DOHA, 23 November 2005 — Dr. Jacque Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, visited the headquarters last week of the Doha Asian Games Organizing Committee (DAGOC), where he was briefed on the plans and preparations undertaken by the organizing committee for the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006, to be held in Doha from Dec. 1-15 2006.
Rogge was accompanied by Sheikh Saud ibn Abdulrahman Al Thani, Secretary General of Qatar National Olympic Committee, and was welcomed by Abdulla Khalid Al Qahtani, director general of DAGOC as well as the DAGOC team of senior management and directors.
During the meeting, Al-Qahtani briefed Rogge on the progress achieved so far regarding all the operational aspects of the Games, the venues preparations, as well as the scope of the Doha 2006 Games being the biggest in the history of the Asian continent.
The meeting was followed by a media briefing session which was attended by representatives of the international, Asian, and local media.
On this occasion, Al Qahtani said, “It is a great honor to receive Dr. Rogge, the highest ranking sporting figure in the world, and to have the opportunity to present to him the achievements that we have made so far on the road to staging the biggest and most memorable Asian Games ever. The Games will boost Qatar’s credentials as one of the major countries to stage global scale sporting events.”
Dr. Rogge commented on his visit to DAGOC by praising the leading role Qatar is playing for sports in the region. “What has struck me most is the role of sports in this nation. This is really a shining example of what sports should be for all the countries.”
“Sports indeed here in Qatar is considered not just a physical activity, but as a means of developing the country as a whole, perfectly used as an education for the population and in particular for youth and this is something very dear to the International Olympic Committee,” Rogge added. “I think Qatar has intelligently invested in organizations and at the same time taking care of its own athletes.
Qatar has been able to attract major sporting events with a good strategy and good legacy and I think that this puts Qatar on the map.”
Highlighting the progress of preparations, Al-Qahtani said: “When we made our bid to host the 15th Asian Games, we said that Doha is eager, capable and uniquely qualified to do the job; and that we could do it in a fashion that upholds and fortifies the tradition of the Game that would further emphasise Qatar’s capabilities to host the highest level of international events; as the hub of sports in the Middle East. We are fulfilling this promise and are determined to exceed all expectations.”
Rogge, a Belgian national, is the eighth IOC president. An orthopedic surgeon by profession, Rogge knows all about being an Olympic athlete, as he participated in the Olympic Games in Mexico in the 1968, Munich in 1972, and Montreal in 1976 representing his country in yachting competitions.
