadium yesterday. Coe, winner of four Olympic medals also served as Chairman of the Organising Committee of 2012 Lodon Olympic Games. Also seen are Dahlan Al Hamad (centre), President of the Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) and IAAF Vice-President, and Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (right), Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC). The first leg of the 14-stop 2013 Diamond League kicked off in Doha, yesterday. RIGHT: Qatar’s Mohamed Al Garni (left) in action in the men’s 1,500m event. Asbel Kiprop of Kenya won the race. PICTURES BY SHAIVAL DALAL AND SHAJAHAN
DOHA: IAAF chief Lamine Diack (pictured left) has called for calm following Samsung’s decision to pull out as the official sponsor of the Diamond League series, saying the popular track and field championship would be backed by the world governing body.
Diack was responding to questions over Samsung’s decision to end their sponsorship after backing the first three years of the event.
“Although we welcome having the extra funds from a title sponsor, the IAAF considers the series as a valuable property which is worthy of our direct investment,” Diack said during a press conference.
“So, while we are working hard to find a new partner for the circuit, it is not a question of life or death either as the financial input of a title sponsor was never crucial to the viability of the series,” he said.
“To attract a title sponsor in the first year was certainly an enormous boost for our young project, and the extension of that contract for a third year in 2012 was a further endorsement,” the President said.
“Our vision from the beginning was that we would create a new exciting product for the top tier of the sport’s invitational circuit and that has been achieved, and we are confident that in the IAAF Diamond League we have a highly attractive asset.”
Worldwide TV audience for Diamond League, he said, was ‘far greater than anything dreamt’ by the previous Golden League.
“In 2012, Diamond League was broadcast by 98 TV stations and was watched by 223 million people in 132 countries,” Diack added in the press conference.
The President added that Moscow, hosts of this summer’s IAAF World Championships, would ‘confirm the success’ of the London 2012 Olympics.
Dahlan Al Hamad (pictured right), President of the Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) and chairman of IDL Doha 2013, confirmed that there was a clear desire to bid for the IAAF World Championships of 2019, having missed out on the 2017 version to London.
“Definitely,” said Al Hamad, who is also an IAAF Vice-President. “We will try in 2019 or beyond. As a federation, we have the desire to be hosts of the World Championships. Of course we have to gain the approval from the head of state, but I can assure you that, yes, we have the desire to go for it.”
He said that the Doha 2013 meeting involved 29 Olympic medallists, and 18 world medallists, adding that the World 100m champion Yohan Blake had been due to compete in the 100m but had to withdraw because of an injury.
“Despite not being able to come to Doha this year, Yohan hopes he will make it next year,” Al Hamad said. THE PENINSULA
