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Olympics or no Olympics, Qatar looks to lasting legacy

(AP)
Updated: 2006-11-29 09:31Doubts were cast over Doha's ability to host a major event of this scale after a U.S. State Department fact sheet warned travelers of possible shortages of beds, flights, food and strained medical facilities during the Asian Games.

Those assertions were dismissed by Al Khulaifi.

Special coverage: Doha Asian Games
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"It's not a logical statement. They talked about the accommodation, but we don't have any problems, we don't have any pressures," he said. "We are receiving everyday more than 1,000 athletes, team officials or media people. We don't have any issues."

"We've had good reports on the catering, the facilities, the venues, the transport system, and everything is going in the right direction."

Al Khulaifi said the task of organizing the Asian Games was, in many way, more difficult that an Olympics.

"We actually have bigger numbers of sports to cater for,we have 39 and they have 28," he said. "In terms of the athletes, we have more, because at the Asian Games there is no qualification, so any NOC (National Olympic Committee) can send any athletes they wish to compete.

"I think with the infrastructure we have put in place, and the infrastructure here in Doha, we think it would be very easy to host (the Olympics)."

Regardless of whether Doha gets to host the 2016 Olympics, the Asian Games will leave a valuable sporting legacy for Qatar.

Perhaps the most impressive of the venues constructed for the event is the ASPIRE complex, featuring seven indoor halls.

The 73,000-square meter venue designed by French architect Roger Taillibert, also houses a 6,000-seat soccer stadium and Olympic-sized swimming and diving pools.

After the Games, the facility will be used primarily by the ASPIRE Sporting Academy, launched in 2004 to identify young regional athletes.

Al Khulaifi said maintenance programs had been put in place to ensure the Asian Games venues would still be of Olympic standard in 2016.

"It's very easy to build a venue, but we have to plan for maintenance for not just 10 years, but 20 or 30 years," he said.

Apart from the physical benefits, Al Khulaifi felt the Games will leave a human legacy.

"We have included the biggest percentage of Qataris (in the organizing process) to educate them about organizing the big events," Al Khulaifi said.

"On some specific jobs we brought in some experts, but we put a Qatari partner with them in order to leave a human resources legacy for the Qataris here."