Doha to host 2019 World Athletics

QATAR’S emergence as a global sporting hub gained further clout when Doha was yesterday chosen as host city for the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships. The fast-growing city alongside the Arabian Gulf will become the first from the Middle East to stage the blue riband event. Overlooked for the 2017 championships in favour of London, the Qatari capital was selected ahead of rival bids from 1992 Olympic hosts Barcelona and the American city of Eugene, often referred to as Track Town. Doha earned 12 votes to Eugene’s nine and Barcelona’s six in the initial secret ballot of the IAAF Council before winning 15-12 over Eugene in the second vote.