DOHA, Qatar, 9 October 2006 — The Athletes’ Village, whose construction is completed but currently being equipped with furnishings and gadgets, will accommodate up to 7,300 athletes and 3,000 team officials from 45 countries for the upcoming 15th Asian Games Doha 2006.
“The village, with a total area of 330,000 square meters, will be operational for 39 days, from Nov. 10 to Dec. 18,” Athletes’ Village Director Hamad Mohammed Al Tamimi told a group of 30 Asian journalists during a tour of the village yesterday.
The games are scheduled from Dec. 1 to 15 inclusive of the days for opening and closing ceremonies. The athletes will spend the majority of their rest, refueling and leisure time at the self-contained campus, which is located in the heart of the city of Doha. Aware that the level of accommodation, transport, catering and cleaning services will leave a lasting impression of the Games on its key stakeholders and may even influence their performances on the sporting stage, Doha Asian Games Organizing Committee (DAGOC) plans to make the village life as stress-free and enjoyable as possible with the best of Arabian hospitality, Al Tamimi said. “We aim to provide a safe and stress-free environment that will allow them to concentrate on their training and competition,” he said.
The village comprises three zones — public zone incorporating the media, guest pass and protocol centers; international zone, which will include flag plaza where team welcome ceremonies will be conducted, retail center comprising bank, post office, dry merchandise store, hairdressing salon, ticketing office, travel agency and car rental office, plus telecommunications store, Internet stations, lost and found office, coffee and snack shop, and a heritage center; and residential zone consisting of housing units of nine, eight and five storied buildings. This zone will include self-service laundry facilities, a support operations center, maintenance site, leisure and recreation center, a running track, athletes’ dining hall, village administration building, and an athletes’ arrival, departure and accreditation center. Additionally, it will have an athletes’ entertainment area and a polyclinic.
The main feature of the residential zone is a set of 32 residential buildings where athletes and team officials will be accommodated during the entire operational period of the Games. Each apartment of the athlete or team will consist of five bedrooms and house a maximum of 13 persons. The heritage center will be an area where athletes and team officials can learn more about Qatari traditions and customs. “We’re planning to have daily activities and displays such as henna, traditional games, handicrafts and a storyteller,” Al Tamimi said.The Athletes’ Village, which is located at the city center some eight kilometers away from the main competition venues, has been under construction since 2003. “The village is a Qatari government funded project of 2.5 billion Qatari riyals as home for the athletes and team officials during the Games and will then be turned over as legacy to the Hamad Medical City,” Al Tamimi said, adding that the government undertook the plan when Doha won the right to host the 15th Asian Games.
In fact, the Athletes’ Village Directorate is working closely with the developers of the site and with the Hamad Medical City representatives to ensure that not only will the Asian Games Doha 2006 be unique and memorable but also the country and its people will benefit form such a great event. On completion of the Games, the temporary structures will be removed and work on the hospital and ancillary buildings resumed. Some 2,584 nurses will be housed in 646 apartments along with common facilities and car parking. The National health Authority will take over the seven storied office block. The hospital will become the center for pediatric, orthopaedic, trauma, dialysis and physical therapy clinics.
