Executive Director of FINA Highlights Qatar's Sports Facilities

Doha, March 06 (QNA) -Cornel Marculescu, the Executive Director of (Federation Internationale de Natation) /FINA/ , now visiting Doha, has highly praised the Qatari giant and mammoth sports facilities and potentials which qualify Qatar to host the greatest world sports events not only in swimming but also in the rest of various sports games. This came in the joint press conference Marculescu held at Al Wajba Hall in the premises of the Qatar Olympic Committee, here Wednesday with Chief Executive Officer and President of the Qatar Swimming Association (QSA), Khaleel Al Jabir for the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) that will take place in Doha, in December 10-14, 2014. The Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) delegation arrived in Doha earlier Tuesday for an inspection visit to the QSA to get acquainted with preparations of Doha World Swimming Championships Organising Committee of this event, as to the level of competition and services that Doha is expected to provide. The FINA's Executive Director underlined that the FINA delegation has received full support during their visit to Qatar and conveyed thanks to HE sheikh Saoud bin Abdurrahman al Thani, the secretary general of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and Chief Executive Officer and President of the Qatar Swimming Association, Khaleel Al Jabir. He noted however that whatever they saw during the visit really reflects the mammoth preparations and potentials Qatar has been enjoying the matter which also undermines that Doha is completely fit and prepared for such a success. The outcome of the site visit inspection on the occasion of the 12 the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) that will take place in Doha, in December 10-14, 2014. This biannual FINA event is the most prestigious and important swimming event, following the World Championships. The purpose of the visit is in the spirit of collaboration and working together, to achieve the best possible conditions for an exceptional competition. FINA delegation, led by Cornel Marculescu (FINA Executive Director) and 2014 Doha World Swimming Championships Organising Committee Chief Executive Officer and President of the Qatar Swimming Association, Khaleel Al Jabir had extensive discussions on the preparation of this event, as to the level of competition and services that Doha is expected to provide. Meanwhile Khaleel Al Jabir quoted "Qatar Swimming Association (QSA) since its establishment has dedicated all its efforts in promoting the exciting sports of Aquatics within the State of Qatar and the organisation of this unique Swimming competition is a great opportunity for supporting our initial goals. Qatar Swimming Association is honoured and proud to be selected by FINA to host this world-class event at Hamad Aquatic Center. In close collaboration with FINA and with the support of Qatar Olympic Committee, we are preparing to host the event at the highest possible level and welcome FINA to see how committed we are to supporting these world class events and portray to the world our event organizational skills , said Al Jabir. Cornel Marculescu quoted "Our close cooperation with the Qatar Swimming Association has proven to have strong foundations and to share with us the same vision: the Doha 2014 FINA Worlds Swimming Championships to be an exceptional event, that will further promote the sports of Swimming. We are delighted and pleased by what we have seen and discussed and look forward to working again with our partners in the promotion of the world of swimming in this glorious region", he said. In addition to the above a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Organising Committee of the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Doha 2014 and Aspetar; the medical services provider for that event. For his part, Dr Dijkstra Chief Medical Officer of the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Doha 2014 who was also signatory for Aspetar added, "It is with great pride and an enormous sense of responsibility that we as Aspetar collaborate with Qatar Swimming Association on a sporting event of this magnitude. Aspetar has always been associated to excellence and now more than ever to an organisation synonymous to this." It is worth to mention that FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation) is the world governing body of all the aquatic sports swimming, water polo, diving, synchronised swimming, open water swimming and masters swimming recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). FINA is one of the three largest international federations within the International Olympic Committee and the only federation to govern five Olympic Sports. FINA has 202 federation affiliate members and four IOC members. (QNA)