Dubai: The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) announced that it received a bid from the UAE to host the 13th World Athletics Championship in 2011.
This was announced by Major General Mohammad Hilal Suroor Al Qaabi the UAE Athletics Federation President in a press conference held recently. Al Qaabi said that the IAAF during its meeting in Osaka in Japan revealed the countries which bid to host the 2011 World Championship.
"We bid to host the World championship after the visit of Lamin Diyak the IAAF President to the UAE at the end of last year. He visited many clubs and stadiums in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and he was very pleased with what he saw."
"General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, received Diyak who said that the UAE can host the World Championship in 2011 according to the excellent infrastructure, stadiums and hotels, which can help the UAE to organise one of the most successful World Championships," said Al Qaabi.
He added that General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed accepted that and instructed to bid officially for hosting the 2011 championships and to coordinate with Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The six countries who bid to host the 2011 championships as was announced by the IAAF are: UAE, South Korea, Morocco Spain, Russia, Australia.
Dr Abdullah Abdul Karim, the UAE AF financial manager, was appointed to coordinate with the IAAF and make the follow up for the bid until UAE succeed in hosting the 2011 championships.
Previous cities hosted the World Championship: 1- 1983 Helsinki, 2- 1987 Rome, 3- 1991 Tokyo, 4- 1993 Stuttgart, 5- 1995 Stockholm, 6- 1997 Athens, 7- 1999 Seville, 8- 2001 Wellington, 9- 2003 Paris, 10- 2005 Helsinki, 11- 2007 Osaka, 12- 2009 Berlin.
