DOHA – Qatari organizers and the ruling athletics body IAAF
have brushed aside any concerns about human rights, climate or
attendance levels on the eve of Friday's start of the world
championships in Doha.
IAAF president Sebastian Coe said he expected "very, very good
championships" and highlighted that 1,970 athletes from 208 countries
and territories would be fighting for medals until October 6.
Among those sending athletes are the four countries that have imposed
a boycott on Qatar since 2017: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen and the
United Arab Emirates.
"We have all teams here, which is a good indication of how sports can
reach out," Coe told reporters.
Organizing committee vice president Dahlan Al Hamad said: "We don't
stop anyone at our door step. We don't mix sports with politics."
Dahlan also dismissed concerns about very sluggish ticket sales,
insisting sales were going well and hoping for a full house at
Khalifa International Stadium on Friday.
"We are happy with ticket sales and the engagement in the country
which is bigger than at any sports event. The people of Qatar are
excited," he said.
Al Hamad and Coe spoke of the legacy the first worlds in the Middle
East would leave and said that measures have been taken to counter
the intense heat. Coe also stressed that workers rights in the
country have improved despite severe criticism from NGOs.
"I don't see organizations such as Amnesty International or Labour
International as competitors to what we are doing," Coe said.
"Sport is a good opportunity to showcase and challenge some of those
issues. I encourage them, we can be quite a powerful alliance," Coe
said.